Long Life and Prosperity Ahead?

Vulcan (CP) Building on a successful inaugural season which saw the Mindmelds make the playoffs, GM Khoo made several moves to steady what was a very shaky blueline. First was the addition of Visnovsky which will be the keypiece of the backend for hopefully years to come. Next was obtaining the services of both Craig Rivet and shutdown specialist Brad Stuart via trades. The promotion of Matt Greene injected some toughness and signing Cullimore, Ozolinsh to add to Westcott and Jackman give Vulcan a defence that is leaps and bounds better than last season which featured the likes of Berard and Richardson... ugh.

Up front, the Mindmelds didn't have much trouble filling the net but much needed to be done to score on a more consistent basis while not giving up too many chances. Afinogenov was brought in to bring in some needed speed, while Schaefer was re-signed to a 3 year contract after being on loan to the Penetrators during their post season run.

"Last year was a 'wow... what have I gotten myself into' type season. It was one where I really observed the moves and things that the elite teams in the league have done to make them be successful. This is why I wasn't too active since I was still literally taking notes. I've applied those principles in the off-season to the best of my abilities and we've had some early success as a result." GM Khoo said during an on-ice practice.

"I ultimately believe that we are realistically a couple of seasons away from having any real success but I also think that we can be competitive against the top teams of the league. If we stay healthy, I feel confident that our bunch could cause trouble for others. And that's all I can ask for. We don't have as many skilled guys as some, but we're trying to put players in a position to be successful."

And when asked of how the fans of Vulcan have had an affect on the team, Khoo kept it short.

"Hab SoSlI' Quch!"

Fur Engee (CP)

MIM Gets First Win!

Vulcan (CP) Mark October 14, 2007 as a historic day for the Mind Melds franchise as they picked up their first official RHL victory by beating their respected neighbours to the north in Yellowknife by a tally of 6-4. Even though MIM had a strong pre-season, they had not been able to translate that into success when it counted until tonight.

"Its been tough to watch so far." GM Khoo said in the post game. "Our games have been wide open and high-scoring. In our games its sort of like first one to 6 wins. That just really drives home the point of how weak defensively our team is. We give up the most shots of any team and leave our tenders out to dry. On the flip side, the best defense is a good offence... sometimes. We've been able to score with the best of them and everyone is contributing offensively as expected. I'm gonna have to reaccess our defence a some point but right now we feel our tenders can handle the shooting gallery."

Rumours are circulating that the Penetrators threw this game to give MIM their first taste of victory. "I assure you that GM Wong has better integrity than that. In fact, if given the chance, he would make it a point to squash me. Sure it was special to get our first win against YDP but we'll meet them plenty more during the season so there'll be ample opportunity for revenge. I'll just quietly take this and prepare for a big game tomorrow."

Next up the Mounties...

Fur Engee (CP)

Vulcan GM Cautiously Optimistic

Vulcan (CP) With two pre-season games under their belt, the Mind Melds hold a surprising 2-0-0 record with victories against the Straphangers and the formidable Capones. "I'll admit, I'm surprised by the outcomes thus far." GM Khoo stated as he came off the jet plane from Vegas. "These were two strong teams we played against and it was interesting to see if the moves that we made in the off-season to get a team together paid off. I guess it did."

Back-to-back big time performances by Belfour proved to be the difference. "Eddie has shown us in the pre-season that he still has a lot of gas left in the tank. I knew he had it. He knew he had it. And now everyone else is finding that out."

Meanwhile, the line of Tkachuk-Zetterberg and Armstrong has been scoring at a torrid pace led by Keith's hat-trick in game 1. "We all knew that this line would be getting the lions share of the minutes and they've shown great chemistry so far. With the amount penalties being called they'll get even more opportunity to gel together. But pairing Henrik with two guys who can finish was a no-brainer."

There has even been some good contribution from the forth lines and strong penalty killing displayed. "Schaefer and Donovan are doing exactly what they were expected to do. That is to bring a strong defensive presence to the team. And I'm just thrilled at how the Chouinard line has been playing. He's been strong on the faceoffs which we'll need all season long."

