Hello and good time-appropriate greeting to you all. On this edition of Unfiltered, We will interview 4 rookies in this upcoming draft, of which two are recreates and two are firstgens.

Up first, we have a young rising star who will be apart of the draft on Sunday, my guest this time is @Ara

What first brought you into the SHL?

"My friend cake 307 and the fact that it looked interesting from a writing perspective. the site looked like it would be fun to both write media for and like it had a good community"

You were taken in the first round, 2nd overall by the San Diego Tidal. They are one of the newer teams in the J and are building their way up to the top. How did the organization help you out to prepare you for the draft and the league in general?

"Corey spent a better part of week working with me on prepping my player for it/if you need to build advice tips on earning both tpe and money. For build advice, he walked me through what the team needed and how to distribute what TPE I had accordingly. Additionally he suggested a few build options for my player as well. On top of that, he also helped me by reviewing media, providing advice on what to write about, etc. Not only that, but he also helped me get involved with the events team."


With the draft less than 72 hours away, you're probably feeling anxious about where you might end up. How do you cope with Anxiety in the SHL, and how do you express that with your teammates?

"The anxiety over this draft has definitely been something I've struggled with over the past few weeks, especially this week. In order to cope with it I've done a mix of things, but primarily I've focused my efforts on producing draft media and planning for next season(ie building up my TPE, doing PTs, and building up my bank). Thankfully my teammates have also been a big help in this regard, be it with helping talk me through my anxieties, keeping me occupied with team jobs(such as scouting), or helping me with the media. For the latter case, they're even helping my prep an interview series I plan to release soon."



Let’s get back to a more relaxed topic. Who do you think inspired you the most in the SHL, and why this person in particular?

"That's a tough one as there are a few people who have done a great deal to inspire me in the SHL. If I had to narrow it down though, I'd say it would either be Cake307 or HFFO. Putting aside the fact that Cake was the one who got me into the SHL in the first place, she's been the one who's helped me through my rookie season in multiple ways such as build advice, help with deep dives, and even just helping write media. HFFO is sort of similar in that regard, given he's been helpful in draft prep(especially for the SMJHL) and in motivating me to up my earning game. That's saying nothing of how he helped me with establishing myself in the Head Office or with the events team."


Draft season is always seen as a time of speculation and mystery. Where do you think your new journey will begin with?

"Honestly? I really don't know where I will end up with this draft, due in no small part to how competitive the S79 draft class is. That being said, if I had to make a prediction I would say I would likely end up with either Chicago or Winnipeg. I've had good scouting conversations with both and seemed to be a good fit for their teams."


The creation process shows off the mind of the individual user. What was your vision with creating Roisin Armagh?

"My initial vision for her was to create a player who was versatile enough to excel on defense, but also be able to hold her own on offense. To that end, I've built her out to have fairly solid defensive stats(barring one or two) and corresponding physical stats. Since I've largely gotten those stats to where I'm happy with them this past season, now I'm doing the same thing for her offensive stats."

One final question. Do you have any advice for any of your fellow firstgens or any upcoming draftee? It's always good to give out advice.

"Yes, I do. I would advise them to hit the ground running with whatever point tasks are available right now and to start building up their bank. This will not only help them stand out in the coming season, but also set them up for future success with whatever team they end up with. With that being said, I would caution them to also try to make sure they're having fun with the league and their teams. While it's fun to build out your player and compete with your fellow draftees, it shouldn't come at the expense of being part of a good community or locker room."


Up next we have quite a familiar face and a former smjhl gm in @Aleris

What first brought you into the SHL?

"R/EA_NHL. Pretty small sub I was in before I got rid of my reddit account. I think it's one of the smaller Chel subs. But I saw the post and read it and thought it sounded cool but didn't join quite then. I actually went back 2-3 weeks later to find it and create finally. Fell in love my first 48 hours in the site. Talked with Toast and Jax for hours after the wait period. It was really cool finally finding something that was way better than Chel's Be a Pro Mode which as always been limited."

You were once the GM of, and you were drafted by, the Nevada Battleborn. How do you influence the next generation of SHLers to grow and flourish?

"well i wasn't drafted. I created a week after the draft and signed with them. but kind of the same i guess.

I'm not really sure, I just tried to have a good time in the LR. It helped I came into an amazing NBB class of Seb, planocat, Schwarz, and eventually Isa. But also other NBBers who were there. Grapehead and Thun are some of my favorite people in the SHL and they were there in NBB to show the way on what healthy LR culture is. And a massive part of it all was Jess. She was an absolutely incredible GM from the start and has poured her heart and soul into the league and when she asked for help, I was glad to give it and become her co-GM.

