#i may do this for high fantasy universe political power couple too in the future. eventually.

[mxescargot]

Not going to lie, I really don't want to spam numbers for the couple ask game right now, but I do want to know about your characters' relationship, soooo. 1-30. :3.

(You don't actually have to answer all of them if you don't want to, you can just do any you want to do- /gen) 🌻

oughhh tyty for the ask /gen

for those unaware, tl;dr: good princess/evil queen gfs :>

couples ask game for reference

princess prima garon (she/they/one) is the archetypical heroic good princess whose family was descended from a chosen one hero that defeated an evil overlord and sent them into exile. prima is the new chosen one to defeat a new evil: vindicta nox (any pronouns), queen of the neighbouring evil kindgom and descendant of the evil overlord prima's ancestor ousted. instead, they fall in love. (also turns out the kingdom's not that bad, just has a "villainous" aesthetic)

1. at first their families were. concerned. but over time stuff worked out and now they get along fine/their countries are allies

2. see above, i think it was harder for friends to get over distrust though

3. don't know, hmm.

4. i imagine prima's most relevant ex might be the lancer to her leader in their hero-team? but either way they're on good terms and that was a while ago, just ended up being kind of incompatible for a committed relationship. maybe prima dated around as well but this would be a childhood friend... turned first love or something? 👀 considering making them arospec and realizing that later/vindicta feels "different" from the rest. vindicta is definitely also a different type of person from the people prima thought they should be dating... xe's much easier to be around as a Partner. vindicta may have a previous ex that they also ended up not being too compatible with, but that ex had a worse attitude about it and it ended on worse terms.

5. initially, they don't get many chances to sleep in the same bed. however physical touch is vv important to them (totally not projecting /s) so when their families and the people in their kingdoms became more okay with it they spend the night together alllll the time. usually at vindicta's place because he's, yknow, actively ruling crows country and travel arrangements are a pain in the ass. ANYWAYS prima loves sleeping tightly curled up into vindicta. or the two spoon, they probably have one of those couples' pillows so your arm isn't crushed

6. they ABSOLUTELY give each other nicknames/pet names. vindicta calls prima riri, while they call xem vin. vindicta uses a lot of the typical flirty villain pet names: "my dear", "my sweet", etc. this happens to fluster prima a lot, though it's hard for one to admit the obvious fact that one finds it attractive. prima isn't big on pet names except using the ones her gf calls her sarcastically sometimes, which it finds kinda funny. sometimes they jokingly call each other their full names and titles.

7. vindicta likes how strong-willed and determined her riri is, almost stubborn. however, this can almost be exasperating and sometimes prima doesn't know ones own limits. less decided/articulate on what prima likes and dislikes about vindicta

8. not gonna go into too much detail about this (i am a minor) but prima: vindicta's overall height/build (vin is the taller one), and voice if that counts as physical vindicta: probably into collarbones? and the uhh waist/stomach area yk.

9. didn't know what this was, looked it up. seems to be about commitment and also just, happiness in a long term relationship? so i guess so.

10. haven't built out too specific of a timeline yet but they've definitely had big fights over what i mentioned in #7 with vin getting frustrated over prima being kinda self destructive and almost obsessed with "the right thing"

11. idk how to articulate this 😭

12. the respective royal families/courts freaking out, crises in both of their kingdoms, probably a death in prima's family

13. as i mentioned, both really value physical touch. they also both do a lot of words of affirmation (building off of hero/villain banter). besides that vindicta leans more gift giving and prima more acts of service/quality time. in terms of unique expressions of love, they like sparring with each other and helping improve the other's swordsmanship. prima enjoys trying to cook things that vin might like and generally like... presenting skills she's learning to him. meanwhile vindicta likes surprising darks gf with gifts related to their interests in particular, dark really enjoys their reactions.

14. idk what really counts as a "little thing" but? prima: smelling petrichor after rain. finding shapes in the clouds, moon, or stars. experiencing hypnogogia before falling asleep. running your hand along cold, polished stone. enjoying a drink so warm it almost burns your tongue. vindicta: happy vestibular stimming. waking up as the sun rises. noticing the seasons change. aspects of prima's style of magic usage: a pinkish yet golden light, a hard-to-describe tingling feeling.