"Overall I'm cautiously optimistic about the upcoming season. I know these games don't mean a thing but its nice to build some confidence heading into the regular season. If we can sneak into the playoffs I'll be a happy camper."

Fur Engee (CP)

FA Update: PP QB Found on Day 7

Vulcan (CP) As the UFA list started to dwindle, so did the chances of the Mind Melds signing a man to run the PP. Although stocked with some defencemen with some offensive firepower (e.g. Wescott and Jackman) GM Khoo didn't have a man that has been a go to guy in the past. He addressed that yesterday as former Calder winner Bryan Berard signed to a one year contract.

Bryan Berard ($1,200,000): The oft-injured Berard has had a tough career with injuries over the past several years. First it was the infamous eye incident courtesy of Hossa and now his recurring back problems. "I didn't have many options at the start but as other defencemen came off market the interest picked up immediately. Hopefully I can stay healthy this year and put up the offensive numbers I know I'm capable of."

GM Khoo's Thoughts: "Berard has had such an up and down career but there is no denying his talent. His health is always a question mark but we had the budget to fit him in and see what he can do. He's a big boost to our power play."

With some room in their budget still to go and a full 23 man roster, look for some minor signings in the next couple of days as the pre-season gets kicked off.

Fur Engee(CP)

FA Update: Day 5 Minor Signing

Vulcan (CP) With a roster of 21 people now the Mind Melds are close to filling up their roster for the upcoming RHL17 season. Day 5 saw a minor signing that brought in another veteran to the mix.

Richard Park ($351,000): The Seoul, South Korea product has bounced from team to team in the NHL and brings his good forechecking skills to the Mind Melds. "I don't know how strong the Korean community is in Vulcan, but I'm willing to give it a shot."

GM Khoo's Thoughts: "Richard is an insurance policy for injuries and should see ice time on the 3rd or 4th lines. He won't fool anyone with his skill but he shoots the puck lots and is good in the corners."

Contract length has not been discussed but there is a clear desire on both sides to extend this out for a couple of seasons at least. In other news, GM Khoo has had negotiations to gain the services of former All-Star defencemen Bryan Berard to run the PP. "We're gonna need some offensive creativity in the backend. We've made an attractive offer to Bryan and he has shown a lot of interest. Hopefully we'll have good news shortly."

Fur Engee (CP)

FA Update: Day 4 Brings Long Term Stability Between Pipes

Vulcan (CP) The forth day of signings for a busy Mind Melds GM yielded a major piece of the puzzle for the long-term goaltending situation that was a question mark in addition to yet another depth defencemen. A quick look at the two signings:

Alex Henry ($351,000): Signing at the league minimum, Henry adds some much needed physical presence to the MIM defence corp. "GM Khoo had a good talk with me and he envisions me chipping in for all situations in case of injury. I have experience on LW so there may be opportunities there, but I know that I'll be splitting time between here and the minors."

GM Khoo's Thoughts: "Alex will not back down from anyone and we like that. His skating ability is of some concern but he won't be relied upon for his goal scoring."

Evgeni Nabokov ($1,100,000): After some initial contract negotiations with his former club SOC, Evgeni decided to sign with Vulcan with the prospect of the being the No.1 netminder as early as RHL18. "MIM showed the commitment and belief that I have what it takes to carry this team into many competitive seasons. I enjoyed my time in Edmonton but Vulcan threw up an offer I couldn't refuse. SOC will be solid with Huet and Thomas though and I wish them all the best."

GM Khoo's Thoughts: "After losing out on the Miller sweepstakes as soon as we heard Evgeni was available we were aggressive in obtaining his services. Although Roli and Eddie should perform well for us this year, both of their ages were of deep concern. Evgeni will be our go to guy in the near future and we're happy to have him on board."

Although contract terms have not been released, rumour has it that Nabokov will sign to a 4P-17 contract.

