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As our flight touched down in Stockholm, I couldn’t help but be reminded that I was a long way from home. Having spent most of my life and professional career as a writer in Houston, the prospect of crossing the pond and living in a new country for any extended period of time was admittedly quite mystifying. Opportunity calls-- or at least that's what I told myself as I disembarked the aircraft and began making my way through the terminal. After a nearly 12-hour flight, my destination was still an hour's train ride away-- Vasteras, one of northern Europe's oldest cities, approximately 100km west of Stockholm. Stepping outside, I found myself instinctively buttoning up my coat and folding my arms. In contrast to the humid heat of Houston, even in the month of March, the air here in Sweden tasted fresh, brisk even, if not a little chilly. It's a change, no doubt about that, though not an entirely unwelcome one. Last season, writing for VHL.com, I covered the story of the Houston Bulls, chronicling their rise from an early season underdog to a playoff favorite. Having privileged access to the locker room, the players, and staff, I grew quite fond of the team, experiencing the excitement of their first-round playoff victory, as well as the pain of their semi-final defeat. The loss was made to sting all the more as I knew that I would be moving on from coverage of the Bulls at the conclusion of the playoffs, not unlike the players who would be moving on to new teams for S93. Only yesterday, my next assignment was confirmed-- the Vasteras Iron Eagles of the VHLE. I had known I'd likely be heading to Europe to cover the E, but the city I'd be calling home for the duration of this next season remained a mystery until what seemed like the final hour. When I finally got the call on Monday evening, my bags were already half packed and I scrambled to put the rest of my life together in short order—coat, scarves, boots, hat... I don't live in the real world and my life is chaos, though I suppose that's half the fun. And while I could go on about my hectic travel schedule, my lack of sleep, or prepping for a feature interview while on an intercontinental flight, this piece isn't about me so I'll spare you my melodrama. Suffice it to say, the whirlwind that was my weekend surely cannot compare to the experience of recent VHL and VHLE draftee, Lucy Leitner. I had the opportunity to follow Leitner's first professional hockey season in Houston and was impressed with her level of play and commitment to development on and off the ice. She got off to a flying start, quickly dispelling any doubts that her success at the junior level wouldn't translate to the minor pro ranks. Finishing the season with 76 points in 72 games, collecting 60 assists in the process, Leitner impressed scouts enough for Riga to select her 3rd overall in the VHL draft. In the VHLE draft, it was Vasteras that collected the smooth skating defender with the 2nd overall pick. Notably, in both drafts over the weekend, it was Leitner's Houston teammate, Antonia Bucatini @CowboyinAmerica, who was selected 1st overall, completing a trifecta of 1st overall selections in the VHLM, VHLE, and VHL. Vasteras, Sweden I slept through the hour-long train ride from Stockholm to Vasteras and, groggy-eyed, I caught a cab from the train station to the hotel and turned in early (it was only 4pm local time). The next morning, I met Lucy in the hotel lobby at 9:00. She was in a chipper mood, almost glowing as she crossed the lobby and greeted me warmly. She had arrived in Vasteras the same day as I had for a short visit and already had plans to leave in less than 24 hours to fly back to the US—to Salt Lake City, for the World Junior Championships. Today, she had the morning free to explore the city and I was more than happy to tag along. Unlike Houston, Vasteras is a walkable city. In Houston, if you don’t have a vehicle, you’re not going to get far. If you want to get anywhere, you’ll need to put on your game face, grit your teeth, hit the freeway, and hope to hell you don’t encounter the infamous Houston driver. Sure, there are bike paths down by the bayou and the city has got some nice parks, but it’s hot, horrendously humid, and sweatier than hyperhidrosis if it isn’t one of those precious few temperate weeks in the middle of February. Sound like your cup of tea? At least make sure it’s iced and unsweet, you psycho. By contrast, Vasteras has a beautiful historical district called Bondtorget. With quaint and colorful buildings, cobblestone streets, outdoor markets, a picturesque plaza, and bridges that cross the Svartån river, it doesn’t feel like life is coming at you a million miles a minute. In the chaos of the last 48 hours, taking in these relatively quiet streets with Lucy was a breath of fresh air—and I mean that literally. Back in Houston, it’s muggier than a stein of bulldog-branded root beer... Look, I’m tired and I’m trying, do with that odd analogy what you will. Walking through the narrow streets, we stumbled upon a small bridge over the Svartån with hundreds of locks hooked on the railings. I had seen bridges like this before in Europe and in North America, but Lucy seemingly had not. “Why are all these locks here?” she asked, curiously. “They’re called love locks,” I replied, “Look, you can see the initials inscribed on them. Couples leave them as a sign of their unbreakable love.” Leaning in closer to examine the locks, Lucy had an air of fascination about her, like a kid in a candy shop, a youthful curiosity. I had to remind myself, she was still only 18 and this was the furthest she’d ever been outside of the US. For all of her maturity and composure on the ice and in the locker room, this was all still new to her. Europe was a new world. Moving on from the lock encumbered bridge, we continued picking our way through the winding streets and found ourselves a quiet coffee shop where we could sit and chat. And while I fought back yawns and gulped my coffee down, fiending for caffeine, Lucy apparently had all the energy in the world. “Are you sure you only got here yesterday?” I asked, marveling at her excitement. “How are you not exhausted after all you’ve been through this past weekend? I mean, you were just drafted to the VHL and the VHLE, you’ve been playing in the Junior Showcase Tournament, you’ve flown across the Atlantic to a place you’ve never been, and you’re flying back to Salt Lake in less than a day to play against some of the best young players in the world—what's your secret? How are you not crashing?” Lucy laughed, “I don’t know. I guess I never really thought about all that. I’m just taking it all as it comes and it’s all been so much fun!” “Tell me about that experience, though-- the VHL draft was on Saturday and you were selected by Riga. Did you expect to get picked 3rd overall?” “Not at all! If I’m being completely honest, I didn’t even know Riga was in Latvia until after I got off the phone with the GM when I was drafted. I was just like, ‘where on earth is Riga?’ I guess I had it in my head that it was in Switzerland or something.” Amused, I asked, “Did you know Vasteras was in Sweden?” “Yeah, I knew that because I had a couple of former junior teammates who had been here, actually, for a tournament.” “So how do you feel about Riga? Is that where you would have hoped to get drafted?” She shrugged, “Honestly, I didn't really have any expectations, I was just happy to get picked. The organization has been nothing but great to me so far. I mean, I kind of knew they were interested because they interviewed me before the draft, but so did a bunch of other teams so I was totally shocked when I heard my name at 3rd overall with all the other great players that were still on the board. I’m just super honored more than anything else.” “No, that’s so great to hear,” I say, drinking in her luminous demeanor—and another slurp of my coffee, “And so you were picked 2nd overall by Vasteras in the VHLE draft on Monday, tell me about that experience.” “Honestly, I was still on a high from the VHL draft and when they picked me at 2nd, I couldn’t believe it. It was just such a surreal moment realizing that I could kind of see my future, like, where I would be playing next season and for, hopefully, many seasons after that in Riga.” “What does your family think about you moving to Europe? I’m sure there’s a bit of mixed emotion seeing you move so far away to play hockey.” “Yeah, definitely a little bit, like you said, obviously they’re all super supportive, but, you know, obviously, there were some tears when they dropped me off at the airport. I’m sure I’ll be able to see them a fair bit if they travel here for games. They’re already planning on coming to my first game here in Vasteras so we’re all super excited for that.” “What will that mean to you—your first game in the E with your family in attendance? I remember last offseason we spoke about you making the jump up to the M and I think you proved pretty quickly that you belonged in that league. Do you have any nervous energy going into this season?” “It’ll mean the world to me to have my family there. They’ve been with me throughout the whole journey so having them there for the first one will be super special. Like, I guess I’m maybe a little bit nervous, but, like, nothing crazy. I mean, a little bit of nervousness is good, right? Like, it kind of gets you going and I think it really helps me focus. Like, if I’m not nervous, maybe I’m not taking it seriously enough. So, yeah...” “Do you put a lot of pressure on yourself to perform at a high level?” “I guess, yeah, I definitely have high expectations for myself, but I also just love to play, so I obviously want to be at my best and I expect to play well, but if things are kind of off, I guess I don’t beat myself up over it too much. At the end of the day, I’m just so lucky to be playing this game.” “I think that’s a great mentality to have. Just take it as it comes and enjoy every moment.” “Exactly!” Lucy smiled brightly. “I wanted to ask you about your new teammates—particularly, an old teammate who will be playing with you in Vasteras. Ondrej Vencko @Mutti was also selected by the Iron Eagles, as well as a couple of rivals of yours from the Reapers, Jorgen Lovstrom @Pifferfish and Yermolai Nabokov @fonziGG. On top of that, another high VHL draft pick in Gianfranco Del Rocco @Victor was also drafted by Vasteras. What do you think of being teammates with all of them now?” “I can’t even tell you how happy I am, honestly! I’m so glad Ondra is here. He’s just such a funny and amazing personality and an incredible player, and to have Lovstrom too? Like, our goalies have to be the best in the E, right? I also heard that they’re kinda drinking buddies in the offseason when we’re supposed to be in ‘training camp’, so maybe now that we’re all teammates they’ll let me join them! Nabokov, I don’t know too well, but I’ve heard great things about him too, and he was obviously incredible last season so I’m super excited to have him on the team. We were actually both drafted to Riga as well, so I’m sure I’ll get to know him pretty well in future. —And Del Rocco! I was honestly surprised Vasteras didn’t take him at 2nd overall, what a player!” “It must be nice that you’ll have at least one other former Houston Bull on Vasteras with you after so many were picked in these drafts.” “Absolutely! I was honestly hoping that there would be more, but of all the people it could have been, Ondra is the best—no offense to anyone else! I love them all!” “What do you think of the team’s chances to compete for the VHLE championship this year?” “I mean, with all the talent that Z @Zetterberg brought in with the draft, plus the players we already have on the roster, I really like our chances! It’s obviously a long season and a lot can happen, but right now I absolutely believe we have a chance, and talking with some of the others, we’re all really excited to get started!” “Yeah, so with the season starting in less than a week, how are you preparing for the start of the VHLE season? I know you’ll be attending the World Juniors for Team USA, but do you think you’ll be prepared once the regular season starts?” “Definitely, I’ve been training all offseason to get better, really working on my defensive game and trying to play bigger. I’m obviously not the biggest person on the ice, but I know the levels go up in the E, including physicality, so I’m just trying to do everything I can to be ready for that. But I’m feeling really confident that my game is in a much better place now than at the end of the playoffs. I’m just feeling ready.” “And what about the World Juniors, how do you feel about your chances in that tournament? It must be an honor being able to wear your country’s colors, right?” “Yes! Oh, I can’t wait. I’ve wanted to play for the national team my whole life, so this is like a dream for me. It’s gonna be so cool putting on those jerseys and skating out against Canada in game one—like, I just can’t wait. I think we have a good chance in the tournament too, like, we’ve got a solid lineup and it’ll be great to be on the same team as Abenduct again for this tournament. I think he and Gul Dukat are going to be a monster pair if the coach puts them together!” We continued our chat for a while longer. I ordered a second coffee in the meantime, still trying to keep up with Lucy’s energy, though it seemed no amount of magic bean juice was going to get me to that level. Just before we concluded, I asked her, “Now that you’ve finished your first full season of professional hockey, have your goals changed at all? When we spoke in the last offseason, you were focused on helping the Bulls win. I know it was a disappointing end to that run, but do you feel you accomplished what you set out to do? And what is your goal for this season?” Lucy seemed to think for a few moments before answering, “Wow, yeah, I’m definitely still getting over that loss to Philly. It was heartbreaking, honestly. I mean, we didn’t get the Founder’s Cup like we all wanted—like I had hoped, I guess, but I don’t think the season was a failure. Just seeing how far we came is so incredible to look back on and I think it’s really kind of changed my perspective. I still want to win— I want to win this season, of course, but I kinda feel like how we came together as a team was even more important in the end. I’ve never had a season quite like that run with the Bulls and I really hope it’s not the last. It would have been so much sweeter if we had won, and I’m not satisfied with losing, but that’s the game, I guess. So, like, not much changes this season really, but I feel like maybe my first goal is bringing the same team energy that we had in Houston here to Vasteras. I really think if we have the whole team on the same page that way, the sky is the limit to what we can accomplish, and a championship will kind of take care of itself. I don’t know, it’s a good question. “Last one, where do you see yourself in five years?” “That’s easy,” Lucy smiled, “I’m having my day with the Continental Cup in Riga.” Riga, Latvia For a player with only one season of pro experience, her goals are lofty, but her self-expectation is higher. Certainly, the road to a Continental Cup in five years will be a difficult one. Still to play her first game with Vasteras, Leitner has a long road ahead of her just to get to that opening faceoff as she heads back to the US for the World Juniors this week. While she exudes the energy of someone who takes every minute as it comes, allowing the moment to shape her experience, her long-term goal is set in the stars. Whether or not she reaches it remains to be seen. Saying our goodbyes, I caught myself exhaling tiredly. I think Lucy noticed it too as she flashed me a knowing grin, leaving the coffee shop for a waiting cab. Light travels fast. Lauren Lambert for VHL.com 3/14/24 - 2938 words

The VHLE draft was held today and Annie Oaks @Noodle Enjoyer was selected 6th overall by Cologne, Cologne also added some more firepower by adding Forum Content @frescoelmo at 10th and Jean-Pierre Devote @eagle_3450at 12th. They also added great pieces for next season in Oliver Loo @Peiffy at 18th, Cody Toland @ctoland102 at 19th, and Billy Joel @The goat of hockey at 24th. They picked up a backup goalie in Herald Benson @Benson at 22nd. Cologne had won back to back to back Renaissance Cups before falling short past season, but they appear poised to go the distance once again with their fresh reinforcements. Some other notable selections this year we saw Oslo pick up Antonia Bucatini @CowboyinAmerica 1st overall, then Benjamin Abenduct @Schnee at 5th, and UghSike @UghSike at 7th those are 3 quality players and future superstars in the making. Vasteras' top three picks of the draft were Lucy Leitner @LucyXpher at 2nd overall, Gianfranco Del Rocco @Victor at 4th, and Yermolai Nabokov @fonziGG at 13th. The Rome Gladiators were able to bring in Gul Dukat @MSouthworth at 3rd, Nathan Ecker @Nathan_8 at 9th, and then Vanuza Kolesinka @chikn at 15th. Stockholm's first pick wasn't until round 2 where they got WWumbo @Fire Tortorella at 8th overall, then they selected Aleksanteri Kaskiniemi-Kekkonen @Snussu at 20th, and then Trimiskez Artav @jake at 28th. Bratislava's first pick wasn't until all the way back in the 5th round so their options were limited, they got themselves Ocean Codoller @FreshOceanCod at 29th, Connor Simard @Alex99 at 35th, and Filip Zinek @FiZi at 41st. If I had to pick a draft winner it would be the Vasteras Iron Eagles, they had lots of high selections and even managed to pick up two stud goaltenders in Jorgen Lovstrom @Pifferfish at 16th and Ondrej Vencko @Mutti at 26th. Behind them would be Oslo in my opinion followed closely by Cologne. But there was a lot of talent in this draft and it should be an exciting season seeing this new blood take to the ice in the European league. This has been Jim Hotdog for VHL.com