15. prima definitely picked up a bit of that "flirty villain" vibe in her mannerisms, while vindicta has grown a bit more lighthearted and energetic in conversation. they copy each others' stims.

part 2

[springsummerspring]

Our disposition, personality, and behaviour all have a profound effect on the types of relationships we thrive in. A couple doesn’t need to be identical, but the right balance of traits is necessary for compatibility. This new RP theory focuses on two important characteristics: the dominance level of each person, as well as the woman’s dominance threshold.

Your “Dominance Level” (DL) measures attributes such as your natural tendency to assume the lead and how you exercise authority in interactions. DL takes into account all behaviour, it is not limited to actions within a romantic relationship. For the purposes of this post I will use a scale of 0 - 10 to discuss DL, with 10 representing the maximum possible level of dominance one can have. There are separate male and female scales - a woman who is a 6 is not more dominant than a man who is a 5, and a man who is a 10 is more dominant than a female 10.

How are dominance levels expressed in men?

A 10 has 100% alpha traits, and a 0 has 100% beta traits. As you move across the spectrum, the ratio shifts. So a 2 has 20% alpha traits, a 6 has 60%, etc.

Men who are lowest in dominance (0-3.5 on the DL scale) have the highest ratio of beta traits in comparison to alpha traits. They can be easygoing, empathetic, gentle, and considerate. They can also be sensitive, emotional, unconfident, indecisive, and soft. Keep in mind that these are just a few examples, these traits do not define these men nor are they required to be in this category.

The 3.5s-6s exhibit more alpha traits but their nature is that of a “greater beta”. These men are able to provide comfort and leadership as required in a relationship. Most women have men in this category, especially on RPW. If you are looking for a “medium dominance” category, this is where your man belongs (but to be clear, he is still in the "low dominance" category of this system).

Men who are a 6-8.5 on the DL scale have a higher ratio of alpha traits in comparison to beta traits. There are many types of alpha men: apex, renegade, patriarchal, criminal, corporate, political, etc. and they all have different characteristics that allow them to succeed and take charge in their respective environments. One thing they all have in common is an immense amount of masculinity, which can be both good and bad.

8.5 - 10s can fall into any of the alpha subtypes. They also have the highest amounts of Dark Triad traits, and are the rarest group of men.

How are dominance levels expressed in women?

The alpha/beta ratio does not apply to the female dominance scale. There are no easy, clear cut terms for the spectrum, just various dispositions and behaviours. While the ratio of masculinity and femininity plays a role, the DL is not measuring either of those traits directly. I have chosen both positive and negative examples for each type but again, these are generalisations and only a fraction of the possible characteristics one can have.

Women who are in the low dominance category (0-6) are non confrontational, sensitive, and accommodating. They are psychologically feminine, not only with their men but in their everyday lives, automatically. They can be doormats, passive, weak, and insecure if they do not learn how to prioritise themselves first instead of others. This does not mean that they are incapable of having any of the traits that high dominance women have, just that the concentration of H traits lowers as you approach zero (and vice versa with H women and L traits).

High Dominance Women (6.5-10) are more confident, driven, assertive, and ambitious. They can also be more masculinised, argumentative, self serving, and insubordinate. Some women like to think of themselves as “alpha women” but this is a myth, not an RP concept. Do not fall into the trap of thinking that being high dominance is superior. Both categories have their strengths and weaknesses. Feminists have pushed the idea that male characteristics and virtues are a universal ideal that all should strive for so women are encouraged to be high dominance. The only way that high dominance women can have romantic success with a dominant man is if they can master psychological femininity and deference within their relationship.

Your “Dominance Threshold” indicates how dominant your man has to be in order for you to feel attraction, commitment, and love. I will also be using the 0-10 dominance scale when referring to the dominance threshold. For the purposes of this discussion it is assumed that all women have a range of 0-2 points past their threshold where attraction is possible. The threshold is the minimum but most women who prefer a 5.5/10 would not be comfortable with an 8 or higher.

How are dominance thresholds expressed in women?

Women with low dominance thresholds require less alpha, and more beta in their relationships. This means more affection and softness, more obvious and frequent displays of love and care. These women are repelled by or afraid of extreme displays of male aggression, anger, or arrogance. They also do not like strict boundaries or being controlled. They are suited for betas and greater betas.