Fur Engee (CP)

FA Update: Day 3 Brings Depth to MIM

Vulcan (CP) The third day of signing saw a pair of forwards sign on board in Vulcan. No big names this time around but their contribution will be no less important than previous ones.



Grant Marshall ($351,000): A former first round draft choice, Grant is known for his work ethic and willing to do the dirty work in the corners. "They have a good bunch of guys in Vulcan. Victor had a talk with me and we both feel that there is a spot for me on the forth line."

GM Khoo's Thoughts: "Grant rounds out a decent right side. Where Armstong and Mayers will be looked for more offensive roles than they've been given in the past, Donovan and Marshall will be looked at to hold the fort and create opportunities using their tenacity and energy on the ice."

Marc Chouinard ($351,000): Despite steadily increasing his production in each of his first 5 NHL seasons, Marc is again in the category of people that couldn't find steady work in the NHL. "I know that this will be a one-year stint for me in Vulcan but I'm willing to play anywhere to prove myself."

GM Khoo's Thoughts: "Marc is a decent face off man that has developed a good 2-way game since his days with the Wild. Marc will most likely see 4th line action since we feel comfortable with our situation up the middle with Henrik, Mike and Matt."

Both Grant or Marc signed one-year pro contracts.

Fur Engee (CP)

FA Update: 3 More Aboard!

Vulcan (CP) On the second day of signing, the Mind Melds were able to add more depth to their roster with three Free Agents. MIM GM Khoo stated "We're happy with the progress that we've made in the first two days of signing and are headed in the right direction that we set ourselves out for when we first started this madness. I'm extremely happy with our group upfront and am excited to see what they'll be able to do."


A breakdown of the three free agents:

Peter Schaefer ($2,100,000): Known for his sound defensive play, Schaefer was excited at the prospect of being put in a more offensive role. "I feel I was under utilized in my days as a Sen and happy to see I'll get the opportunity to play more minutes for a young team."

GM Khoo's thoughts: "Schaefer is one of those players that does everything well. We did pay more than what we would've liked, but there was a higher demand expected and we had the budget to make a push to see what he can do in a MIM uniform."

Luke Richardson ($351,000): A veteran of many wars throughout the past decade, Richardson knows he's well past his prime. "I didn't have too many options but at the same time I feel I can still contribute out there."

GM Khoo's thoughts: "Our D is lacking plain and simple with many of the top FA's out of our price range. Luke was the best option available and brings leadership that can anchor the ship and a physical presence to make people pay. I think we're lucky to have him."

Bryan Muir ($351,000): Even though Bryan has failed to find consistent work in the NHL, he's looking forward to yet another fresh start. "I've seen it all and have been through a lot. Last season I had some success with the Capitals and look to carry that forward with the Mind Melds."

GM Khoo's thoughts: "Bryan, along with Luke, can help stabilize the defence and hopefully shut them down. We're putting him in a tough spot right now but hopefully we'll be able to sign some more help to give us a No.1 defencemen."

The Mind Melds now have 17 players under contract with several negotiations on-going.

Fur Engee (CP)

First Load of FA Signings for MIM

Vulcan (CP) With the third round of the FA Auction coming to a close, so did the finalizing of the contracts on 4 new faces to join the MIM organization. GM Victor Khoo released the following statement: "This is a historic day in MIM history as we slowly build our roster for the upcoming RHL17 season. There shouldn't be any surprises that we've been active in the FA market and we think we've added 4 key pieces to the puzzle in fielding a competitive team. Its not everyday you get to add two potential Hall-of-Famers, a gritty veteran winger and a promising young forward."



Ed Belfour ($351,000)
Even though the phone wasn't ringing off the hook to Belfour's agent, the Eagle was excited about the opportunity to play for a young franchise. "Its always exciting to be put in these situations. Playing in hockey mad Alberta is always a plus."