VHL and VHLE drafts fast approaching With the drafts coming up soon we thought we'd take a look at a young forward we looked at a little at the onset of the VHLM season. Annie Oaks is a right winger from the United Kingdom who played her first year in the VHLM between the Saskatoon Wild and the Las Vegas Aces. She finished top 10 in scoring this season and appears to be a highly sought after player in the draft. When we looked at her near the beginning of the season we saw that she focused primarily on offense and little has changed in that regard. She has improved all of her offensive tools while starting to round out some of her weaknesses. Let's take a look at her tools once again ahead of the draft. Offensive Vision - Her vision in the offensive zone is absolutely elite, it is among the top of the draft this year. Her vision looks almost VHL ready at this point now, and we expect it could get even better as she plays more games in the tougher VHLE. She can find open teammates with a pass or can get the puck to the net through traffic as well as the best of them. Shot - Some scouts have said her shot is already at the VHL level, she has a cannon of a slapshot but could stand to work on improving her wrist shot release. Still we can expect to see Annie put up some decent goal totals in the VHLE with her elite clap bomb, however she is not known to be of much use in shootout situations because of her lacking wrist shot. Passing - Annie uses her vision in a myriad of ways, whether that be threading a needle through a defenders skates or just making a simple bounce pass off the boards to help with the breakout. However the thing we noticed throughout the year in the VHLM was she likes to use the opponents goaltender to set up her teammates she is very good at shooting for rebounds that her teammates can then clean up. This was probably her most common way of producing assists this season. Strength - Annie is a strong player she mostly makes use of her strength with her slapshot but has been known to play the body a little bit too. She has a low center of gravity and is hard to push off the puck. It remains to be seen if she will work to add a more physical element to her game. Puck handling - We had this listed as a weakness for her at the start of the year, and although it's still not her best asset she has worked on improving this part of her game. In order to create more offense this is a part of the game Annie should definitely invest some time into. Defense - This has grown very little over the year and may scare some teams out of drafting her. Teams expect their forwards to play defense in the VHL and although she has put some time into working on it, it still needs lots of work in order to be ready for the VHL. Skating - This is her weakest attribute and only improved a little over the course of the VHLM season. She is slow and not going to create much offense with her skating, Annie is the type of player who likes to slow the game down and play with smarts and patience. We asked Annie on what her thoughts going into the draft were and if there were any teams she was particularly interested in getting drafted by. "I'm very excited for the upcoming drafts and have had some great talks with GMs so far, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a couple of teams that I feel are ahead of the rest. I'd love to play in my home country for the London United, however that's unlikely due to the success they had this year, so my next choice is my home away from home Vancouver. I played my junior hockey in Vancouver, so it feels a lot like home to me, and they have some great young offensive talent coming in this season, so to join them maybe next year would be exciting." The Vancouver Wolves hold the 4th pick in this years draft and will have lots of great players to choose from so only time will tell where Annie will go. However it's common speculation that it will be around the top half of the first round. This has been Jim Hotdog for VHL.com

With Season 92 in the books, trophies awarded, and playoffs complete, the focus of VHL and VHLE general managers shifts to the upcoming S93 Draft which, while not a top-heavy draft in terms of players who are VHL-ready, will feature one of the deeper draft classes in recent memory with gems to be found across the draft board. At the beginning of S92, I highlighted Lucy Leitner as a player to watch in her first VHLM season. An undrafted player in the VHLM, Leitner signed a contract with the Houston Bulls as a free agent less than a week before the start of the campaign. With the benefit of hindsight, we can now revisit our scouting report and look at how Leitner faired in her first VHLM season. When I first scouted Leitner, her standout attribute was her skating ability and it comes as little surprise that her skating proved to be elite relative to her VHLM peers. At the conclusion of S92, Leitner ranks among the league's best skaters and has proved that her speed and edgework are top tier. Leitner only seemed to improve as the season went on, getting faster and more agile, while also working with coaches to improve her strength and control while handling the puck. With a smaller build at 5'8" and 155 pounds, it was thought that her size might be an issue as the level of competition increased from juniors, however her skating and improved strength seem to have mitigated this concern. It was rare that Leitner would be caught flat-footed and her agility proved to be a challenge for opponents attempting to land a hit. The combination of her skating and puck handling will certainly continue to work in her favor as she progresses into the VHLE and the VHL if she continues to refine her stride and stickwork. In terms of offensive production, Leitner had a solid year on an ever improving Bulls roster. Starting the year as the Bulls top defender, she got off to a flying start. As the season progressed and the Bulls continued adding to their roster, she saw a natural reduction in ice time and puck touches, though remained productive and continued to make the most of her opportunities. She was particularly effective on the powerplay, notching 12 powerplay goals-- tied for second in the league among defenders. Leitner also finished the season with 60 assists in 72 games, which was the 5th highest total league-wide. Perhaps where Leitner showed the most promise was in her off-ice training as she continued to make gains every week, growing almost daily into a better player and teammate. When asked about her motivation as a player, Leitner had this to say: "I want to be the best I can be so that I can help my team win. It's funny, I've been interviewed by a few teams for this upcoming draft and this is always something they seem to ask, like, I'm not aiming to have the most points or the most individual accolades, I want to help my team win, whatever team that ends up being. If the points and recognition come, great, but I love being part of a team and the community around the team. It's a fun environment and it's what truly makes sport amazing. Individual achievements can be impressive and deserve recognition, but nothing beats being part of a winning culture with teammates who build each other up and can celebrate a victory together, so ultimately, that's what I want." Leitner, like many other draft hopefuls, will be tuning in on Saturday March 9th to find out which team calls her name. It is sure to be a special and exciting moment in these players' careers as they find out where their next home will be. Lauren Lambert for VHL.com Claimed 03/10/24

Last week, we looked at three VHLM players who might be flying under the radar in the early goings of the seasons. This week, I'll be highlighting three VHL Draft eligibles who have produced at the highest level at their respective position. If the season were to end today, these three players would most likely be frontrunners for individual accolades and a high draft position. Forum Content (LW, Saskatoon Wild): Currently leading all VHLM players with 44 points in 24 games, Forum Content @frescoelmo lives up to their name as arguably the top VHL Draft eligible player. With good skating, great puckhandling and passing, and a decent shot, this is a player who has become the focal point of the Wild offense. Forum Content is the only player on the Wild with more than 2 games played to have a positive +/- rating. Content has taken 108 shots and has 12 goals to go along with an impressive 32 assists. This is certainly a player who has been thriving within their team's system, benefitting from a wealth of opportunities and management's trust, though it hasn't exactly translated into consistent wins for the Wild so far this season. Saskatoon will hope that Forum Content can continue to produce at a high level to help ensure a playoff berth come season's end. Bilbo Teebaggins (D, Miami Marauders): On paper, Bilbo Teebaggins @SackButter is not a player that would stand out to most scouts. Sure, he's got decent skating and puck handling and is a solid defender, but the eye test doesn't exactly scream top scoring draft eligible defender in the VHLM. With 8 goals and 24 assists for 32 points in 24 games, Teebaggins trails only Bric Sheithaus, a Riga Reign draft pick, for points by a defenseman. Though his deployment has been favorable and he's had the benefit of playing on a well-rounded team that currently sits 1st in the VHLM, Teebaggins has proved doubters wrong so far this season. It remains to be seen if he can stay effective as the year goes on and the competition becomes more fierce. For now, though, Miami will have no complaints with Teebaggins' play and he is in line to be a coveted prospect in the next draft. Jorgen Lovstrom (G, Philadelphia Reapers): The top goalie the VHLM right now is Jorgen Lovstrom @Pifferfish. A native of Greenland, Lovstrom leads the league in wins with an impressive 17 in 22 starts. He also has the highest save percentage of all goalies with more than 10 games played at .918, and has the second lowest GAA at 2.31. Lovstrom has been a huge part of the Reapers' success so far this season as they currently hold the 2nd spot overall. With 1 shutout, Lovstrom is one of only three goalies to have blanked an opponent this season and as the year goes on, don't be surprised to see Lovstrom continue his goaltending dominance. Philadelphia has a well rounded roster with defenders who defend the net well. It's an ideal situation for one of the top goalie prospects in the upcoming VHL Draft. Lauren Lambert for VHL.com Claimed for week of 01/28/24

"For the 39th pick in the vhlm draft, the Houston Bulls pick Isaac Mclflopper! Announced the general manager of the bulls. There was a lot of teams going for the flopper, not because he was good but because he was funny. Mclflopper said to Mclovins twitch chat " If I don't get picked in the next 10 picks he's retiring without even playing a whole season. Wholesome flopper he is. It did work tho, he got drafted 3 picks later. Isaac is pretty happy of who drafted him. He says "the team is outgoing and ready for anything that comes their way in the bar or on the ice". Mclflopper is just like that. If he could get beer out of his mind maybe he would play better hockey! Anyways Issac is truly happy that he got picked and he's super excited to play. He can't wait for the hockey season to start! Sports expert show.

My rankings on draft selections will be determined by a color code, followed by a description of my view of the pick to hopefully give each selection a unique flavor. As a bonus, I will be doing a “who I would have selected” at the end of every pick. Without any further delay, let’s review the first half of round one of the S90 VHL Entry Draft! (PART ONE OF TWO) Green - Good Pick Blue - Underrated Pick Purple - Certified Steal Yellow - Questions, but a good player Orange - A Reach Red - A bad selection situationally 1st Overall - YaBoi Oven, Helsinki Titans @Doomsday Who could argue with YaBoi Oven going first overall? Not only does this selection suit a need for the Titans as a frontline franchise defenseman, but any team in the VHL would be more than happy to have a defenseman prospect on Oven’s level in their pool. An expected first overall pick, in terms of position and overall I view this as a good first overall selection. Who I would have selected - YaBoi Oven 2nd Overall - Walter Fitzroy Jr, Toronto Legion @Moon This isn’t exactly unexpected. Moon is the GM of Toronto and thus you get a franchise defenseman who is willing to stay long term, as long as Moon remains employed in Toronto. Fitzroy will be a good player, but I can’t am not a fan of GM’s making slight reaches to select their own players. Still, Fitzroy will be a good player in Toronto. Who I would have selected - Axle Gunner 3rd Overall - Ryan Artyomov, Chicago Phoenix @Enorama I don’t think I can overstate how awesome this pick is for Chicago. With recent GM turnover, the new leader of operations in Chicago certainly smashed their first pick. Artyomov will be an excellent goalie in the VHL, and will be key in Chicago regaining contention and making a push for another cup. Artyomov is also probably the best selection in terms of suiting team needs so far as well. Just an awesome pick all around. Who I would have selected - Ryan Artyomov 4th Overall - Axle Gunner, Moscow Menace @Steve A near 100 point scorer in the VHLM with the Philadelphia Reapers, Gunner is a borderline steal for me. I wouldn’t exactly call 4th overall a drop or decline however. Gunner is a center, and figures to play for Moscow sooner rather than later, where he will be a steady contributor in Moscow’s retool. Another excellent selection, but it’s hard to mess up a top 5 selection. Who I would have selected - Axle Gunner 5th Overall - Maxim Anisimov, Warsaw Predators @McLovin I may have been higher on Anisimov than others viewing the draft, but I see this pick as an absolute steal. While Anisimov may not be as valuable defensively as a Center or Defenseman, he was by far the best winger prospect in this class. I think Warsaw nailed this pick, and are setting themselves up with a surefire hardware candidate season in and out. Who I would have selected - Maxim Anisimov 6th Overall - Raimo Tuominen, Calgary Wranglers @SlapshotWrangler While I like Raimo Tuominen as a prospect, and I agree he should have been a top 10 selection, top 5 is just a small reach for me. I don’t see him being the best positionally or overall at this point in terms of the draft. While I think Calgary is getting an excellent player, they could have almost certainly traded down a few selections and got the same player. I will be excited to see Tuominen in Calgary, but that doesn’t change the fact that he was just slightly overdrafted in my opinion. Who I would have selected - Jarmo Ruutu 7th Overall - Catia Goncalves, Riga Reign @cLoWn While I have some question marks regarding Goncalves, I do think she will be a good player for the Reign. Similar to Tuominen, I saw Goncalves as a top 12-15 prospect, with 7th being just slightly early for my taste. Regardless I do think the Reign are getting a capable player and a solid prospect to build a young core up with. Who I would have selected - Jarmo Ruutu 8th Overall - Jarmo Ruutu, Moscow Menace @jRuutu The Menace had an amazing draft. While Gunner may be the best prospect overall selected to Moscow, in terms of pure value I think Ruutu has a case for one of the best in the first round in general. I had Ruutu as a top 5 selection, so while seeing him fall to Moscow was a surprise, it is a welcome one! Spartan is once again assembling a young capable core for the Menace’s retool. Who I would have selected - Jarmo Ruutu 9th Overall - Jebidiah Big Ol Doinks in Amish, Malmo Nighthawks @hylands I think picking up Jebidiah/Hylands is a sneaky hood move for the Nighthawks in their quest for a bounceback to competitive hockey. I think at this point in the draft most of the top end talent had seeped out in terms of the quality selected in the top 5, but Jebidiah is an excellent defensive prospect. I can’t decide if this was a draft fall or the perfect spot for Hylands to end up at. 10th Overall - Martin Kemp, Riga Reign @leafsman Another reach for the Reign. I would have been fine with a Kemp selection at 10, but doubling down on first round wingers when two amazing centers were available is very questionable for me. As previously stated for Goncalves, Kemp will be a good player, it’s just all about fit and the scheme in Riga for me.