But yeah, as a GM, I just listened to players. If they wanted specific rooms, or certain bots, or gave recommendations on players to draft. I listened. Grapehead sugessted a friend of his Ugmo, we drafted him and he was great in NBB and on top of that he has become one of my closest WoW friends where we talk about WoW all the time together now. You just listen and find people. Let other peoples connections and networks work for you. And sometimes take risks. Trade up for the new create to take them 1oa. Its worth it in the end. Make people feel special and listen to them and they want to stay around"

With the draft less than 72 hours away, you're probably feeling anxious about where you might end up. How do you cope with Anxiety in the SHL, and how do you express that with your teammates?

"Im not really anxious this time around. I think I was more my first draft. But I had some feelings based on GM conversations. There were definitely GMs that showed A LOT more interest in my through the conversations that it gave me enough of a feeling that I would end up on that team. This time, its less so. I don't think I mind where I go this draft at all. I know the process and its a lot of fun to watch the stream draft day and see how it all plays out."


Let’s get back to a more relaxed topic. Who do you think inspired you the most in the SHL, and why this person in particular?

"Jess hands down. She made me a co-GM, basically introduced me to the horros of sim testing in FHM6. But I've watched her go from a lonely GM barely getting by to a confident sim master and co-commissioner of the league. On top of that, she has been a massive voice on this site for those under represented communities in the sports world. And I couldn't be more inspired by her conviction and passion for LGBT/woman voices and her dedication to this league."


Draft season is always seen as a time of speculation and mystery. Where do you think your new journey will begin with?

"Conner Snooks was at 4 teams in his last career. 3 of the 4 teams have scouted me and expressed interest in bringing me back. I think all 4 would depending on needs. But plenty of new teams have also expressed interest. And I honestly don't know where I'll go. But that's fine. I think I'll be happy almost anywhere. I have a personal hierarchy of where I would like to go. But I'm not sharing that lol and I'm happy with most of the SHL teams."

The creation process shows off the mind of the individual user. What was your vision with creating Kiwi?

"Kiwi follows the massive family started from Gunnar Söderberg and JURT. Basically Gunnar has a sister in the SSL Helena who married Conner Snooks' sister Eirlys Snooks (also played in the SSL). They adopted four wonderful girls Willow (@Reno), Astrid, Kiwi, and Ulysses from all over the world. All 4 of them played in the VCHL when they were younger and while Williow Söderberg-Snooks was older and the most skilled so she moved up to the SMJHL quickly. Kiwi took a little longer to cook back in the birth home of New Zealand where she played for a smaller league there and even did some U21 time on the New Zealand national team. "

She recently declared for Sweden though as her adopted mom in Swedish and she spent time in Visby in the VCHL.

One final question. Do you have any advice for any of the firstgens or any upcoming draftee? It's always good for a veteran to give out advice.

"Just enjoy the ride. and remember its a marathon and not a sprint. If you need a week off. Its okay to miss PTs or CWs, its okay to take a break from the league and come back. And its okay to not be in the Locker Room constantly. You can be consistent without having to be a max earner and you will find your place here."


The next person has been in and out of the league and is one of the youngest members, it's @McGriddy10

What first brought you into the SHL?

"i joined the shl because i wanted to see my idea of a hockey player play and be able to develop them the way i wanted to"

You were a waiver pickup by the Anchorage Armada. How did the organization help you out to prepare you for the draft and the league in general?

"The Armada helped me prepare for the draft by allowing me to buld the player I wanted to and by allowing me in War Room and seeing the changes be made in the sim. They also helped me prepare for the league by having active users that I can talk to at any time. GO BOATS!"


With the draft less than 72 hours away, you're probably feeling anxious about where you might end up. How do you cope with Anxiety in the SHL, and how do you express that with your teammates?

"I cope with anxiety by swimming in my pool as it helps me work harder than I normally do. I express this with my teammates by sending them pool pictures."


Let’s get back to a more relaxed topic. Who do you think inspired you the most in the SHL, and why this person in particular?

"I think I had 3 people inspire me the most. These people are SouthPaw, KaleSalad, and TheGreatToeJam. All of them were players on the Maine Timber during my time as Patrice Bergeron and I idolized them because they were the best players on the team."


Draft season is always seen as a time of speculation and mystery. Where do you think your new journey will begin with?

"I'll be honest with you, I have no idea where I'm going to go in the draft. I have a couple teams I want to go to, but not sure if they are going to pick me up."

The creation process shows off the mind of the individual user. What was your vision with creating micool?

"My vision was to create a Zdeno Chara like player granted I had no control over the name, render, number or any other aspect of the player. So far I'd say it's going pretty well and I'm enjoying being a defenseman."

One final question. Do you have any advice for any of the firstgens or any upcoming draftee? It's always good for a veteran to give out advice.