GM Khoo's thoughts: "Ed Belfour is a proven winner that still has a couple of years left in the tank. A slam dunk to go to the Hall, Ed will provide stability in net. Paired with Roloson, we are confident in our tandem which will solve our short term goaltending situation."

Keith Tkachuk ($1,750,000)
Keith was bid on several times during the auction in the first couple of days before deciding to sign with the Mind Melds. "I like the direction the team is headed and am looking forward to the challenge."

GM Khoo's thoughts: "I'll admit. This was an indulgence for me. I've always respected Keith throughout his career and view him, in the prime, to be the prototypical Power Forward. He will be looked upon to provide leadership on and off the ice. Plain a simple though, this guy can score and will be used heavily on the PP where he does his most damage."

Shean Donovan ($351,000)
Being bounced around in the NHL, Donovan is no stranger to these types of situations and is looking for a fresh start. "Hopefully I'm able to stick this time around. I know what my role will be and I think I'll be put in a situation where I can be successful."

GM Khoo's thoughts: "Shean is a lightning fast checking winger that people hate to play against. It fits with the philosophy we're trying to employ, at least for the first couple of years. He'll be looked at to always push the envelope."

Colby Armstrong ($1,900,000)
Colby was pleased at the commitment that MIM showed in signing him to a huge deal. "Its always nice to get the vote of confidence from people that believe in your abilities."

GM Khoo's thoughts: "Colby is in a unique situation and we had money to spend. He'll be an RFA next year and we see a lot of potential. He's a natural goal scorer and will be given every opportunity to keep developing on the No.1 line. We look forward to his continued growth in what will hopefully be a long career with MIM."

With now 14 players under contract for RHL17, look for MIM to continue to make bids in the upcoming days.

Fur Engee (CP)

FA Auction - MIM Thoughts Part 2

Now that we are well into the forth day of bidding, there have been a couple of things apparent to GM Khoo. "I was telling another GM that this seems to be one huge game of chicken. Who will up the ante or be the first to back off." There were definitely some bids that caught Khoo by surprise. Most notably were:

1) Pronger ($6M+ and counting):
I don't think there is any question to the impact that he can have on a team, but that type of money just doesn't make sense to me. Maybe because I'm new and I have lots of things to learn, but it seems that could hurt a team down the road. As I'm told, there were very few teams that spent more than they brought in last year and I believe nobody is anywhere near the cap of $35M. With an offer like this, it means that you're spending between 20-25% of your team budget on one player. I don't know of a situation where that has actually worked. Take a look at TB and their big 3. Although they are great players, they don't have depth and now always squeak into the playoffs ever since they spent 40% of their budget on them. I also look at Jagr in his WAS days and Federov in CLB. Maybe I'm completely off base but I'd love to see how the team that ends up with Prongs manage everyone.

2) Miller ($4.5M):
I made a pitch for him at $2.25M and was subsequently outbid at $2.5M. But then last night, the stakes were raised by $2M in one shot to $4.5M. What was interesting about this is not the price, but who made the offer. As I understand the situation from an RHL insider, REA actually had Miller and could've resigned Miller at $1.5M last season, although he was unrated to hang onto him. Maybe the REA GM had some remorse? But this one is more understandable since Miller is an RFA and could be a franchise goalie. A case of pay now and see the huge benefits later. IMO, there's no doubt that Miller is the real deal.

A conference call early this morning with ROV GM Steve Stringer yielded the following insight: "Lesson #1 of the RHL auction: nobody** gets out of the auction under-valued.**by 'nobody' I really only mean 1 or 2 players at most that seem to slide through at a reasonable price. Everyone else is overbid, but such is the nature of competition. "

Just some thoughts from a rookie GM trying to find his way.