Howdy VHL, its Pifferfish back with another installment of me ripping apart the boneheaded draft moves of my fellow M GMs (just kidding, I love y'all). This time around I'm going to be going in reverse order of the current standings at time of writing. Let get to it! Quick little description of what some indicators I use on player names mean: Italics - No Longer on Roster. Bold - Still on Roster.* - Has gone IA and no longer should be on Roster. ** - Graduated to the VHLE before the season began. *** - Any player no longer on the roster but not IA (traded or moved to another team via other circumstances). Ottawa Lynx - (19. D Celise Pereira, 39. *G Michael Perk Lund, 40. F Davis McLirath, 43. F Harry Callahan, 48. *F Danill Henriksson, 49. F Lucky Mitts, 69. *F Alex Carlson.)Ottawa was admittedly hurt by a lack of picks early in this draft with their first selection 19th. This is, however, not much of an excuse considering they had a 1st round pick but traded it for 2nd and a defenseman who went IA immediately. That 2nd rounder they then flipped for 3 late picks. Overall the trade shook out like so: Ottawa got McLirath, Callahan, an IA Dman, and an extra 5th for the 9th overall pick. I think at the time I would have said these trade were completely an L for Ottawa but they could end up with 3 total contributors for their team next season. The Lynx still did manage to nab up a solid Defenseman at 19th. Celise has shown a willingness to earn more than Welfare and will be a likely member of the Lynx next season. He is at nearly a point per game pace with a solid defensive build going. The -12 is also pretty promising considering this is a team in dead last. The next set of picks for the Lynx came at 39 and 40. Lund has been off to a rough start despite being a pretty high TPE goalie this season, none of that will matter though because tonight he is officially going IA which only means more trouble for Ottawa down the stretch. McLirath was on Ottawa as a waiver player and seems to be a consistent clicker. Currently is one of those very unfocused builds which can slightly reduce a player's value but overall not a bad player here. Callahan is a pretty exciting prospect so far. The build isn't perfect but we shouldn't expect that in the M from our first gens. The part of Harry that is nice to see is the Welfare Plus earning style. At 48, Henriksson was selected and this was quite surprising considering the couple still available earner on the board. Maybe @Grape had some interview that gave him hope Danill would earn but alas, this player went IA. At 49, we got the steal of the draft maybe with Mitts. This is a player one the welfare plus train as of late and with a decent build. Alex Carlson sadly (or not, depending who we ask) succumbed to that Achilles injury (:/) and would not return to action after his selection at 69 (nice one Grape). Overall, I'm unsure if Ottawa intended to follow up their Founder's Cup win with this kind of season but they are at least in a decent position for next season should they keep their S88 draftees active and earning.Trades: S88 OTT 1st (9) for S88 MEX 4th (40), S88 LVA 5th (43), S89 LVA 5th, and *D Xiaoping Benguin Dinghao Aland.Projection: 3 IA, 4 ReturningTeam Performance: 10th; 16-29-3GRADE: C- - Saskatoon Wild - (1. **F Rip Wheeler, 5. D Tord Yvel, 11. F Montgomery Burns, 14. D Ben Laas, 21. F Otis Boudreaux Jr, 25. G Joseph Reed, 34. F Scuff McGruff, 41. *F Volt Sparks, 45. *F Thijs Mooij, 51. *F Michael Bell, 61. *D Perry Winkle.)The Wild entered this draft with a war chest of picks and at the time I thought we could be looking at the next S86 Marlins type season. Sadly for the fans things have quite shaken out as planned. First overall pick, Rip Wheeler, ended up jumping the M to the VHLE leaving Saskatoon empty handed from their top draft selection. The next 4 picks for the Wild were splendid though. All of them are for the most part max earner week to week. The main concern is this is a team low in the standings and a lot of these guys are at risk of moving up as early as next season. Be on the lookout for some of these guys to move at the deadline. Yvel, Burns, and Boudreaux have all also managed an impressive combined -2 despite this roster's woes. Reed in goal hasn't been a total disaster but should he continue to earn we Saskatoon is set in net next year. McGruff was a waiver play for SSK last season so a face the fans loved to see return despite the results thus far. The final four picks for the Wild all currently are or are a day away from being IA. Right now SSK doesn't look like they are pushing to move out players set to graduate to the VHLE next season so this class could turn out to be a total dud. If their players keep earning at their current rate, they'' only see 2-3 returning in S89. This class is probably at least worth a D- grade in reality but this is Pifferworld and I say having your 1st overall pick graduate to the VHLE is an instant letter grade reduction.Trades: NoneProjection: 1 VHLE, 4 IA, 3 Returning, 3 GraduatingPerformance: 9th; 17-24-7GRADE: F - Las Vegas Aces - (3. ***F Dank Turtle, 10. *D Leo Lewkowicz, 12. F Jeremia Barbaslov, 18. F Ronald Johnson MacWallace III, 53. *F Donald McDonald, 63. *F Jacky Jackson.) Vegas dealt quite a lot of picks in a deal on draft day with Ottawa and this lead to a lighter class than some years past. They also made a 1/4 for 2/3 swap with Mexico City. This trade wasn't bad by any means but certainly the player the Kings got with the 2nd was significantly better than Leo. For me I think it was still a loss. Moving up 3 spots in exchange for the 23rd pick is a rough deal to make 9 times out of 10. 3rd overall pick Dank Turtle was quite good leading up to his very recent trade to the Philadelphia Reapers. It is still a tough pill to swallow to see a 1st round player go inactive like Leo has. RJWM3 and Barbaslov will both likely return to to Vegas next season so it wasn't a completely awful draft. This is especially true if you consider the value Turtle got the Aces on the trade market. One could argue the players Vegas got with the picks in that trade were potentially worth more than the one they got in RJMW3 but there is no guarantee Vegas would have taken those same players. All in all this team has been plagued by poor goaltending and they didn't change that in this draft. Overall, this team ended up with a 1st rounder going IA, only 2 players from the class actually going to stay and make and impact next season, and a now a selling attitude at the deadline. Trades: S88 LVA 2nd (13) and S88 LVA 3rd (23) for S88 MEX 1st (10) and S88 MEX 4th (40) | S88 MEX 4th (40), S88 LVA 5th (43), and S89 LVA 5th for S88 MIA 2nd (18). Projection: 3 IA, 2 Returning, 1 Graduating Performance: 8th; 18-22-8 GRADE: D- - Miami Marauders - (8. **F McDonalds BigMac, 9. *F Sergei Romanov, 28. ***G Jeffery Blake, 58. *F Mikal Adrenov, 59. *F Scott Fentanyl, 68. F Lim Jahey, 70. *F Julien Tessier.) This is quite possibly the most disastrous draft by any team in VHLM history. Admittedly its not all on Miami's GM - @nurx. The team managed to turn two 1st round picks into zero talent still on the roster. BigMac intended to stay in the M but due to over training he was called up to the VHLE. Then after a great trade to move a Defenseman going IA and a 2nd for the 9th overall pick, Miami's selection, Romanov, has now gone inactive. Miami's next pick came at 28th and they managed to nab the best goaltender in the draft and he would be a multiple year Marauder had they not made the unfortunate mistake of dropping him and allowing him to return to his original team via free agency. The only player in this class to stay actively earning was 7th rounder Lim Jahey. That goes to show how solid of a GM Nurx is. Getting solid talent in round seven is incredible, if half the picks before this point weren't total duds we'd have a very solid class. Trades: *D Xiaoping Benguin Dinghao Aland and S88 MIA 2nd (18) for S88 OTT 1st (9). Projection: 1 VHLE, 4 IA, 2 Returning (1 No Longer a Marauder). Performance: 7th; 21-21-6 GRADE: F- - Philadelphia Reapers - (7. D Eric Queefson, 22. F Anthony Simmons, 37. G Karl Herzlich, 52. *F Mark Heinfeild, 62. **F Nils Andersson.) I know, I know. "PiFfErFiSh LiKeS hIs OwN dRaFt, WhAt A sHoCk." I get it. This is the exact reason I made a decently objective system for determining these grades with a custom formula and frankly we got the best grade before I added in the lowest rated factor which was categorized as "personal opinion." Let's start at before the draft when I had the number 2 overall pick and was staring down so potential league sanctions if I didn't gain some draft capital and become compliant with the new league pick rules. Luckily Houston put a player on the trade block and I saw an opportunity to make some magic. I traded the 2nd overall pick, a S89 5th, and a S90 4th to grab that player (Defenseman Trey Jones at 125 TPE), 7th overall, and a S88 4th. With the two picks acquired in this year's draft we managed to snag a now capped defenseman and All-Star in Queefson and a goaltender for at least 2 seasons in Herzlich. Not to mention the acquisition of two-way forward Anthony Simmons at the top of the 3rd. This team turned its two picks in the top four rounds into four total players. Three of those players will be likely to return to Philadelphia in S89 and now with its recent moves and trades since the start of the year, the Reapers look poised to challenge even the strongest teams in the M right now. We could be looking at a two year cup window crafted by this draft class. If there is a single sore sport out of this, I really thought I could get a steal with Heinfeild. Sadly, I've thus far been able to get them back and active. On my grading scale, Philly would have gotten an S grade if they were any of the top 3 seeds overall. A lethargic start to the year while their goalie found his legs and the team's overall defense was purely reliant on the D-core leaves this team sitting firmly in 6th so far. Also of note, Nils as a 7th was me just punting the pick, I felt like some of the VHLE guys deserved to have their name announced on draft night even if the whole world knew they wouldn't be in the M. Trades: S88 PHI 1st (2), S89 PHI 5th, and S90 PHI 4th for D Trey Jones, S88 HOU 1st (7), and S88 HOU 4th (37). Projections: 1 VHLE, 1 IA, 2 Returning, 1 Graduating Performance: 6th; 24-22-2 GRADE: A+ - I must now say goodbye sadly. My new fur baby made me have less time to write but rest assured that next week you will be seeing VSN release the grades for the top five teams in the standings. I promise. Written and Edited by Pifferfish.

Howdy VHL, its Pifferfish back with another installment of me ripping apart the boneheaded draft moves of my fellow M GMs (just kidding, I love y'all). This time around I'm going to be going in reverse order of the current standings at time of writing. Let get to it! Ottawa Lynx - (19. D Celise Pereira, 39. *G Michael Perk Lund, 40. F Davis McLirath, 43. F Harry Callahan, 48. *F Danill Henriksson, 49. F Lucky Mitts, 69. *F Alex Carlson.) Ottawa was admittedly hurt by a lack of picks early in this draft with their first selection 19th. This is however not much of an excuse considering they had a 1st round pick but traded it for 2nd and a defenseman who went IA immediately. That 2nd rounder they then flipped for 3 late picks. Overall the trade shook out like so: Ottawa got McLirath, Callahan, an IA Dman, and an extra 5th for the 9th overall pick. I think at the time I would have said these trade were completely an L for Ottawa but they could end up with 3 total contributors for their team next season. The Lynx still did manage to nab up a solid Defenseman at 19th. Celise has shown a willingness to earn more than Welfare and will be a likely member of the Lynx next season. He is at nearly a point per game pace with a solid defensive build going. The -12 is also pretty promising considering this is a team in dead last. The next set of picks for the Lynx came at 39 and 40. Lund has been off to a rough start despite being a pretty high TPE goalie this season, none of that will matter though because tonight he is officially going IA which only means more trouble for Ottawa down the stretch. McLirath was on Ottawa as a waiver player and seems to be a consistent clicker. Currently is one of those very unfocused builds which can slightly reduce a player's value but overall not a bad player here. Callahan is a pretty exciting prospect so far. The build isn't perfect but we shouldn't expect that in the M from our first gens. The part of Harry that is nice to see is the Welfare Plus earning style. At 48, Henriksson was selected and this was quite surprising considering the couple still available earner on the board. Maybe @Grape had some interview that gave him hope Danill would earn but alas, this player went IA. At 49, we got the steal of the draft maybe with Mitts. This is a player one the welfare plus train as of late and with a decent build. Alex Carlson sadly (or not, depending who we ask) succumbed to that Achilles injury (:/) and would not return to action after his selection at 69 (nice one Grape). Trades: S88 OTT 1st (9) for S88 MEX 4th (40), S88 LVA 5th (43), S89 LVA 5th, and *D Xiaoping Benguin Dinghao Aland. Projection: 3 IA, 4 Returning, 0 Graduating Team Performance: 10th; 10-24-2 GRADE: C- - Saskatoon Wild - (1. **F Rip Wheeler, 5. D Tord Yvel, 11. F Montgomery Burns, 14. D Ben Laas, 21. F Otis Boudreaux Jr, 25. G Joseph Reed, 34. F Scuff McGruff, 41. *F Volt Sparks, 45. *F Thijs Mooij, 51. *F Michael Bell, 61. *D Perry Winkle) The Wild entered this draft with a war chest of picks and at the time I thought we could be looking at the next S86 Marlins type season. Sadly for the fans things have quite shaken out as planned. First overall pick, Rip Wheeler, ended up jumping the M to the VHLE leaving Saskatoon empty handed from their top draft selection. The next 4 picks for the Wild were splendid though. All of them are for the most part max earner week to week. The main concern is this is a team low in the standings and a lot of these guys are at risk of moving up as early as next season. Be on the lookout for some of these guys to move at the deadline. Yvel, Burns, and Boudreaux have all also managed an impressive combined -2 despite this roster's woes. Reed in goal hasn't been a total disaster but should he continue to earn we Saskatoon is set in net next year. McGruff was a waiver play for SSK last season so a face the fans loved to see return despite the results thus far. The final four picks for the Wild all currently are or are a day away from being IA. Trades: None Projection: 1 VHLE, 4 IA, 2.5 Returning, 3.5 Graduating Performance: 9th; 13-19-4 GRADE: F Thanks for reading. I will hopefully see you all back for part 2.

VHL Daily Rookie Jacob Stone on Fire Thursday February 2nd,2023 Made by manager of Jacob Stone @scoop Intro This years draft has shown to be an exciting one with prospects like Morome Dilson projected to go to Miami and Bobby Bob projected to go to Houston. The thing is there is no other prospect like Jacob Stone. Stone had lit up the league in his first season showing his amazing playmaking ability. With a TPE of 242 he may be one of the greatest prospects we have seen in a while. Interview with Jacob Stone Jacob Stone, the Project 1st overall pick to Stockholm in this draft has been very pleased with the play of Jacob Stone scoring a point per game. Jacob Stone has stated in an interview “I am definitely pleased with the way I've been playing this season. While there is certainly still time to fall behind, I was not expecting to be a point-per-game player. I'm particularly outperforming my expectations in terms of goal-scoring”. Although Jacob Stone has been spectacular in scoring he still looks to improve amongst his peers. “I'm still at a point where I need to improve on everything, but I'm particularly focusing right now on my puck control and defensive skills. I want to make sure that when I make the jump to the VHL, I'm not a major liability to my team”. Jacob Stone shows he cares for his team and the players surrounding him. Jacob’s stats prove this showing most points come from his assist. “If I work on becoming a better goal scorer, sure it may help my offensive numbers in the VHLE, but I think I'm better off developing that later on”. The future for many picks is always an interesting one, they can either end becoming the Hall of Fame player we all like or they are good but never show what the potential they really were. Stone would like to be one of these Hall of Fame players and looks to be a good franchise to join “Looking at the VHL standings, I think Toronto and Helsinki are potentially in my future”. “I do expect to be a high pick in the draft, so I am keeping a very close eye on the VHLE this season” most people suspect Jacob Stone to play one to two seasons in the VHLE like most prospects. Needless to say Jacob has a high morale of himself when he said “My intention is to stick with the team that drafts me for nine seasons. I do plan to make the jump straight to the VHL, and if that actually hurts my draft stock, so be it”. Conclusion Prospect Jacob Stone proved he has the talent to be a legendary and memorable player like Trivium from London United or Milo from the Vasteras Iron Eagles. With the new prospects these teams who struggled this year had taken a lot of action which may result in an interesting season. S88 will be an exciting one and hope to see what prospects become our favorites.