"I have one piece of advice for anyone. It's hard to accept the fact that you may not be as good as your draft class mates, but know that your team loves you and keep being you"

Our last guest for today is another firstgen who has been surging up the draft boards, its @TipToasty

What first brought you into the SHL?

"I saw a few posts on Reddit over the last couple years, and figured I’d go ahead and give it a shot. I think the SHL is such a cool concept. First, I’ve loved hockey my whole life. I’ve been watching hockey since the mid 90s when I barely understood what was happening, but loved the game anyway. To get to be a part of a community that understands that passion is great.

I also think the concept really appeals to me. I don’t have time to sit down and binge a video game like I used to, so getting to do work in spurts works well for me. I love the idea of competitive sims, and I’m really looking forward to getting more involved in this league. The environment and world building of the league is enjoyable and impressive so far. It’s a great balance of casual and immersive."

You were taken in the third round, 42nd overall by the Thunder Bay Walleye. How did the organization help you out to prepare you for the draft and the league in general?

"I was surprised I went so low in the J draft, but as a first timer without much understanding, I think I landed in a good spot. Yosh and Cloud have been helpful anytime I have questions, and they make the locker room very comfortable and open. They gave me build advice and helped me with getting started with jobs and TPE"


With the draft less than 72 hours away, you're probably feeling anxious about where you might end up. How do you cope with Anxiety in the SHL, and how do you express that with your teammates?

"I’m excited to see where I end up, but I wouldn’t say I’m anxious. I will be working hard wherever I go to get better in all aspects of play and hope to become someone who can be a productive top liner on a team fighting for the championship. That is a while down the road, so for now I’m going to focus on what’s in front of me and what I can control. Ideally, I’ll end up in a good locker room with a positive environment that can help spur growth.

I would love to go in the first round. If that happens I’ll be ecstatic. I think if someone takes a shot on me they’ll be rewarded with hard work. I know there are some other promising first gens and lots of returning players with long standing ties to teams, so I’ll just have to see where I end up."


Let’s get back to a more relaxed topic. Who do you think inspired you the most in the SHL, and why this person in particular?

"I don’t know if inspiration is the right word, but I really like the rookie line I ended up on at the end of the season and developing next to Puddles O’duckling (Z-Whiz) and Teddy Bloos (Yosh) has been exciting. I know those guys have been around longer, so I can keep an eye on how they’re doing it and feel a little better when my approach is similar. I hope we get to stay together next year because I think we’ll all make a big step forward.

It has also wild to see what massive steps Chris McZehrl III has made this season. He added 53 points over last year, which goes to show how much a player can improve over a season. I hope I can make a jump that significant next year."


Draft season is always seen as a time of speculation and mystery. Where do you think your new journey will begin with?

"I really don’t know where I will end up. I have had some good conversations, but I don’t want to speculate. The important thing for me is that the team who drafts me is a good fit in terms of development and role, but also in terms of locker room. There are GMs who have shown me a lot of courtesy and thoughtfulness in our conversations, and I hope I go to a team with that sort of leadership, even if it isn’t a team I have been speaking with already.

I know there is time for more scouting, too, so I may find a spot I really want to go to in the next day or two. I think it will all comes down to which first gen player GMs see as a worthwhile risk"


The creation process shows off the mind of the individual user. What was your vision with creating toasty?

"I have always had Sergei Fedorov in mind when building Toasty. He was my favorite player growing up, and still remains one of my all time favorites. He was deadly in the offensive zone and he had just as much skill and put out just as much effort on the defensive end.

My goal is to build a great two way player who can light up the net as a finisher and a playmaker, but who can also throw the body around and make an impact on the defensive end. I had a good amount of hits and takeaways last season, so I think that’s off to a good start. I’m trying to look past the team stats and see my potential as a strong two way player in the future."

One final question. Do you have any advice for any of the firstgens or any upcoming draftee? It's always good for a veteran to give out advice.

"When I joined the league I had no idea what I was doing. I’m still not an expert, but I have found out that I know a lot more than I would have because I was willing to get involved. I got a couple of jobs and saw several processes from the back end. I asked questions when I was stuck or frustrated. I did every TPE event I could find, and I think even a few that did not apply to my draft class.

Ultimately, enjoy it but don’t worry about asking questions or looking ignorant. That’s what GMs and discord chat are there for. The other day I asked a question that was answered two messages above. I still got the info and was able to complete the task. I mean, don’t be a lazy idiot, but don’t worry about asking for help when you come across something for the first time.

The first pre season is also confusing. I felt like I needed to be doing a lot more than I was doing. Be patient and enjoy the build up to your first season. Also, do your deep dives early."


To you four, Thank you for your time and best of luck in the upcoming draft.


That concludes this edition of Unfiltered. If you want to be on a future Unfiltered article, please reach out to ValorX77 on discord.

(3582 words, please split between all 4 and me)