FA Auction - MIM Opening Thoughts

As the curtain lifted on the FA Auction, GM Khoo couldn't wait to participate in his first RHL bidding war. The anticipation of excitement of this process lived up to its billing for the MIM owner and GM. "The tough part that I found is finding a balance between following your game plan that you set out to do and quickly finding alternatives when things don't pan out." With at least 13 spots to fill, and only $8.8M in committed salaries, MIM had money to spend. "We definitely have some people that we're targeting. If I get a couple of them I'll be happy. I have some RFA's coming due at the end of the year, so I want to have money left over to sign some of them. But I'm trying to be patient and pick my spots. I know I'll make some errors but I'll just have to try and not screw myself for the future."

Currently, MIM has made $11.3M in offers to 9 players and won't be done there.

"I've had some discussions with other GMs already where we've targeted the same people since we believe they are under-valued. Who will flinch first? I don't know. I've always sucked at poker and have a terrible poker face. But we're committed to fielding a competitive team in Vulcan that will act as a base for years to come." added Khoo.

The upcoming rounds should provide a lot of tension but also bring the prospect of an exciting start to a young franchise.

RHL 17: Entry Draft Recap for MIM

The first two Entry Drafts for any expansion team in the RHL are extremely crucial as history would indicate due to the fact of getting multiple picks in each round to help stockpile prospects. Unfortunately during all the activity that has taken place over the past couple of weeks, namely the Expansion and Entry Drafts, GM Khoo was seen hitting the books cramming for an important exam that will help out his day job to fund the team in Vulcan.

To spare you the all the gory details all Khoo had to say was "Three months of studying and a 6-hour exam. Who the hell has a 6-hour exam?" Fortunately when the results came back after a week of extreme nervousness, Khoo got great news that he passed and wouldn't have to hang his head in shame.

Meanwhile, the Entry Draft was proceeding at a quick pace and Khoo admittedly didn't have enough time to do his homework. "I just tried to pick the best players available based on my early scouting reports. Overall I'm sure that I made some errors in judgement, but I'm pleased with who I came out with. These things tend to be a difficult if you are new to the league since you don't know any ones tendencies etc. I'm glad its done and am looking forward to the auction."

A breakdown of the MIM selections:

Erik Johnson (MIM1a) Going into the draft there wasn't much separating Johnson and Staal. MIM scouting staff just couldn't pass up on the opportunity to draft a potential franchise defencemen. Johnson has the offensive abilities to quarterback a PP and the defensive abilities to shut an opponent down. He could see action with the big club as early as RHL 19. Plays Like: Chris Pronger

Riku Helenius (MIM1b) Riku probably could've been had in Round 2, but the MIM decided to not take the chance and snatch the best goalie prospect in the draft. His performance in the U18 World Championships were what got him noticed as he was named MVG. Plays Like: Kari Lehtonen

Matt Corrente (MIM2a) "A talented, mobile defencemen with a rocket shot." is how Khoo described him. With more maturity, hopefully he will be able to control his aggression as he tends to take too many undisciplined penalties. Coming in at the MIM2a pick, this was a safe choice here. Plays Like: Marc-Andre Bergeron

Tomas Kana (MIM2b) Being the first forward drafted in MIM history, Kana brings a gritty North American game despite his small frame and playing in the Czech Republic. Although he can use work on his offence, he is excellent on the penalty kill and his work ethic is second to none. Plays Like: Kris Draper

Jamie McGinn (MIM3a) McGinn brings speed, energy and a good 2-way game. He does a ton of good things and can be utilized in every situation including the PK. Although not flashy, he can change the momentum of a game by scoring big goals and setting the pace. Plays Like: Steve Sullivan

Chris Summers (MIM3b) To round out MIM's first Entry Draft, another promising defencemen was picked. Known for his skating ability and good defence, Chris brings extreme mobility on the D who can keep up with the fastest forwards. Plays Like: Scott Niedermayer

Judging by the pool of players that was drafted by Khoo, it is clear that they all have some traits in common: speed & mobility. "I think that we've accomplished a lot of goals we set out for ourselves in the draft. Eventually, I'd love for the Mind Melds to be a team that others hate to play. I want them to be able to play a fast, physical game with a strong work ethic. After today, I think we're one step closer in doing that." Khoo said while addressing the media.