VSN’s VHLE Draft Recap S86 VSN’s Bobo will be breaking down the S86 VHLE Draft–taking a deep dive into each team’s performance VICTORY SPORTS NEWS (13 NOV. 2022) –– You have to love the draft in sim leagues such as the Victory Hockey League (VHL). Each team makes moves that will make or break their future, and knowing that makes every moment of these events just that much more entertaining and strenuous as a fan or player. From our perspective as VSN writers, each pick is a potential story to be written–whether it may be a sleeper in the draft, a controversial pick, or the biggest pick of the draft. In this article, we’re going to be looking at all things VHL Europe (VHLE) drafting–specifically the S86 ‘E Entry Draft. VSN writer and columnist Bobo will be looking at each team’s draft performance and grading them for it, picking four winners and four losers of the draft, and more. Let’s begin with the team grading. Istanbul Red Wolves Grade: C This grade was hard to give out to a team with the first and second overall picks, but it had to be made considering their current situation. They drafted two talented players in right-wing Daryl Dixon and Rick Grimes, both very skilled forwards from the Miami Marauders of the VHL Minors (VHLM) system. They also happened to pick up a talented goaltender in Lachlan Summers from the VHLM’s San Diego Marlins ninth overall. Another notable pick-up for the team is 17th-overall defenseman Quinn Saint-Willes from the Mexico City Kings of the VHLM. This was a very much-needed pick for these Red Wolves, considering their non-existent defensive core. They had three more picks who served to bolster the team’s depth up-front. These picks were: Philadelphia Reapers’ right-wing Dirk Diggler at 25, Ottawa Lynx center Jagger Bomb at 31, and Lynx goalie Fuukka Rask at 41st. Two out of three picks can be used by the team long-term, with Rask may be coming in for next season to play between the pipes. In my eyes, however, Summers has that lock job. With all of that said, they addressed the major lack of scoring with some big forwards, just forgot about the defensive struggles too. Another year for Turkey’s team to be in the basement, I’m afraid. In two years though, these Wolves may be back on the hunt. Rome Gladiators Grade: A What a draft it’s been for these Rome Gladiators. General Manager Baby Boomer knows how to play his cards in these drafts, or at least this one. He went ahead and drafted two ready-to-play players for selections three and six: Marlins left-wing Left Alone at three and Las Vegas Aces defenseman Jens Lekman at six. These two players are very skilled and were very productive for their respective teams–Alone scored 34 goals and 71 points, and Lekman had 56 assists and 69 points last season. Each finished the season top-five in scoring for their team and showed great hunger and fight every play of the game. They then took the high-scoring Aces center, Wann Kerr, at 12, and the Halifax 21st’s go-to defenseman Elias Lampi at 14–both are ready to play and will be getting lots of time on the Gladiators’ slightly short bench next season. Rome then had five other picks in this draft, all of which will make the roster in the next two-three seasons considering their activity. This draft was a slam dunk for the Gladiators and set them up for success for seasons to come. Well deserved that A. Vasteras Iron Eagles Grade: C- Vasteras’ situation for this draft is difficult, to say the least. They snatched up a great forward in Yaroslav Bogatrev, who had some experience with VHLE action with the Cologne Express before the draft. Bogatrev was an absolute workhorse for the Express last season, with his stat line of 28 goals and 59 total points in 72 games. It’s impossible to overlook his 384 TPE level [at the time of the draft]. That’s amazing and all, but I’m not seeing him return to the VHLE for next season, instead moving up to the Seattle Bears of the VHL where he was drafted. After that pick, the Iron Eagles selected Marlins left-wing Vincent Laroche-Gagnier 20th overall. That, in my eyes, is the pick of the draft for the Eagles, considering the future impact of Laroche in a season or two. The Canadian sniper could be seeing 40+ goal totals for Vasteras very soon. His stat line last season for the Marlins was impressive: 43 goals and 94 total points in 72 games. Gagner is a consistent eight TPE+ earner which helps his case being the Iron Eagles’ best pick-up this draft. They did draft a few more players in the draft, mainly 120-130 TPE range–Lynx defenseman Greg Hickman at 28th, 21st right-wing Marc Gordman at 36th, and former Houston Bulls right wing Thomas Matthews at 44th. Matthews was a controversial pick-up in my eyes because of his suspension before the draft. Those other two picks were pretty good in my eyes–consistent earners with the potential to make some impact in the next years. But the controversial pick of Achillies’ player and the low number of picks lowers the grade for Vasteras substantially. Stockholm Vikings Grade: A- While not being as good as Rome’s draft performance, don’t sleep on the clinic these Stockholm Vikings put on for this year’s draft. Coming off of an already successful season in S85, the Vikings looked to improve off of their winning season team. Drafting Sadie St. Louis–a highly skilled Lynx left wing–at fifth overall was a huge win for Stockholm. The Canadian star showed great production on the stat sheet last year with 37 goals and 85 points in 72 games for Ottawa. She also had a stint with the Marlins a season earlier, playing only 13 games and scoring seven goals and 20 points. She’s going straight into the ‘E and will be a powerhouse next season at least. They then come in and draft two players in the second round that will produce heavily in the next few seasons: Lynx right-wing John Richards at 10th and Marauders right-wing Darius Marimoto II at 13th. Both forwards produced 60+ point seasons last year, with 20+ goals too. Richards will see an immediate impact in the league next season with a second-line spot waiting for him in Stockholm, while Marimoto will be a part of the big three in South Beach. I’m expecting major production from Darius and Richards alike, scoring big and showing a leadership role on their teams. Right-wingers Thor Odinson of the Aces and Adam Rage of the Marlins were picked in the third round for the Vikings. Both provide depth scoring and a solid third to second-line presence for Stockholm within the next two seasons. Marauders right-wing Tristen Gorlim was picked in the fifth round and will be a sleeper this draft for sure. His 50-point exhibition last season fell under the radar. His consistent updating and good build will see him having a career showing this season for Miami in the minors. The Vikings then finished the draft with another sleeper in Marlins center Jacob Bryla–a forward who produced 23 points in 50 games last season. That last pick cemented these Vikings as a clear winner in the draft, and one of the best drafting teams this year. Geneva Rush Grade: B+ When you look at the roster for the Geneva Rush for this upcoming season, they needed a solid draft to give them any chance at succeeding this season. They drafted Marlins right-wing Leonard Triller at eighth overall–a shining star for San Diego that scored 52 points and 38 assists last year. He will show up and show out for the Rush this season with his incredible playmaking ability and capability of quarterbacking an offensive rush from both ends of the ice. Joel Castle, an Aces goalie, was selected 11th overall by Geneva and will be tending the crease for the Rush next year. His 41-14-4 record and .911 save % last year shone for Las Vegas, especially in their deep playoff run. Geneva then selected a bit of an interesting pick at the time due to the other players around him–Aces right-wing Kobe Johnson at 15th overall. Johnson really struggled to put up numbers on Vegas’s very-talented roster last year with only 23 points and 11 goals in 72 games played. With his earning and scoring-oriented build however, he has potential to reach new heights in production this season, and make an impact on the Rush very soon. Deep in the fifth round, pick 34, Geneva took a very risky pick, but also a potential sleeper-of-the-draft pick: 21st goalie Ash Sparks. Being 250+ TPE, a consistent earner, and a very talented player; this selection was too good to be true. His 31-29-2 record, 0.914 save %, and 2.58 goals against average (GAA) are very good for where he was selected. With a better goalie being selected by the team prior to Sparks, he will most likely serve as a backup in the tandem, but with his presence, it solidified the team between the pipes. With three other picks used for roster depth, this draft I would say is successful for this Geneva squad. Bratislava Watchmen Grade: D Man these Watchmen were some busy bees. After making several trades–one of which saw superstar forward and Wolves pick Daryl Dixon moving to Bratislava for quite the return–it seems like GM Frostbeard’s squad was more concerned about trading than actual drafting. But with the trades came a lot of good returns: like Dixon, seventh overall selection Philadelphia Reapers defenseman Rex Wolffe McGregor, and center Rick Grimes. They did lose a lot of important picks, including next year’s first round selection as a result. The team was second best last year in the regular season however and managed to retain a large amount of the squad that led them to a 43-17-12 record. They then took The Frenchman–a centerman who already played for the Watchmen prior to the draft–23rd overall. This may sound good on paper, but when you look at his TPE, he can’t play another season for the team, as he’s above 400. It’s a waste of a pretty high-up pick, which could’ve been used to pick someone who has a chance to make an impact going forward. They draft two depth players to end the draft in the fifth and sixth rounds. This draft for Bratislava won’t help them very much going forward, which will eventually kick them where it hurts most once their roster moves up to their VHL counterparts. Ouch. Oslo Storm Grade: D+ While Oslo may haven’t done the best of jobs in this draft, they haven’t done the worst of jobs (ahem* Bratislava). They took a round to begin the draft, selecting Canadian-born 21st defenseman Edward Traverse at 16th: a defenseman who in 38 games scored 23 points and had 17 assists. A very sweet sample showing from a very promising prospect. He claims practice and welfare weekly, with some trivia sprinkled in too. Next, all the way in the bottom of the fourth round, the Storm took Marauders defenseman Winston Dixon Jr. at 32nd overall. Similar to Traverse, Dixon Jr. is a very reliable prospective defenseman who played a full season and put up 49 points and 35 assists. He served a top-four role in Miami last year and will take one more year to fully develop into a VHLE-eligible player. The same should apply to Traverse. After that selection, Oslo took Marlins’ centerman Sjin at 38th. What a pick it was. In my eyes, it was the best pick they’ve made in the whole draft. He made a name for himself on San Diego with 29 goals and 77 points in only 65 games. This was the highlight of a problematic draft for the Storm. They needed that. They then went on to draft two sub-100 TPE players who both saw bottom-line numbers last season in the minors and 10-20 point production to finish the draft out. While they had a few good moves, they still are losers in my eyes. They’re lucky to have a good team at their disposal this season. Cologne Express Grade: C It took 26 picks for the Cologne Express to make their first selection in this draft. After skipping on three whole rounds, the 27th pick found the Express taking Marlins right-wing Ben Dover–a super skilled scoring forward who scored 25 goals and 53 points last season. He played all 72 games for San Diego. He’s a consistent welfare claimer and knows how to build his player around offensive production. Next, at 30th overall, the Express chose Aces defenseman Sigma Freud–another skilled defenseman out of the strip who put up 34 assists and 45 points in 72 games. A good pickup for a team who could use some good defensive depth in the coming seasons. Moving onward to the fifth round, Cologne took a very interesting goalie at 33rd overall: Mississauga Hounds net-minder Justin Lion. The reason why I call his case a peculiar one is due to his 5.19 GAA and 0-33-0 record. He did play on a historically terrible Hounds team that didn’t win a single game last year, but still, those numbers are unforgivable. He did however update for a lot of TPE this week and is consistent with the updating. If he can rebound this year, then there is hope for the future starter of the Express. They finished off the draft with a very respectable depth choice in Reapers’ right-wing Keon Jeannot at 46th. Solid 30-40 point range playing a full 72-game season. Not a bad draft at all Cologne! WINNERS: Rome Gladiators Stockholm Vikings Geneva Rush Cologne Express LOSERS: Bratislava Watchmen Oslo Storm Vasteras Iron Eagles Istanbul Red Wolves

Had a busy week but I managed to get out a little graphic to show where and by who Leonard Triller was drafted! The drafts were a lot of fun and I enjoyed chatting with all the GMs that reached out. Thank you to those who did and to those who drafted my player! Higher Res version can be viewed here: https://i.imgur.com/K4juIZi.gifv

Reid Johnson, born in the United States, is a Defenseman currently playing in the VHLM for the Las Vegas Aces. Originally planning on becoming a two-way defenseman for the Aces out of the Draft, the management suggested that Reid take a more offensive defenseman approach to the position. Since that suggestion from the front office, Reid exploded in his first season points wise, scoring 7 goals and 52 assists for an impressive 59 points in 72 games played during the regular season. Additionally, Johnson has proven to be one of the most lethal threats on the blue line during the playoffs, especially on the powerplay. Sitting on the 1st PP, Johnson's 3 goals during the playoffs have all come on the man advantage. Not to mention he's tacked on 8 assists in 10 games so far, with an inevitable Founder's Cup appearance looming. Though he has a small build (5'7", 178 lbs), it's showed that he's constantly worked on his Poke Checking and Defensive Coverage, meaning he could become a force on Defense once his ratings start to match his Offensive Vision rating. Johnson has shown his loads of activity in the locker room, and it's proven by Las Vegas GM Shindigs, putting the A on his sweater for the season. However, Johnson is a first generation player, meaning he's still not experienced with the higher leagues just yet. With the right team and good chemistry in the locker room, you can expect Johnson to put in the work night in and night out. If you're looking for an Offensive Defenseman who is starting to build on his Defensive traits, and potentially considered a "Powerplay Quarterback", Johnson is the pick you should make come draft time. Pros - Known to move the puck well. Shown by his amount of assists during the regular season and playoffs. Could potentially become a franchise cornerstone for a VHLE team, known to be very active in the locker room and has captaincy to prove it. Possesses "Powerplay Quarterback" material, as shown by playoff statistics. Willing to learn from several higher ups about the forum itself. Able to move the puck and create opportunities. Cons - Defense is not all the way there yet, still lacks some Defensive Coverage. Smaller size, doesn't hit too much. Unknown potential for this player at the VHL level, would have to see how he fairs at the VHLE level. First gen player, not too experienced on the forum. Still needs to work on scoring. Conclusion - Could become the best first gen seen in a while. With his ability to move the puck and his trustworthiness throughout the locker room, not to mention his activity, he could easily become a top 5 pick in the VHL draft. As known around the forum, Defense is a position that is starting to lack throughout the forum, and if you need a potential franchise potential cornerstone on the blue line, Johnson is your guy. Given some time and learning, he could become a force to be reckoned with throughout the forum.

Today I am going to be looking back at the VHL draft and how I think it played out and which teams came out on top. When you think of the draft one of the first things that come to mind are prospects. But in the VHL prospects can mean someone that is going from VHLM to VHLE or in this case VHLM to VHL. With that being said when looking at the VHL Draft you have a mix of prospects and rookies. 16. New York Americans Talk about a gamble. 12 picks in the draft. WOW! The Americans are focusing on their future but at what cost? I say a gamble because at the moment the Americans have 23 prospects on their roster. But when you look at their team you see 6 Forwards lead by the big man Jerome Reinhart. With only one Defender and one goalie. I think the Americans focused too much on the future in this draft and not enough on what their team looks like now. They are going to have to focus on FA's and try to grab players that are running out of contracts. Through all that I hope the gamble pays off. We will have to look back in 3 to 5 seasons. 15. Chicago Phoenix Now the only reason that I am putting Chicago in 15th is the lack of picks that they had in this draft. Even though they did get Scotty Sundin with the 1st overall pick at 428 TPE I think it was a great pick. But when I think of the draft, the future is what comes to mind. With only 8 players on their roster and a total of 6 prospects. I think that Chicago is gonna have to rely on making trades in the future in order to get out of the funk that they had last season. Ending the season with a record of 6-61. Let's just say it wasn't pretty. 14. Warsaw Predators Warsaw is focused on S84. You can tell because most of their picks were traded for players that are on their roster right now. I like this approach because their roster is a bunch of good players. Not ones that are 1000 TPE but ones that are 850 - 400 TPE. Which creates a solid team. With their first pick in the draft they went with a solid pick in Sock Monkey. I think Monkey is a great pick for the future. They were a great addition to my JST team since they are consistent earners and I think have a future in the VHL it just might take time. But that is what the Predators (sounds bad lol) don't have. They needed to focus on the now and that is what they were able to do in trading their picks away in the season for players that are going to help them in S84. For now I will stop there and continue in another part coming soon. Hopefully you understand what I was thinking when ranking these teams. These are all my opinions and most likely are wrong. I might make changes but for now these are the 14 - 16 ranked teams on my list for the VHL in terms of how the Draft went.

Justin Adolfsen - Left Wing Born - July 17th, 2002 Height - 5' 10" Weight- 157 LB Nationality - USA Justin Adolfsen models himself after New Jersey Devils winger Jesper Bratt. As a smallish forward Adolfsen makes up for a lack of size with excellent hockey sense, which enables his team to use him in all situations and play up and down the lineup. Growing up on Long Island, NY Adolfsen has been training his whole life for this moment (the VHLM draft). Practicing on the daily and training on the frozen ponds in the winter, Adolfsen found his mojo. He is working towards more offensive ability and is likely to put up big offensive numbers in the future, but continues to work hard to improve his skills-especially away from the puck. Has turned himself into a player who is tough to play against and drives play. Adolfsen creates space on the ice for his teammates and himself, by quick zone entry's and the urge to feed teammates the puck. Adolfsen is strong on the puck and possesses some quick, creative hands, allowing him to get fancy with the puck on the rush. Notable strengths: -Heavy shooter For a smaller player, Adolfsen can really fire the puck. He's got a quick, heavy release on his snap shot and has the ability to one-time hard or difficult passes. He's very good on the power play because of his shooting ability. -Changes directions well Adolfsen is a really quick player that moves east-west well making him dynamic off the rush and makes it difficult for opposing defenders to line him up. -Creates space for his line-mates. Once Adolfsen enters the zone the shifty forward is able to attract defenders and open up space for his teammates. -The forward can create plays as well, with quick feet and soft hands. Can be seen at times being someone with a pass first mentality. -SPEED, Adolfsen is fast and can really motor up and down the ice. He tends to have speedy offensive zone entries, and loves to begin transition plays. Notable weaknesses: -Disappears against physical play Adolfsen is a small player and not particularly strong, which really works against him when he's playing against faster, stronger competition. He's easily muscled off the puck in tight areas and tends to be quiet and ineffective. -Needs to improve defensive play Adolfsen is a skilled offensive player, but needs more of a 200-foot game.

Hello everyone and welcome to VSN's next instalment of the Mock Draft. The S79 VHL Entry Draft has a solid roster of recreates from familiar members, but that doesn't discount the impact that some new members have made. There's a notable decline of higher TPE earners towards the bottom of the first round, but that's also where the draft gems are. Their journey to the VHL begins here. Let's get on with it! 1 LOS ANGELES STARS AJ WILLIAMS RW TPE: 223 @ajwllmsn TEAM GP G A PTS (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB 78 - Ottawa 72 22 34 56 -4 218 52 94 19 AJ Williams, the surprise first-gen player claims the top spot here at first overall. His play in Ottawa and his league involvement have grabbed enough attention for him to jump up this high. Ranked 8th in tpe, his build is solid, and has a great future if he keeps improving. With the VHLE starting up in S80, he could completely skip the league and play an important role in Los Angeles. He does need to improve his skating and puck handling abilities before he can be considered a star forward though. 2 VANCOUVER WOLVES TYLER REINHART RW TPE: 331 @Zetterberg TEAM GP G A PTS (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB 78 - Yukon 72 64 69 133 49 534 44 139 30 77 - Mississauga 7 0 1 1 4 5 0 6 0 78 - Yukon (Playoffs) 17 10 13 23 7 90 12 27 4 77 - Mississauga (Playoffs) 15 4 1 5 0 15 4 14 2 Another member from the Reinhart clan makes an appearance here. He made his first appearance with Mississauga last season, but broke out with Yukon this past season, leading the charge to a Founder's Cup. This sniper is very highly rated, can score almost at will, and does everything almost easily. It won't be difficult to integrate into the VHL; his abilities are top-notch. He excels at both ends of the ice and never seems out of place, making him a solid pick at second overall. 3 VANCOUVER WOLVES JEROME REINHART LW TPE: 259 @MexicanCow123 TEAM GP G A PTS (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB 78 - Yukon 72 42 44 86 47 295 43 118 14 78 - Yukon (Playoffs) 17 3 10 13 7 80 18 23 1 Tyler Reinhart's older brother Jerome follows right behind him. He's built very similarly to Tyler, except he only has one season of development unlike his brother. Like Tyler and Erlantz, he got his hands on a Foudners Cup, so that should be beneficial experience heading to the VHL. No doubt that with Jerome and Tyler playing on the wings, they could be a deadly combination in the future for Vancouver. 4 HC DAVOS DYNAMO ERLANTZ JOKINEN D TPE: 255 @jRuutu TEAM GP G A PTS (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB 78 - Yukon 72 13 60 73 36 130 103 144 77 78 - Yukon (Playoffs) 17 2 13 15 4 33 24 37 23 Erlantz Jokinen had himself a fine S78 campaign, getting a point-per-game and playing solid defense to help Yukon capture the Founders Cup. His game revolves around playing solid defense and supporting the attack. He also has the ability to create scoring chances in bunches, positioning shots well for rebounds and crisp passing, also playing well with the puck. He's also quite strong and likes to throw around his 6'2 frame, stopping opponents before they can mount an attack. His skating does need some attention before he can be a force in the VHL, but the sky's the limit for this young defensive prospect. 5 MOSCOW MENACE PAPA EMERITUS G TPE: 298 @Beketov TEAM GP W L OTL SV % G.A.A. SO GA SAVES 78 - Yukon 69 55 10 4 0.892 2.91 5 202 1870 77 - Saskatoon 4 1 1 0 0.915 1.99 0 6 71 78 - Yukon (Playoffs) 17 12 4 1 0.905 2.58 0 45 475 77 - Saskatoon (Playoffs) 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 19 We have yet another Yukon player as Papa Emeritus has announced himself as the best goalie in this draft. This satanic goalie from Sweden is already a proven winner after capturing the Founders Cup last season and could easily find himself drafted anywhere in the top 10. In his first full season down in the M, Emeritus dominated leading the entire VHLM in wins while finishing in the leaderboards in both save percentage and goals against average. His big and mobile 6'4' frame makes it hard for shooters to find any room to score making him a steady and reliable goaltender that any VHL team would want. 6 RIGA REIGN POOPY PEEPANTS D TPE: 264 @JardyB10 TEAM GP G A PTS (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB 78 - Miami 72 6 38 44 -83 66 134 243 162 77 - Houston 4 0 1 1 -6 1 6 10 5 77 - Houston (Playoffs) 5 1 3 4 1 4 8 12 13 Poopy Peepants has sure shown what he's capable of with the Miami Marauders. Despite playing on the bottom ranked squad and finishing the season with what could possibly be the 'poopiest' plus-minus rating at -83, he's shown he's a solid competitor. Finishing in the top 10 in hits and top ranked in shots blocked, his devotion to playing defense and supporting the rush is very good. He could be a dangerous offensive contributor if he worked on his shooting and scoring ability, but his defensive play would benefit from working on his skating ability and his puckhandling. 7 WARSAW PREDATORS TAYLOR MOURNING RW TPE: 275 @scoop TEAM GP G A PTS (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB 78 - Philadelphia 72 26 28 54 18 229 70 145 14 77 - Mexico City 2 0 0 0 -3 0 2 3 0 78 - Philadelphia (Playoffs) 6 4 5 9 -4 20 14 17 1 This Philadelphia Reapers' prospect had an impressive season, putting up pretty good numbers for an offensive winger. He had an even more impressive statline in the playoffs, getting over a point per game. Although his strength is producing offense, he does everthing else quite well too. His build is very well rounded out, so he should have no trouble adjusting to the VHL level. All he needs is more of everything to be a solid top 6 VHL forward. 8 HELSINKI TITANS EM EM FLEX G TPE: 200 @oilmandan TEAM GP W L OTL SV % G.A.A. SO GA SAVES 78 - Miami 72 12 58 2 0.857 4.63 0 318 2229 This goalie prospect had a rough season minding the Miami net last season, but don't let that fool you. He's well prepared for another VHLM season and poised for a campaign that sees huge improvement. He's well balanced, with alot of banked tpe. With all that applied and another full season in the M, he could be very well positioned to be a stud, not only in the M, but in the VHLE as well. He could be VHL ready by season 81, just as long as he keeps improving. 9 PRAGUE PHANTOMS JONATHAN ORI C TPE: 251 @ROOKIE745 TEAM GP G A PTS (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB 78 - Minnesota 72 4 36 40 23 39 14 45 5 78 - Minnesota (Playoffs) 14 3 9 12 -4 22 2 18 0 This centerman is like a swiss army knife; he has the right tool for the right job. He can play offense and defense well, skates, handles and passes the puck well, has decent strength, and is quite skilled in the faceoff circle. He can do everything quite well, but not at an elite VHL level quite yet. He will be outclassed at the top levels, but only briefly. His base build entering the VHL will be quite an asset, as he will have the fundamentals down and can build moving forward any which way he wants. His playoff performance, helping the Minnesota Storm reach the Founders Cup finals, is an indication to how much he improved compared to his regular season totals. Look out for this player. 10 MALMO NIGHTHAWKS SIGARD PETRENKO RW TPE: 207 @SlapshotDragon TEAM GP G A PTS (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB 78 - Houston 30 19 18 37 4 130 35 67 14 78 - Houston (Playoffs) 11 6 3 9 1 54 10 30 8 1 Despite joining Houston mid-season, he's been an absolute force up front. Getting over a point-per-game and aiding Houston to a semifinals appearance, Petrenko is a bonafide sniper in the making. He's all set and gearing up for a breakout year. This diminutive 5'8 forward does alot well at the VHLM level, and could contend for a scoring title, possibly even an MVP nomination. He doesn't shy away from the physical nature of the sport, getting multiple hits per game. He also plays in position at both ends of the rink and gets there easily, with or without the puck. He will also be eligible for the VHLE in S80, so he could even dominate there as well. Who would have known how far along he could've gone in his development had he played a full season? That's a scary thought. 11 SEATTLE BEARS MIROSLAV TSAROV LW TPE: 204 @PadStack TEAM GP G A PTS (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB 78 - Halifax 72 23 35 58 21 219 22 93 16 77 - Houston 4 1 0 1 -3 5 0 6 1 78 - Halifax (Playoffs) 7 2 4 6 0 29 2 12 2 77 - Houston (Playoffs) 5 2 0 2 -2 9 6 9 4 Massive body, massive sniping ability. He has some serious tools in his toolbox; but hasn't gotten to show them off on a top line, yet. Playing behind a stacked top forward line on Halifax, he should have serious numbers next season. His scoring touch and positioning are great, but he does need to work on getting some strength on that 6'8 frame. Like Petrenko, he's in a similar situation; another season in the VHLM could see him break out with huge production. All he has to do is keep earning and progressing, and he will be a (literally) huge force. 12 VANCOUVER WOLVES BABY BOB RW TPE: 212 @Baby Boomer TEAM GP G A PTS (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB 78 - Mississauga 72 32 43 75 -72 322 48 113 52 77 - Mexico City 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 After his first full season with Mississauga, Baby Bob has a huge chance to make an even bigger name for himself next season. Averaging over a point per game, Bob can easily surpass that with a fresh start. Very solid offensively, all he needs to do is improve his defensive game and strength to be a lethal threat on a top line. Hopefully he can improve on a putrid -72 rating, but chalk that up to being on a rebuilding Hounds team that didn't have much of anything going for them. He can definitely improve on all of his statlines and be the leader that takes the team to the playoffs again. 13 SEATTLE BEARS JOHN BAARD LW TPE: 158 @Birdman TEAM GP G A PTS (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB 78 - Houston 49 10 34 44 11 114 36 47 20 78 - Houston (Playoffs) 11 2 8 10 0 39 4 3 6 A waiver pickup by the Houston Bulls mid-season, John Baard sure made his presence felt, and known. He's been earning rapidly and steadily, garnering him some first round attention. Producing at nearly a point per game in the regular season and during the playoffs, he's built quite an impressive player. Baard has some good fundamentals but still has plenty of room to grow. He needs to improve in nearly every stat category, but not by much to be a dominant player in the VHLM. He could progress to be a force in the VHLE in S80 and be VHL ready by S81. Who knows what the future holds for this rare gem of a prospect! 14 CHICAGO PHOENIX OMI ABERG C TPE: 199 @osens TEAM GP G A PTS (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB 78 - Ottawa 72 20 27 47 -43 226 38 63 30 Omi Aberg is a capable centerman, but he's in mid development. He likes to shoot the puck when he has the chance, but he needs to work on boosting his basic skills. His skating and puckhandling are somewhat lacking right now, and his strength to play center isn't high enough yet. His earning has dropped off a bit lately, but hopefully he can resume his earning and get back to boosting what's lacking. If he could do that, he could be a dangerous VHLM player next season. 15 MALMO NIGHTHAWKS BEN AKY D TPE: 151 @benaky TEAM GP G A PTS (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB 78 - Ottawa 72 4 19 23 -37 80 66 129 118 This defenseman has a nicely balanced build, well suited for the VHLM. Aky is a quite capable defenseman that has some good potential, and could be a great defenseman in seasons to come. He's built in a well balanced fashion, plays well at both ends of the ice, skates and handles the puck well too. He could be better at getting the puck forward though, his passing ability is lacking at the moment. His earning potential could be somewhat of a concern for a team that needs defensive help immediately; he may be VHL ready by season 82. Another season in the M and possibly two seasons in the VHLE could see him crack the big league by then. 16 MALMO NIGHTHAWKS ORION D H CHIESTER IX G TPE: 171 @Donno100 TEAM GP G A PTS (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB 78 - Ottawa 30 13 15 2 0.886 3.46 1 105 919 This goalie has some potential. Chiester has been earning steadily and progressing nicely, but not at a fast rate. He needs some work in his agility and playing big in his net, but his hand speed and reaction time to shots are pretty great at the VHLM level. His other stats are at an adequate level to be an effective goaltender, but with some more training he could be an elite M netminder. Here's hoping he could be ready for the VHL in S81 as a backup, so we can see what Orion has to offer.

Taylor Carter, sounds like a normal suburban kid who would become a lawyer, or a Politician. instead he chose the brutality and finesse of Ice Hockey. From the scratching of the blade on ice to the slapping sound of the stick hitting the puck and the thud of being slammed into the boards, Carter was born for this sport. So why should the Victory Hockey League draft him? its simple. His name is Taylor. That simple, their have been great players in hockey legend with the names Taylor but the most Recent Taylor to light up the Ice of the rink is none other then Taylor Hall. Now Carter is not Hall, not yet anyways, but he could be. Simply enough players with the name Taylor seem to be a step ahead, seem to have that extra fire to succeed on the frozen war zone known as a rink. Every Taylor in history has been a WARRIOR, fierce and unyielding. Fast and Agile, Skilled and a natural scorer. So Taylor Carter will be no different just based on the information given he should be a #1 draft pick anywhere he goes but why THIS Taylor? well he was born in a wealthy Family in Windsor Ontario, went to the top schools I mean after all Money makes everything better. He started watching Hockey at the age of 4 watching the Oilers dominate the NHL. it was then he knew exactly what he wanted to do, much to his parents ire. again Taylor's are just built different. they think different and they act different. so he went against the grain and started working out, started working on his stick handling. all the things he saw the greats do. when he went to college he proved why Taylor's are the best because he became a leader in the dorms and on the college team. he became the youngest captain at his school. he was faster and hit harder then anyone not names Taylor. He faced another Taylor in senior year, now Carter says he won, but their was no witnesses. Rumor is they played for weeks until one of them couldn't any longer. that the kind of drive you get with a Taylor, one that will never give up, one that will always strive to be the best on the ice at any time. Taylor will give his all every second of every game until another Taylor appears then he will go into a beast mode. the need to be the best Taylor in hockey is what drives him and its why teams should draft Taylor. he wont stop until their is only 1 Taylor. Him. do you want someone who will play because its fun? or do you want someone who will play to WIN and to be the best Taylor that ever lived....well then draft a Taylor. its as simple as that. Taylor Carter will not stop until he gives you everything and proves that being a Taylor makes you special. the VHL would be happy to Gain another Taylor in its ranks. this one hoping to be in the hall of fame on day and prove that he is the top Taylor to ever lace up a pair of Skates.