Next order of business is to hit the FA Auction and full out the rest of the MIM roster.

RHL17: Expansion Draft Results!!!

If there was one thing that Mind Melds GM Khoo had in mind going into the Expansion Draft, it was to hopefully get some good value from slim pickings. "I think we accomplished our mission in getting who we did. There were a couple of surprises in terms of who was left unprotected, which made my decision very easy." But the usual suspects were available at draft time that composed of mostly unrated players for RHL17 that required Khoo to take a pass on several teams.

Khoo ended up selecting 9 rated players and 1 prospect which is far from a full team. There are plenty of FAs out there and plenty of CAP space available.

A quick introduction of who was picked (with help from the Official NHLPA website):

Matt Cullen

Matt Cullen joined the Carolina Hurricanes for the 2005-06 National Hockey League season. He signed with the Hurricanes before the 2004-05 NHL lockout, a year in which he won a goal-scoring title in Italy with SG Cortina. In the Italian playoffs, he scored 22 points in 18 games.
Matt played more than 500 games in his first seven NHL seasons with the Florida Panthers and Anaheim Mighty Ducks. He scored a career-best 48 points in 2001-02, the year in which he led the team with 30 assists. At the minor-pro level, Matt played for the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks and Baltimore Bandits. At the college level, he was a WCHA Second Team All-Star at St. Cloud State in 1996-97. After his freshman season in 1995-96, he was the Anaheim Mighty Ducks' second-round selection in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.

Matt Cooke

Matt Cooke is in his seventh National Hockey League season with the Vancouver Canucks. He has more than 400 games of NHL experience (including the playoffs). He won a Northwest Division title with the Canucks in 2003-04, the team's first division title in 11 years. In 2002-03, he won the Fred J. Hume Award as the Canucks' unsung hero. In 2001-02, he led the Canucks with 111 penalty minutes.
Matt made his NHL debut on Oct. 14, 1998. At the minor-pro level, he played for the Syracuse Crunch in 1998-99 and 1999-2000. At the major-junior level, Matt played for the Kingston Frontenacs and Windsor Spitfires. He finished 10th in league scoring with 95 points in 1996-97. At year's end, he was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in the sixth round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft.

Ben Clymer

Ben Clymer joined the Washington Capitals before the start of the 2005-06 National Hockey League season. He is a Stanley Cup champion, having won a playoff championship with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He has been a full-time NHL player since 2001-02, the year he scored a career-high 14 goals and 32 points in 81 games. In 2002-03 and 2003-04, he won Southeast Division titles with the Lightning.
During the 2004-05 NHL lockout, Ben played for Biel-Bienne in the Swiss Nationalliga-B. In his first two pro seasons in 1999-2000 and 2000-01, Ben split his time between the NHL and the International League (Detroit Vipers). Before turning pro, he played one season of major-junior hockey with the Western League's Seattle Thunderbirds. He was a college player in the two previous season at the University of Minnesota, although he missed nearly all of the 1997-98 season with a shoulder injury. Before college, he played high school hockey with the Jefferson Jaguars.

Ric Jackman

Ric Jackman started the 2005-06 National Hockey League season with the Pittsburgh Penguins. During the 2004-05 NHL lockout, he played for Bjorkloven in the Swedish first division, scoring 39 points in 46 games.
In 2003-04, he played his first full season at the NHL level, splitting the campaign between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Penguins. After playing just 25 games for the Penguins, he led the team with a .96 points-per-game average. Six of his seven goals were scored on the power play. From 1999-2000 to 2002-03, Ric played for the Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, and Dallas Stars.

Jamal Mayers

Jamal Mayers was drafted 89th overall in the 1993 Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues. On November 3, 1996, he made his NHL debut in a 6-3 win over the Stars. After playing five more games that season (he recorded an assist on November 5 against the Maple Leafs), Jamal returned to the NHL for 34 games and 56 hits in 1998-99. In 1999-2000, he joined the NHL ranks full-time and recorded 17 points and 150 hits in 79 games as the team won the Presidents' Trophy.

A recent representative of Team Canada at the 2007 World Hockey Championships, Mayers is known for his high intensity play and relentless forechecking that have always given troubles to defenders.

Mike Ribeiro

Mike Ribeiro was drafted 45th overall in the 1998 Entry Draft by the Montréal Canadiens. In 1999-2000, he played his first 19 games at the NHL level and scored two points. In 2000-01, he played two games with the Canadiens. In 2001-02, Mike played 43 games with the Canadiens and scored 18 points as the team made the playoffs for the first time in four years. Mike was playing in the AHL playoffs when the Canadiens advanced to the NHL’s second round. In 2002-03, Mike played 52 games and scored 17 points as the Canadiens missed the playoffs. In 2003-04, Mike played 81 games as the Canadiens posted their highest win total (41) in eight years and made the playoffs for the second time in three years. Mike led all Montréal scorers with 45 assists and 65 points and ranked second with a +15 plus/minus rating. In the playoffs, Mike helped the Canadiens reach the second round before losing to the Lightning.

Dwayne Roloson

Dwayne Roloson signed as a free agent with the Calgary Flames on July 4, 1994. On November 13, 1996, he made his NHL debut in a 3-3 tie with the Stars. Fifteen nights later, he earned his first win with a 2-0 shutout over the Kings. Dwayne played 31 games that season, splitting goaltending duties with Trevor Kidd. He posted a 9-14-3 record and a 2.89 goals-against average. In 1997-98, Dwayne played 39 games for the Flames and won 11 times with a 2.99 GAA.

In 2006 he helped guide the Edmonton Oilers to the Stanley Cup Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes before suffering a knee injury in Game 1 that kept him out of the entire series.

Duvie Westcott

An up and coming defenceman for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Westcott was drafted in the 2001 and has steadily improved his game at the AHL level before cracking the lineup as a regular in 2005.

Nathan Dempsey

Drafted in the 11th round in 1992 by the Leafs, Dempsey has never lived up to his billing in which he displayed good overall ability and control on the PP but is undersized and tends to loose physical battles in the corners. He just signed a contract with SC Bern of the Swiss National League for 2007-2008, so he may be only available for a couple of seasons in the RHL.

Jordan Smith (Prospect)

Drafted 39th overall in the 2004 draft, Jordan was a promising defencemen in the ANA system before a freak accident left him blind in one eye. He has since retired from professional hockey. GM Khoo has stated that since Smith was a freebie that won't cost anything, there was no harm done in having him on the prospect list.

Vulcan GM... Caught With Pants Down!

Can you say Rookie? Its really the only word to really describe what went down today. Early this morning, after GM Khoo submitted the list of players taken in the Expansion Draft, a collective dropping of jaws was seen across the league. "What can I say?" Khoo was quoted as saying. "I misinterpreted the rules and should have gotten clarification from the league before making an idiot of myself. My bad."

Shortly after the list came out, YDP GM Howard Wong was seen quickly making a phone call saying something along the lines of "What are you doing? You're embarrassing me here." The two were later seen running a joint practice session between the Mind Melds and the Penetrators at an undisclosed location in Edmonton. Early speculation was that there was a trade imminent but it was quickly shot down by both parties.

Khoo was granted a reprieve by RHL chief Paul Myers and had a chance to resubmit the list later in the day since none of the paperwork had been processed. A huge *SIGH* could be heard by the Trekker faithful as they wanted no part of anyone named Bure since it resembled the name of character that worked on DS9 that later turned out to be a traitor.

A formal announcement of results from the Expansion draft is expected in the next few days.

Zetterberg Has Been Beamed Aboard!