Hello everyone and welcome to the 2nd installment of the draft combine interviews. I managed to catch up with 13 prospects eligible to be drafted in this upcoming offseason, and there's plenty of variety here between new and older members. It's always a pleasure to gather some new details about the young guns entering the league and sharing with you, the community. I gave the draftees the option to be interviewed as a member or as a player, so now you have the chance to learn alot about the players or members. Players were asked a little about themselves and their performance, their thoughts on their draft ranking, if they look up to a certain VHL star and/or want to emulate them (or develop their own playstyle), and if they're gunning for Cups or Awards. Some sure are pretty ambitious! As for the people that wanted to be interviewed as a member, you'll learn about their time in the league, what a new member's first impressions of the league are, and what hardware they value more. Onto the interviews! MIROSLAV TSAROV @PadStack Classy interview from a modest Tsarov I wanted to try playing as a winger because I wanted to be a big body scoring goals. Most of the big men go play defense, I wanted to be different. In regards to my performance this season, overall; no. We struggled down the stretch and faltered in the first round of the playoffs. That’s what matters. I'm not trying to play like anyone else. I’m my own player and person, with my own play style and going to be a unique one. I want to be the big body that does it all. I have no idea where I’ll go in the draft, I haven’t talked to many teams yet. I’m hoping to go in the top 4 rounds, but any team that takes me will get my best effort. I’ve already had a full career in Europe before coming over here. I have one thing on my mind and that’s about championships. If I can be a 3rd line filler on a cup team I’ll be happier than if I was the scoring champion. I’m not aiming to being in the Hall of Fame, but I want a nice long fruitful career. DEAGUN RUST @Spade18 This pugilist is looking for more challenges... Rust is a rough and tumble, old school hockey kind of guy. He's all about the forecheck, taking the body, putting the pressure on the other team, and standing up for his teammates. (Spade18): I've done a defensive defenseman, a goalie, and then two scoring forwards (technically) in a row. I wanted to try something a little different. I didn't fight this season, so no, I am not satisfied with his performance. I'm not really looking to emulate anyone; I want to carve out my own niche. I would guess he could be drafted in the 2nd or 3rd round, because being both a welfare player and a grinder, he's not going to garner first-round attention, nor should he, but I feel he'll go higher than his rank as I am consistent with the welfare and have been around the block a few times in the league. I'm a good fit on any team. Who doesn't need a bruiser in their ranks? The cup is always the dream, but my main goal is to try and become the all time penalty minute leader, and (not sure if this is tracked) fight leader. SIGARD PETRENKO @SlapshotDragon Petrenko shares much about about himself and his VHL goals I've always been into hockey. I was never really big enough to play defense or flexible enough to be a goalie, so I just decided to be a forward. I'm only 5'8" so Center wasn't really the best option for me. I chose to be a right winger even though I shoot lefty. I feel like it makes me in better position to shoot because my stick is away from the boards and towards the net. I could have done better this season. I scored goals when I could and assisted when I could. I think I should be decent offensively. My real concern is my defense. My plus-minus is very low compared to my point totals. It's great that I can score and help others score but if I'm doing poorly defensively, it's sorta pointless. I need to work on making sure I can keep up with the best offenses and help the team shut them down. Funnily enough, the person I share a name with, Sigard Gunnar. Man was a scoring machine back in the day, and if I had to choose a current VHL player, Robin Winters. Such a complete player. He can score goals, assist on goals, be physical, just an amazing player. I'm hoping to be even half as good as he is right now. His late success has been very fun to watch. Seattle, Seattle, and Seattle. I've heard Seattle needs wingers, so they might pick me. However, I wouldn't be a good top 4 pick. I probably will be picked mid or late first round, which I'm okay with. I'm not a superstar in the VHLM but I know my role and I try my best to do it. Plus, it'd be beneficial to get some advice from the more experienced players on the team. However, I'd be honoured to be picked by any team. I'll always put team success over individual success, so Continental Cups is the goal. Sure, I could be the next Connor McDavid and absolutely dominate the league yet no cups to show for it but I'd rather be a fourth-liner on a team that can win together. No one person can make up a team. Maybe one day I can hope for the VHL Hall of Fame, but I have to prove that I can make a Victory Hockey League roster first. If the stars align and I do end up being a pretty good player, I guess I could try aiming for the Hall of Fame. It isn't my main priority right now but it could be a goal in the future. JONATHAN ORI @ROOKIE745 ROOKIE745 gives tidbits about his career with former goaltender Jaxx Hextall and his first-gen experience I've only had one previous player, that being goaltender Jaxx Hextall. He had a good solid career all spent in Toronto. Never won a cup or any awards but I was happy with his overall numbers. As for my past, well, it's all been pretty good, I've enjoyed all my time here so far, nothing to really say here. I did have some interest in become a GM or AGM but I honestly just don't think I could give the team the time it deserves, maxing my own player is already time consuming enough for me. Written media is my preference as I have no experience with doing graphics, I haven't claimed welfare for a long while now. Playing for the team is more important to me but in terms of a successful career? I think individual awards. Winning cups is a team effort and one person can't take you there, winning individual award shows that you are a star player and doing everything to get your team there, but winning the cup is something I think any player would take over individual awards. SUNRISE VAN DE SCHUBBEKUTEVEEN @Thunfish A new face in the VHL tells us his career plans and expectations I just like being a left winger, to be honest. Never really passed by my head any sort of rationale; not to say I'd be against playing somewhere else, it's just the one I'm more familiar with. I worked with the team and it was my first season, I'd say it was mighty fine as a start. I'm not thinking of anyone in the VHL to emulate in particular, to be honest. I wish to be a pass-first guy type of guy but really, I just follow whatever the team tells me to do, given they're way more informed than I am. I always imagine I'll be a late pick because it's better than have heavy expectations that would probably be blown up. I don't really mind where I end up at all in the draft and I just hope to be useful to whoever picks me. Team awards come first and foremost. Besides, imagine if I actually won more individual stuff and they had to rename a prize after me. Doesn't really roll off the tongue. Hall of fame would be cool but I'm fine if I don't get there either, long as I had fun. TYLER REINHART @Zetterberg The projected first overall pick has a deep-rooted hockey past with his brother, and shares his past and future hopes Coming from Greenland I’ve had to adjust a lot. It’s a big switch going from such a small town to playing in big cities all across North America. Although admittedly living in Yukon feels pretty familiar to back home. That may be part of the reason why I’ve been so comfortable on the Rush, because I came from such a small town I decided to play right wing, now that may sound like a weird reason but the team sizes in Greenland were very small. This meant teams would have two centers and six wingers so if I wanted to play with my brother Jerome, I’d have to play either as a defenseman or as a winger. Call it selfish but we liked scoring so it was a no brainer to go with the wing. I can’t complain about this past season, haha! Yukon is in the finals and I’d say I did a pretty good job helping out the team. Top 3 in the league was not what I was expecting moving over to the VHLM but a lot of things just lined up perfectly and that allowed me to succeed. I owe a lot of that success to my brother and my teammates. I don’t want to emulate anybody, putting labels and trying to be someone else I think would do more harm then good. Lately, I’ve tried not to think about the draft. Lots of pressure going into it, it’s hard to ignore all the praise in the mock drafts and I know a lot of people have a lot of expectations for me. As far as where I think I should be drafted I’ll say in the first round. I’m good to play anywhere, I liked the GM of Moscow in the brief interaction we had but I’m sure I’d love anywhere I went. I think the only correct answer to winning either Cups or individual awards, is the cup. I want to win as many cups as possible, and any awards that come along with the chase are just a bonus. Hall of fame is definitely a goal for me, you can be modest and say it’s not but everybody dreams of getting in it. If I may I would also like to address the speculation around me and Jerome. I don’t think it’s a secret that we’ve always played together even before the VHLM and we would like to continue that in the VHL. With that said I don’t want to force anybody to draft us together, since we aren’t opposed to playing on different teams, it’s just eventually we’d like to have some extent of our careers on the same team. POOPY PEEPEANTS @JardyB10 A high-profile returning member goes behind the scenes about his past VHL experiences and his prolific comeback I joined the VHL some time during S15, and Jardy Bunclewirth, a left winger, was my first player. I didn't earn any non-"free" TPE until I was drafted, after which I finally felt comfortable in the league and my activity exploded. Bunclewirth went on to put up one of the most impressive rookie seasons of all-time en route to a Hall of Fame career all with the Calgary Wranglers. During his career, I quickly became a grader, a moderator, Calgary's GM, and finally Commissioner. Once Bunclewirth retired I re-created as CAL G, who I intended to be the Wranglers' future goalie. However, I believe I took over as the Head (and only) Simmer around this time, and so commie and real life duties became too much for me to also be a GM, so I stepped down and gave the position to @diamond_ace . CAL G went on to play most his career with the Seattle Bears (with a little bit of Vasteras sprinkled in at the end), and he too made it into the Hall of Fame. I continued my commie simming duties throughout all this. Next up was Naomi Young. She was my attempt at a pure playmaking center. Despite the fact that she was the player I earned the most TPE with (1,013 TPE), she was also my least successful active player! She spent two pairs of seasons with the Helsinki Titans at each end of her career, three seasons with the Davos Dynamo, and a season with the Quebec City Meute. Not only did she never win an individual award, but she never even had a 100-point season. She did win one Cup with Davos though. I continued my commie simming duties throughout all of this. At this time, @Victor wanted to make rival goalies based off the Clegane brothers from A Song of Ice and Fire, and thus was born the legendary Sandro Clegane, my second goaltender. He was drafted by the Cologne Express, and managed to be successful in a legendary era for goaltenders, winning the Aidan Shaw Trophy three times, and most importantly, coming out victorious in the S51 Continental Cup Cleganebowl. He played for four different teams in his career, which I'm realizing now means that my players all play for one extra team every time I re-create. I continued my commie simming duties throughout all this. Finally, we reach the twilight of my 8-year stint in the VHL with right winger Motherfucker Sharpe, bastard son of Robert. This player was my failed attempt at a pure goon with too much TPE. That didn't come to pass, as I only ended up earning 542 TPE with the boy before I went inactive. In addition to my simming and commie duties at this time, the VHL also introduced "Project Player Two," a movement probably intended to prevent excessive league contraction, as activity levels were not doing so well. So halfway through Sharpe's career, I also created defenceman Dragon McDragon. He made it to 201 TPE. Then in February 2018 I went on a month vacation overseas. When I returned I finished simulating S59, and when the off-season hit I vanished. I was burnt out and overwhelmed, and it was unfortunately too easy not to check in any more. It was a solid 39ish season run as Commissioner, probably about 37 as simmer. There were ups and downs, but it was a long time ago, and much of it has bled together in my mind, sadly. Given how I exited the league last time, and how much the league has changed since, my expectations with Poopy Peepants are not terribly high! McDragon was my first defenceman, and I went inactive very early in his career, so Peepants will be picking up where he left off. I'd like him to be a solid playmaking defenceman, a la David Henman. It would be cool if I could win a Beketov and/or a Wylde Trophy, but I'll be content enough to be useful at all! I'm almost exclusively living that podcast life! Back in the day I was a media guy though, and I'll still do "VHL.COM ARTICLES" (though us geriatrics know they're still called Fan 590s) to earn my last 1 TPE to reach the weekly cap. My time holding management positions in the VHL is done. I maybe wouldn't mind becoming an Updater if possible, as that seems to be a job that can be flexible with my real life schedule. For the most part though, I'd like to see the VHL run by mostly fresh faces, from top to bottom. Grading was my first gig. During that I briefly became a moderator (Red Team) which was not a paid occupation. Nor was GMing the VHLM's Minot Gladiators. Nor was GMing the Wranglers after that. Nor was being Commissioner for those first couple seasons, but once I took over from @sterling as the simmer, I paid myself for that. I believe I had a brief stint as Ottawa Lynx's GM some time in the S50s or something like that. I would certainly say a player that wins a bunch of Cups has had a successful career, regardless of how well they did individually, as that is every player and team's ultimate goal after all. However, I think players that have more individual success (and thus Hall of Fame careers) do tend to stand out more and be more memorable, hence their HOF status! ZDENO CHARA @Agito A first-gen player leaves alot of mystery about him... Zdeno Chara is my favorite player and I wanted to play a really important position on a team, so I chose to be a defenseman just like him. I think that for a 132 TPE player, it's a very good start to my career, so I'm happy with my performance, but there is always room for improvement! I'm not really looking at any other VHL player to build my style, I'm my own player. I like to play defense offensively. To tell you the truth about the draft and where I'll get picked, I have no idea and I love the mystery! But I would still like to join a playoff contender. The Hall Of Fame is one of my goals but my ultimate goal is the VHLE! I would like to get there before Zdeno Chara retires! EM EM FLEX @oilmandan A VHL vet gets right to the point and keeps it short about his past and his plans going forward... This is my third player now, my first one bounced around a lot but was very solid two way player. My most recent player, was more of a fighter. He set the record for most fights in a season too. Both won championships with Seattle, so I’m satisfied with both, but not overly happy. With my next player, I’m hoping to be a solid starter somewhere that needs a young goalie. Hopefully will win some awards and more championships too, but we’ll see. I’m an affiliate welfare type. I do the odd graphic or media. I don’t hold any jobs currently here, though I used to be an updater and the GM for Las Vegas a long time ago, but I don’t think I’d want a management job again. STHS is a pain to use I think. I believe cups are the most important thing to win. however, an individual award or two would be nice, but I’d rather win titles over anything. AJ WILLIAMS @ajwllmsn A new kid on the block has high hopes to become an impactful player and member I found the league through a YouTube ad. It was around the middle of May and I was still in Ontario's shutdown so I was super bored and decided to try out the VHL. It has been going really well so far. I feel like I am decently known throughout the community. At first it was a lot to take in (TPE, how a forum works, all the discord channels) but after a week I got the hang of things and got addicted to gaining TPE. I don't think it has been challenging to get used to everything, at first it is a lot but once I started reading up on the important stuff of the VHL I was cruising through the forums. I am very interested in league jobs/management. I just applied to Halifax for the AGM spot and that was my first ever job application. I would love to start off as an AGM to get a feel for management and then hopefully eventually one day become a GM for whatever league, it does not matter to me. I have done graphics and they're alright to do, but I much prefer media spots. I hated English class in high school, all the essays and different writing assignments, but for the VHL I feel like I can write entire books about it. I guess being interested in what I am writing about plays a big part. I believe cups are more important. I don't look back in the records books to see who won the Scotty Campbell Trophy 10 seasons ago, I look back at Continental Cups and which teams have had success. I can't even name anyone from S60 or prior, it doesn't interest me. Everyone has rebuilds already and I care about who their player is now and who they play for. Winning cups is an amazing feeling to share with your teammates and the VHL community that supports your team. ERLANTZ JOKINEN @jRuutu Longtime member jRuutu gives perspective on his past players, and more... I joined somewhere around season 42, I think. The first player I created was a power-forward winger. Then I created a defender, center, another power-forward winger, and now back to defense, never created a goalie. This player is my 5th player in VHL. One of the players has made it to the Hall of Fame, I have won few individual awards, not many. A cool little statistic is that I have won at least one championship with all of my players. I want to compete and win championships. I want to build the best player I can. I have an idea for a build that I will go after, offensive defender. There are also little things I want to try when it comes down to contract negotiations, I want to take control over my career early on. I'm definitely a media guy, I can't make anything graphics related. I usually enjoy writing the point tasks, I can try different angles and ideas, which is nice. I also never had a job in the league. I´m 95% sure that I have never even applied for a job. If I would somehow get a management job of some kind - I would take it too seriously. I have a clear idea of what is only fair, some players might not think the same way. You can have a successful career without ever winning anything, you could be a ''cult hero'' by playing only for one team. Still, I think cups are where it's at, ''every'' player can win one. Individual awards and Hall of Fame stuff require that you are in the right place. For example, you score a lot during the regular season by being the main player in offense, which helps in you getting to the Hall of Fame, but you don't get anywhere near the cup. Is that a great season? Not always. DONNY CARTER @TheNeonShaman A calm-and-collected approach from a poised first gen member I chose to play left wing because I don't like to take faceoffs too often, but I like to get into a scoring role. I am very satisfied with my performance this season, as I hit my start of season goals of at least 10 goals and 20 assists. I don't really know a lot of VHL players yet, but comparing to NHL players I would like to model my style as a two way threat like Patrice Bergeron or Mark Stone. I have no clue where I will get drafted, or who I would get drafted to, and I don't really have a preference, though it would be nice to be on a team with some teammates from the Houston Bulls. I don't know which team I would be a good fit on, but I will try my hardest for any team that drafts me. I'm after more continental cups definitely, the team game is what I play. I think getting in the VHL hall of fame would be really cool, it's not something I'm going to strive after. I just want to win a few cups. PAPA EMERITUS @Beketov Member since the beginning tempers expectations about his new goalie, and shares insights... Papa Emeritus is my 12th player if memory serves correctly. Normally I went back and forth between forwards and goalies, but I’ve actually made skaters for my last three, so going back to goalie for the first time in a bit. Historically, my goalies have been hit or miss in quality, never usually those breakout star types. I’m hoping after the success I had with Matt Thompson and Mikko Lahtinen, I can translate that HoF caliber player over to one of my goalies. I want to get back into the cup win column after not getting one with Lahtinen. Finishing off that triple gold he just missed would be lovely as well. Outside of that: just proving, I think to myself as much as anything, that I actually can make a solidly successful goalie. A lot of the newer members are kinda assuming that any player I make will be a beast because they’ve only known Thompson and Lahtinen, but historically players like that aren’t my norm. Here’s hoping Thompson was my break out player and everyone after him can truly be a star. Strictly speaking about point tasks, I am a graphics guy, but obviously I don’t need to do any for the most part given that (VHL)commish pays me 6 and simming pays me 6. Living that sweet “auto” 12 life haha. The VHL Hall of Fame would be the biggest mark of success for me. Cups are, in my opinion, more important to get, but a player can easily win 4 cups and not be a HoF or “successful” player, they simply played on a good team. You don’t get into the hall without success. 2 week claim

It's that time again! Time for another mock draft. This one not quite so early, so I expect all my predictions to be spot on. I get to match players with teams this time too, as the draft lottery went down yesterday(RIP LA). It appears the first five or so picks should be a shoo in, although after that it is a dogfight. I know my predictions are going to turn out wrong because there are so many capable players that are available. I also get to compare this mock draft to the 'wayyy to early' one I did a couple weeks ago. Now, without further ado, into the mock draft! With the 1st overall pick, the New York Americans select: Red Lite @Tate Last mock: 1st overall No change Face it, we all knew this was coming. Red Lite is the cream of the crop for this draft. He is now sitting at 327 TPE, which means he could step into the VHL right now and be an impact player. He scored 48 goals and 97 points with the San Diego Marlins this season, and although the Marlins were recently knocked out of the playoffs, Lite was extraordinary in all the series and made a difference on the scoreboard. His status as 1st overall is non debatable, and he will hopefully help boost the young Americans into a S76 playoff spot. With the 2nd overall pick, the Prague Phantoms select: Battre Sandstrom @Acydburn Last mock: 2nd overall No change This one isn't such a given, but there's a fair chance Prague goes with Sandstrom at 2. After all, @diamond_ace , Prague GM, has been seen saying that Hogan Jr. will go third, implying that he will take the Swede. In fact, he said this, quote on quote: "There are 2 types of drafts: ones that have acyd in them, and ones I have to make actual decisions". So this basically says that unless the Americans go off the board and take him, Battre Sandstrom will join the Prague Phantoms at the draft. Sandstrom is also a monster offensively, recording 75 points in 72 games with the Saskatoon Wild. With the 3rd overall pick, the Los Angeles Stars select: Hulk Hogan Jr. @Beaviss Last mock: 3rd overall No change You can't help laughing at this one. The Stars were terrible this season, having a record that was worse than only New York themselves. Alas, the lottery didn't favour them. Luckily, they get a fantastic consolation prize in Hogan Jr., the defenceman for the cup-hunting Mexico City Kings. As long as Prague takes Sandstrom, this pick is definitely a given, especially since the next ranked player is also a defenceman. Hogan Jr. is more defense oriented than Sandstrom, and gets slightly less points(49 this year), but still gets a guaranteed 12 TPE per week. With the 4th overall pick, the Calgary Wranglers select: Tom Eagles @Greg_Di Last mock: 5th overall +1 With a massive gain in TPE, Tom Eagles overtook Frank Funk Jr. in TPE by a truckload, increasing the gap between him and the next ranked player in TPE. Eagles is actually battling Hogan Jr for the VHLM title, as Eagles is a top defender from the Philadelphia Reapers, who have destroyed their competition in the playoffs so far. Eagles is an offensive defenceman, scoring 64 points over 72 games and scoring 10 in 9 games in the playoffs. He will join a strong Wranglers team that was upset this year early in the postseason, and has a thin prospect pool. With the 5th overall pick, the Toronto Legion select: Gunnar Odinsson**** @BOOM Last mock: 6th overall +1 Odinsson has been raking in the TPE since the last mock, too. The defenceman who scored twenty goals this season for the San Diego Marlins was knocked out last round by Eagles and the Reapers, a playoff where Odinsson 11 points in 9 games. Odinsson joins a young Legion team looking for more young talent through the draft. Funnily enough, their only picks this draft are two first rounders. They are also thin on D, so Odinsson should get decent ice time in his rookie season. With the 6th overall pick, the D.C. Dragons select: Frank Funk Jr. @Rayzor_7 Last mock: 4th overall -2 Even though he has been earning like crazy, Funk Jr. has been falling behind his counterparts in terms of TPE, which goes to show the dedication of this draft class. Funk is only our second forward in the mock so far, representing his position in a defenseman-dominated draft. While Funk doesn't have points as good as some of his fellow draftees(44 points), he was buried under all the firepower on the Marlins for most of the season. He broke out in the playoffs, however, scoring 9 points in 9 games. With the 7th overall pick, the Toronto Legion select: Hex Rose @Hex Universe Last mock: 12th overall +5 This is not a reach. I repeat: this is not a reach. He may not have the best TPE available, but the Legion have two picks this draft and can afford to go a little deeper into the talent pool. While Rose may not have the superior points, we must take into account that he is buried on Vegas's third line, therefore not getting desirable ice time. Nevertheless, the man puts up 39 points in the regular season and 5 in the playoffs before the Aces got knocked out by the Kings. He's also a TPE machine, having already become a VSN writer and is one of the most active users in the Aces LR. With the 8th overall pick, the Calgary Wranglers select: Jivere Zolnek @Sixersfan549 Last mock: N/A +8 Zolnek has probably raised his draft stock the most since the last mock I did. In fact, he wasn't even in the top 16! But I think that this jump isn't without merit. While Zolnek put up less than average numbers in the regular season, toiling behind the rest of the Reapers' top guns, he came alive in the playoffs with 4 goals and 8 points in 9 games. For this, and his noticeable rise in TPE gains, I think Zolnek deserves a spot this high on the draft rankings. With the 9th overall pick, the Malmo Nighthawks select: Kristof Welch @Juice Last mock: 8th overall -1 It somehow doesn't seem right that Welch should move down a spot, because he has kept on grinding with TPE and performance. But Zolnek needed a place, so Welch finds himself on the prospect-ridden Nighthawks. With the retirement of VHL legend Condor Adrienne, a D spot opens up if Welch and the Nighthawks decide to bring him up. Welch should be ready, with 53 points in only 63 games in the regular season, but in a playoff series where the Reapers trounced Welch's Yukon Rush, he recorded no points. Still, Welch would fit well into any team's prospect pool. With the 10th overall pick, the Seattle Bears select: Phil The Rock Johnson @Phil Last mock: 16th overall +6 Johnson is yet another draftee who could hop right up to the VHL next season, as he is currently as 246 TPE. But TPE has definitely been his strong suit lately. While earning at least the capped 12, he is still struggling in the point column. This can be diagnosed down to the fact that his scoring and passing are both at 70 TPE, and one just needs to take priority for the points to come. Nevertheless, The Rock presents an enticing case for GMs. With the Bears, Johnson joins an organization with bare cupboards in terms of prospects. He should be able to develop under the stars of the Bears. With the 11th overall pick, the Calgary Wranglers select: Robin Galante Nilsson @RomanesEuntDomus Last mock: 11th overall No change While Nilsson is not quite as adept at earning as some of his fellow draftees, he still manages more than the average user and puts it to good use. He has a solid 44 points in 72 games, earning the title of two way defender. He really picked it up in the playoffs though with the high-scoring Philly Reapers, managing 7 assists and 8 points in 11 games so far. He joins a promising glut of talent with Eagles and Zolnek, and these three will have time to develop under Calgary's current stars. With the 12th overall pick, the Warsaw Predators select: Phoenix Dawson @Toast Last mock: 10th overall -2 This is another example of a pick that went down where I think, why is this dude going down? He has done nothing to lower his stock at all, but I guess some other guys like Johnson and Zolnek have really raised theirs, so someone has to go down. Dawson has been decent this season, recording 46 points in 72 regular season games, then 2 goals in 4 games in the playoffs where his Marauders were swept by the Marlins. Dawson is also known for his well above average earning. With the 13th overall pick, the D.C. Dragons select: Caitlyn Catowize @CrazyCaityCat Last mock: 13th overall No change Catowize kept her previous position at 13th overall to get drafted to the Dragons, who, despite their two picks in the first round, advanced to the Continental Cup finals and are currently beating the Nighthawks. In this pick, the Dragons get Catowize, who just won the Founder's Cup with the Reapers. After getting 20 points in the regular season, Catowize buckled down in the playoffs, recording 7 points in 12 games while the Reapers steamrolled their opponents in games. She also frequently writes media spot, a boon to her TPE levels. With the 14th overall pick, the Vancouver Wolves select: Lenny Sanderson @Gally Last mock: N/A +2 I know this might seem like a tiny bit of a stretch, but I know from last year(Juniper, Sosa, Louchard) that Beav is willing to take chances with his draft picks. And for this one, I think it's a chance worth taking. Sanderson is usually a capped earner, getting at least 14 per week almost every week. And while his regular season points of 19 points in 52 games isn't eye popping, he really took matters into his own hands in the playoffs for Sasky, getting 5 goals and 10 points in only seven games. With the 15th overall pick, the Helsinki Titans select: Magnus Verlander @Jbeezy76 Last mock: 9th overall -6 It was meant to be. The longtime Titan with his previous player, Erik Draven, gets to rejoin Helsinki with Verlander, who is a player with a great build and therefore great points so far in the VHLM. While not a top earner, Verlander has been getting point per game in both the regular season and the playoffs this season, helping Mexico to a second place finish. In the Titans, Verlander joins a team that's transitioning from one generation to another, as various prospects are moving up for next season(and then there's Riga). With the 16th overall pick, the Vancouver Wolves select: Kaladin Kvothe @DangerGolding Last mock: 7th overall -9 While some rise, some fall. In this case, the falling of Kaladin Kvothe greatly benefits the Vancouver Wolves, who pick up the sniper with the last pick of the first round. Kvothe's build is interesting, as he has 90 scoring, 80 defense, 77 puck handling, and then nothing in everything else. It is probably because of this that his scoring has suffered through the season, with 29 points in all 72 games and then 4 points in 9 games with the Marlins in the VHLM playoffs. Anyhow, the Wolves pick up a guy they know will keep on earning, and will be an impact player in S77. ***** Due to the fact that BOOM is taking a leave of absence from the league for a while, Odinsson may not be drafted this high. I think I speak on behalf of the entire VHL when I say I respect your decision and hope that you sort everything out. You are a respected member of this community and we will miss you. Honorable Mentions: Eeli Rantanen @Jolline Philip Stein @IHateBobNutting Willy Myers @Willy Myers Abe Roque @Abe Roque Javad Kamkar @Parriyah9374 Napoleon Bonaparte @CptSquall Evgeny Bernov @Viperxhawks19 Sneak Peek: Projected VHLM Top Twelve 1. Kristof Welch* 2. Hex Rose* 3. Asher Reinhart @rjfryman 4. Duncan Idaho @OrbitingDeath 5. Paul Atreides @Mr_Hatter 6. Brendan Telker @Telkster 7. Lenny Sanderson 8. Philip Stein 9. Eeli Rantanen 10. Willy Myers 11. Abe Roque 12. That Dude @Cornholio *If they decide to stay in the VHLM. If not, they will obviously fall in the draft quite a bit. 2,052 words(new record!!). Claiming for weeks 1/10, 1/17, 1/24, 1/31 I don't have to write another media spot until February

Because of the sudden influx of new players, including my self, due to the pandemic, I feel that an expansion might be needed. The draft is upon us and that would be a perfect time to add new teams, I would think 2 new teams in both the VHL and VHLM. I think a team in both Milwaukee and Boston for the VHL and then for the VHL Bern and Detroit. This is not for TPE but just an idea I wanted to get out there.