As the Dispersion Draft was looming the question remained of who was going to be the first player in franchise history for the Vulcan Mind Melds? GM Victor Khoo was assigned this dubious task today and stepped up to the podium to select Henrik Zetterberg. "It was a tough decision since there are many standouts on the old Defiance. I would be lying if Lecavalier and Kaberle didn't cross my mind but for me the biggest thing was the contract that Zetterberg signed a couple of seasons ago. This way we can get some big time talent at a bargain price."

But what about his history of injuries?

"Sure he's had some injuries in the past, but we're confident that he'll rebound and have a strong season." Khoo added.

Zetterberg was contacted shortly after and told of the news. "Where? Oh... that place. Uh yeah. As long as they pay me, I really don't care where I play."

An obviously enthusiastic Zetterberg added, "Star Trek? Oh yeah, I only started watching Voyager after that 7 of 9 came on. She had great... um... assets."

[UPDATE]

This just in, for the second round, the Vulcan Mind Melds have selected goalie prospect Simon Lajeunesse. Lajeunesse had a successful junior career with the Moncton Wildcats but has yet to develop to his full potential that he was originally billed for. "What can you do?", GM Khoo said of the pick. "At that point all the players we wanted were chosen and just crap was left over. Hopefully he'll develop into a decent backup one day, but we'll see."

Vulcan Mind Melds Official Logo and Jersey Unveiling

Despite many objections by GM Victor Khoo, the town of Vulcan have unanimously voted for the official jersey and logo for the expansion Mind Melds.

"This is absolutely ridiculous.", Victor Khoo was quoted as saying at the press conference that took place at the local ball diamond. "If we want to be taken seriously in this league, we have to wear at least proper uniforms. Polyester suits is not going to cut it. I just hope that free agents won't be put off by any of this. I mean come on... we don't even have a WHITE jersey. Everyone has a WHITE jersey."

Inspired by the original Star Trek series, the Home and Away jerseys resemble the Command and Science officer uniforms that Captain Kirk and Spock used to wear respectively. Despite having the colors described as "Puke Green and Puke Blue" by Victor Khoo, the winning design came from local 42 year-old comic book collector Jeff Albertson.

Jeff Albertson is the owner of "The Android's Dungeon & Baseball Card Shop" and boasts a collection of over 50,000 comics that he stores mostly in his shop and the basement of his mother's house. As a prize for the winning design, he received the complete DVD collection of "Frasier" in which he replied, "Worst TV Series Ever."

Both the logo and jerseys are under league review and Victor Khoo is still trying to get this vote overturned. "This makes a mockery of the game and shows no respect for the history and tradition of hockey. I mean come on, can you see Chris Pronger in a uniform like that? I didn't think so."

Oh yeah, and when asked what he was going to do with the Frasier DVD set, Jeff said that he would be returning it to Wal-Mart and purchasing Stargate SG-1. "That Richard Dean Anderson is such a versatile actor. First he can make a clock out of a potato and then play a commander to explore other worlds."

RHL Comes to Vulcan!

Set your phasers on "stunned" and put away your tricorders, this is not a test. After considering many proposals from other cities, the RHL has decided to expand to Vulcan, AB taking the place of the now defunct Washington Defiance.

How can a town of just over 1900 sustain an RHL franchise you ask?



"I don't know how but we have to have something other than the Trekker conventions to support this town." says GM Victor Khoo.



The old Ice Plex complex has gone under an extensive $20 renovation to paint some signs to convert it to the Seleya Ice Plex and will be located in the heart of the city.



Victor also added, "Don't ask me how the Seleya name came up. I had to Google it. Its supposed to be some Mountain on the Planet Vulcan. Everything from the name and logo of the team to the uniforms have been decided on by the community. When I saw the results I was like, 'Guys... come on. I thought we were going to move past this Star Trek theme.' They all threatened to use their Level 86 Cleric to cast some enchanted fireball that does +43 hitpoints damage. What the heck am I supposed to say to that? I'm beginning to think that I'm gonna lose my shirt on this investment. I'll give them one thing though... these people are passionate."

The official logo and uniforms will be released in the coming weeks and will be unveiled at the annual Star Trek convention later this month.