Greetings, VHL community! Another eight weeks or so has flown by and with another Continental Cup awarded (congratulations to the Seattle Bears!), it’s time for the next crop of fresh talent to come join the ranks of the VHL elite. We will be presenting the first round to you, so let’s hope you folks at home can keep up! We have seven writers contributing here, bringing you the juicy details on the future talents that the players that have made this top 16 list are worthy of bringing. As you may have heard, this particular draft is absolutely stacked with young talent! You really don’t want to miss what the scouts have to say about them! Will this draft contain the next superstar? Will there be a later pick that emerges as an elite talent? Stay tuned, ‘cause here we go: First Round Predictions 1st Overall Warsaw Predators ALOE DEAR @Renomitsu Left Wing Houston Bulls 46g - 49a - 95pts I think it would be expected that a new franchise finishing dead last and ending up with the first overall selection, would definitely pick the best player available. That’s exactly what’s happening here. Aloe Dear is a fearsome sniper, playing top line minutes and certainly proving her very high value. Her 46 goals and 389 shots are excellent, getting her top-ten rankings. Finishing the playoffs with 9 points in 10 games, she showed she’s ready for the next level already. With Warsaw lacking star power due to HHH’s retirement, she would already be the franchise player to build around. -MattyIce- 2nd Overall Chicago Phoenix Christian Mingle @Quik Center Houston Bulls 47g - 35a - 82pts Picking second overall after their inaugural season, the Chicago Phoenix are looking for a reliable piece they can build their offense around. While Christian Mingle isn't the player available, even at his position, with the most TPE, VSN believes that Chicago will go with Mingle for the aforementioned reason of reliability. The Phoenix really aren't loaded with a lot of higher-end prospects, so they absolutely need to hit on this pick. Squirrely dan and Adam Syreck had excellent rookie campaigns, and Mingle would be an excellent fit for them. He scored 47 goals with the Houston Bulls in Season 73 and displays excellent defensive awareness, but Mingle's skating absolutely must improve immediately in order to carry that success over to the VHL. -Doomsday- 3rd Overall Vancouver Wolves Luke Thornton @Jtv123 Left Wing Miami Marauders 20g - 42a - 62pts With Gino Digiannantonio, who Vancouver selected 4th overall in Season 72, failing to live up to expectations, the Wolves struck a deal with the London United to trade up and add a top prospect. Luke Thornton, the playmaking left winger from the Miami Marauders, provides tremendous value at third overall and should quickly eclipse the struggling Digiannantonio. Most young prospects favor goal-scoring, but Thornton's pass-first mentality will win him a lot of fans with his new teammates. He's also defensively sound in his own end, but you won't see him throwing the body much at the pro level despite his size. Vancouver’s re-tooling takes a big step in the right direction with this selection. -Doomsday- 4th Overall Prague Phantoms Venus Thightrap @BladeMaiden Center Houston Bulls 52g - 73a - 125pts With the fourth overall selection, the Phantoms go for electrifying center, Venus Thightrap. User BladeMaiden’s last player, Brick Wahl, finished his career in Prague, earning an unbelievable five individual awards in his two-year stay there. Considering Thightrap’s exceptional season in the VHLM which included 52 goals and 125 points, in addition to her flawless TPE earning, history may be destined to repeat itself with Prague landing another BladeMaiden superstar. The Dane is a two-way force, never cheating for an offensive chance despite all the offensive talent that you could dream of. She has not missed any capped TPE up to this point, and has claimed a nice 75 uncapped TPE alongside it. This is indisputably one of this draft’s top prospects, and Prague will be thrilled to land what is likely their first line center down the road at fourth overall. -Patrik Tallinder- 5th Overall Los Angeles Stars Markus Schauer @Plate Defenseman Houston Bulls 24g - 85a- 109pts Having been the top-ranked, draft-eligible defenseman for most of the season, German Markus Schauer has proven more than enough to get selected before quick-rising Emi Rune. I mean, 85 assists and 109 points in his rookie VHLM campaign with Houston?? Leave other players a chance! Quick on his feet, great with his hands, super intelligent offensively and defensively, optimal size, what isn’t to like about this player? Los Angeles gets their franchise defenseman at 5th here. Some may argue that his success was largely influenced by the Houston Bulls having a very strong team and having leading scorer Riley Knight Gee as his defense partner, but for a rookie to step up and be dominant like that, is absolutely incredible. -MattyIce- 6th Overall Vancouver Wolves Emi Rune @Emi Defensewoman Saskatoon Wild 10g - 64a - 74pts If you want to talk about explosive growth in the S73 season - career Saskatoon defensewoman Emi Rune will always be in the conversation. Vancouver will be wise to select their AGM player Rune, as she is one few defenders creeping into the top 10. Rune has elite offensive capabilities. Relying mostly on her passing ability and ability to play the puck. A point per game player is hard to come by enough as it is. When you throw the defensewoman title on there are well, people will have eyes on you in the earlier picks of the draft. Seventy-four points, with 64 assists, is a fantastic start to this young woman's career. That isn’t even mentioning the 116 blocked shots or the +25 she posted as a member of Saskatoon. Where Emi Rune really shines ladies and gentlemen, is her veteran locker room presence. This is a skater that any team would envy to have if only because of her maturity and dedication for a new love for the league. We wish Rune, and I personally with Rune, the best of luck in the draft and in her time here in the VHL. -Plate- 7th Overall New York Americans Onde Sandstrom @fonziGG Right Wing Las Vegas Aces 36g - 31a - 67pts This 7th pick could be seen as controversial, with the member’s insistence that he be drafted no earlier than the 2nd Round, but we imagine the New York Americans will start their rebuild with the Swedish winger, Onde Sandstrom. He is looking like a solid piece that the Americans can build a new solid core around. He has nearly everything you could want in a forward, with excellent scoring ability and a solid 200 foot game to boot. The Americans can use any and all players, except in net, where they have promising prospects, and Onde would be a great fit to kickstart a new generation in New York. -Hylands- 8th Overall Vancouver Wolves Ryan Schwarz - @Enorama Left Wing San Diego Marlins 33g - 26a - 59pts This towering 6ft 8 sniper has the senses to play the game very well. Putting up 33 goals and 59 points with a +42 is quite an accomplishment, that’s no easy task. He’s a very busy player, getting involved at BOTH ends of the rink. Yeah, you read that right; a sniper that’s responsible defensively as well. He will need to work on strength possibly, for if he does, he would be a fearsome player to play against. With representation by Enorama, the famous agent of legend Ryan Kastelic, he can develop extremely quickly into an essential piece. With Vancouver needing forward help, he would slot in perfectly to provide some much needed second line power with his effective 200ft game on opening night. -MattyIce- 9th Overall London United Doug Dimmadome @Esso2264 Goaltender San Diego Marlins 51-19-2, 0.896% - 2.33gaa - 9so At 9th overall Doud Dimmadome will make his way to London. The highest rated goalie in the draft, with huge upside, will be headed to a team that desperately needs his goaltending. Dimmadome was selected 14th Overall in the S73 dispersal draft. We could talk about his almost 0.9 SV% (0.9 being elite in the VHL). We could also talk about his nine shutouts in 51 wins as a Marlin. 0.904 SV% in the playoffs is what I want to talk about. You put up numbers like that consistently in the playoffs and championships will come. Dimmadome is a contender, brick wall, and an absolute stud between the pipes. London won’t take up the chance to pass on this elite goaltender here at 9th overall. -Plate- 10th Overall London United Lester Green @Smarch Defenseman San Diego Marlins 7g - 29a - 36pts London needs defense. United GM Joseph McWolf should take advantage here by selecting the defensive-minded Lester Green. Although listed at 5’5 and 140lbs, this diminutive American defenseman has some wheels, and power. He has absolutely devoted his game to protecting the defensive zone. He can contribute offensively, putting up 36 points last season, including six points in 11 games in the playoffs with the San Diego Marlins. For Green to blossom, he will have to work on his two way game and contribute offensively to be a complete defenseman, maybe eat a few steaks to bulk up along the way as well. -MattyIce- 11th Overall Calgary Wranglers Jeffrenomitsu The 3rd @Jeffie43 Right Wing Houston Bulls 33g - 37a - 70pts Although surrounded by fantastic players, the lanky winger from Singapore was an important cog in the most successful regular-season in Houston Bulls history. Able to create chances in close, he was one of seven players to score 30 or more goals on the team and his 6’ 6” frame gave goaltenders fits when he was screening them to the tune of 15 PPG whilst on the Bulls’ record-breaking power play. He has shown another gear as well as he led the Bulls with 6 goals in 10 playoff games. His range and athleticism equally help him to dangle around defenders or strip pucks away from opponents. Scouts may want to see some more poutine on his body to add some heaviness, but Calgary will appreciate his skill, intelligence and two-way acumen which make up for his lack of speed. -animal74- 12th Overall London United John LeClair II @flyersfan1453 Left Wing San Diego Marlins 18g - 16a - 34pts With the second first round pick acquired from their trade with the Vancouver Wolves, London decides to add to their forward core with John LeClair II. The son of the legendary Philadelphia Flyers power forward, he plays a physical game, just like his father. LeClair II was an absolute menace last season, recording a staggering 355 hits in the VHLM with the San Diego Marlins. Critics may point to his low offensive output, suggesting he needs more time to season, but LeClair II will likely fit nicely onto a London team looking to replace it's inactive placeholders. LeClair II has a great chance to compete for quality ice time on a top line, along with special teams roles. This is a really ideal landing spot for him. -Doomsday- 13th Overall Calgary Wranglers Julian Nousiainen @okochastar Center Houston Bulls 31g- 78a - 109pts Yeah, Nousiainen is going to Calgary. With Kris Rice traded to Moscow, Jubis should nab Nousiainen right here. In addition to ACL Tear in retirement mode, Nousiainen is a potential star centerman in the making, and would slot in perfectly in Calgary’s second-line two-way centerman role; behind newly acquired Scott Greene in the Kris Rice trade. His 78 assists, 109 points and nine game-winning goals were VHLM top-ten worthy. His game is very-well rounded at both ends of the ice and has more than enough talent to play on a second line and play a key role in special teams. VHL centerman beware, he’s excellent in the faceoff circle and he will cause many problems against even the top faceoff specialists. -MattyIce- 14th Overall Riga Reign Lexi Glass @AW13 Right Wing Ottawa Lynx 24g - 19a - 43pts Riga’s conference finals loss to Helsinki was not all bad as they find themselves picking at 14th overall. I think they take Lexi Glass of the Ottawa Lynx in this spot. Riga has an aging but deep defense and they have a pair of prospects in the system to refuel there, what they really need is a winger that is not only young but fits on the right side and Glass fills both of those needs. He had a solid but not incredible season in Ottawa last season. Despite this, I think Riga’s coaching staff have what it takes to turn Lexi Glass into a 2nd line or elite winger in the VHL. He can even make an immediate impact in the VHL with his signature wrist shot and one-timer. He still has plenty of room to develop and if Riga does end up taking the 19 year old Glass, it will certainly be a pick the franchise won’t regret. -Patrik Laine- 15th Overall Helsinki Titans Kasper Kankkunen @Z16 Defenseman Las Vegas Aces 23g - 44a - 67pts Helsinki is in a very tight spot right now. They do not have cap restraints but have a forward and goalie surplus. Heading into season 74, they will have 8 forwards including new arrivals Patrik Laine and Oh Sens; in the crease, three goalies with the calling up of Calvin Harvey. The defense is a four man crew with no prospects to fill the void when 3 of the 4 will inevitably retire in the next 3-4 seasons; for that reason alone, Helsinki will address this need and take Kasper Kankkunen. Kankkunen fits the exact bill of what Helsinki needs defensively, a two-way defender who is both excellent in the defensive zone, the neutral zone and the attacking zone. In his first full VHLM season, Kankkunen was a force in all 3 phases of the game. In the attacking zone, he got some time on the power play and ended up putting up 67 points in 72 games and more than two-thirds of that was even strength. In the defensive zone, he was excellent at locking down opposing forwards, sporting a +8 across a season where Vegas failed to make the playoffs. Last but not least was his neutral zone play. He would scare opposing forwards with his hitting ability, recording 114 hits across the entire year. Helsinki has had a history of turning mid to late 1st round picks into elite talents, such as Erik Summers. If anyone can turn Kankkunen into one of the VHL’s premiere two-way defensive talents down the road, it would be Helsinki. Not only does it fit what the team needs logically, but it is a solid pick where the team doesn’t have to reach for him. It wouldn’t just work out for the Titans, it also works out for Kankkunen as well. He was born and raised in Finland and I bet it would mean the world to his family and friends to see him play in Helsinki every time they play a home game. This is a pick that makes both parties involved happy and that’s why I can see this happening when Helsinki is on the clock. -Patrik Laine- 16th Overall Seattle Bears Isabella Campbell @Banackock Center Houston Bulls 30g - 53a - 83pts Finally, picking last in the first round is the Seattle Bears, the honor bestowed to the Continental Cup Champions. It's not the only luxury that the Bears will receive here, as the GM Player rule will award Seattle with sweet, sweet nepotism with General Manager Blake Campbell's daughter, Isabella. All jokes aside, her arrival is a very timely one for the Bears. Ambrose Stark has already announced his retirement, and newly-acquired Kris Rice has three seasons to go before his career is up as well. Campbell was a dangerous and versatile center for the Houston Bulls, and she slots perfectly into Seattle's future. It's almost as if it's divine design at work for the Bears. -Doomsday-

from the desk of MattyIce: Looks like my work has taken notice.. It's been such a pleasure putting forward my work, connecting the dots in my own way, learning about how this league and community works and it's desire to move forward with fresh new ideas. This is where I come in with my new partner, @Plate. We have been spitballing some ideas back and forth and I want to know more about what the people of this great community want. Whatever anyone wants to see, let us know. We've got a great team of researchers, information analysts and writers, and we're all for fresh stuff. Prospect interviews, mock drafts, first-generation player spotlights, whatever ideas! On a further note, I would like to thank @Doomsday and @Patrik Tallinder for reaching out to me and noticing my work. Also, to work with some familiar faces with @Hylands and @PatrikLaine, some new faces for me and lastly, @Plate, for being my partner. Man this is gonna be fun...

What up!? Are you ready for the best idea ever? Do you have money?? Do you want even more money? Guess what? We've got a great idea for you. FIGHT MILK! First Alcoholic, Diary based protein drink for bodyguards...BY BODYGUARDS! We here at FIGHT MILK support Jeff Odinson in the upcoming draft! Remember, a pick for Odinson is a pick for FIGHT MILK! Context: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEMlvjJ9uxo

May 11, 2020. Growing up on a farm in rural Belgium Gregg Stallion’s dream of becoming a hockey star seemed impossible to reach, now he is one week away from seeing his dream fully realized and getting drafted into the world renowned Victory Hockey League. Stallion burst onto the scene in the VHLM as an early season waiver pick up for the Houston Bulls, expectations were not high for the Belgian sensation but that did not stop Stallion from quickly finding his place in the VHLM. “A lot of the cockier players from North America seem to really care about going in the first round or being first overall and even have a goal to make the hall of fame. I am just honored to even have a chance to make it into this league I have always dreamed about” Stallion told scouts eager to get to know the young player. Stallion is not one to brag about his personal achievements but upon looking closer at his initial season it is clear that there is a lot for the young player to brag about if he were to choose. Offensive Statistics: One look at Stallion’s numbers show a player who easily entered the VHLM and made an immediate impact. In just 68 games Stallion managed to get an astonishing 44 goals and 51 assists totaling up to 95 points (Good for 1.4 ppg, the most of any player joining the league when Stallion did.) Other Statistics: Points wise it is clear that Stallion had an amazing season but upon looking at his other stats even more intriguing and exciting potential can be seen for the young winger. “I like to shoot the puck a lot, could have scored more” Stallion said laughing while looking over his season stats and discovering that he had 346 shots on net, good for about 5 shots a game. He also wasn’t afraid to be physical totaling over 100 hits and getting more than 40 shots on net. The only glaring negative on Stallion’s stat sheet was his plus minus. But he played on one of the worst goal differential teams in the league (-134.) Team Impact: Stallion was lucky to play with some of the most promising young players in the league, his usual line mates were Michael Hall and JJ Johnson and those three combined to form a dynamic line and turn one of the worst teams in the league into a genuinely exciting team at the end of the season. The impact that Stallion made in the locker room cannot be understated he quickly rose the ranks of the team and became the team captain despite being a waiver add. He brought joy and laughter in the locker room whether or not they were in the midst of a losing or winning streak. He started many of the inside jokes that really brought the team together though a really tough season. It is clear that Stallion has tremendous upside in the upcoming draft and whatever team draft his should be counting their lucky stars, but for Stallion he does not care about the stuff that would pad his ego, he only cares about one thing. The dream that a young Belgian farmer had, would one day be reality. 555 Words