Women with high dominance thresholds require more alpha, less beta. They crave arousal, displays of power, raw masculinity, etc. from their man and view the same beta traits the low threshold women love as weaknesses. They are perfect mates for all types of alphas.

When a man’s DL is way too low for a woman, she reacts with disgust or infantilisation. If it is merely a point or two lower you’ll see shit tests. If it’s slightly too high, she’ll comfort test, and when it’s way too high she’ll be afraid. This applies to all women regardless of their threshold or dominance level.

Taking the 4 categories into account (low/high DL, low/high threshold) there are 8 possible relationship combinations. Not all are optimal or RP but all of the dynamics exist in the real world. Moving forward we will use these labels within the subreddit in our discussions and the advice we give.

By using a combination of 3 letters (all of which are either H or L) we can refer to each dynamic with ease. The first letter establishes the man’s dominance level, the second the woman’s, and then the third is for her dominance threshold. So a high dominance man (H) with a low dominance woman (L), who has a high threshold (H), would be described as HLH. A low dominance man (L) with a low dominance woman (L), who has a low dominance threshold (L), would be LLL.

Now onto an overview of the dynamics, which will be described with an emphasis on the effect on the woman. They are ordered from least potential to be RP to most potential to be RP, with 3 equally RP dynamics, there is not one universally ideal dynamic. Please keep in mind that these descriptions are all generalisations of what is most likely to happen, there are always exceptions. Note: future posts will help you identify your dynamic, do not fixate on labeling yourself from this introductory post.

High dominance man, high dominance/low threshold woman (HHL) - she vies for dominance and feels little to no comfort or security. Possible violence as she is likely to stir up trouble by constantly challenging her man.

High man, low/low woman (HLL) - she needs more beta comfort and can’t stay motivated when feeling unloved. She feels he is mean or scary. There is also a strong chance of violence in this relationship which only further discourages the LL woman from being her best and creates a cycle where the man is constantly punishing her.

Low man, high/high woman (LHH) - she walks all over him or bosses around. This is a very common dynamic as it is what usually happens when a woman is out of the CC riding/AF phase and has settled for her beta bucks.

Low man, low/high woman (LLH) - she is repulsed and/or can’t respect him, wishes he was more dominant. Whenever you see an RPW post where the OP asks: “How can I get my main to be the captain” or says “I tried captain/first mate but he’s not taking the lead” then you know it’s an LLH situation.

Low man, high/low woman (LHL) - a lot of feminist relationships are like this, and they can work, and people can be happy in them. There is also a chance that the woman walks all over the man and disrespects him and he just puts up with it. It all depends on how attracted the woman is to her man, and how well he is able to maintain that attraction.

High man, high/high woman (HHH) - potential to be RP if the woman respects the man. “Captain and First Mate” as described by RPW is not an adequate description of the dynamics in HHH relationships. This combination can be a power couple, or there can be violence if the woman does not defer to the man (think Chris Brown and Rihanna).

High man, low/high woman (HLH) - potential to be RPW and a classic fantasy that is not seen as much in reality. The woman is naturally submissive and aware of it. She is drawn to a dominant man and requires power over her. There is a strong sense of ownership and there can also be a paternalistic element to the dynamic. This differs from HHH relationships in that the woman is not a partner in crime, but rather a source of support and feminine energy while the man takes on challenges. At its worst, HLH relationships involve the man taking advantage of and abusing the woman.

Low man, low/low woman (LLL) - this is the most common both in and out of the subreddit. Contrary to what many may assume, most rpw are interested in or already with greater betas! When done right, these relationships are the epitome of the captain and first mate concept. The man leads and the woman occupies the traditional female role, but it may not feel like submission or deferment to her because of the lack of power imposed explicitly. If the man fails to take the lead, the woman may feel forced to assume that role and her respect for her man will decline. If no one assumes the lead, arguments are more likely to happen, and again, the woman will lose respect for the man.

Can you change your dominance level?

You can absolutely eliminate the personality traits that hinder your success. If you are a high dominance woman, you may need to work on being less controlling, argumentative, or disobedient. RPW is great for that! If you are low dominance, you can become more assertive, confident, and more. However, men who want the traditional, RP relationships are not interested in women who do not listen to or respect them, so it’s important not to go too far in the other direction.

Can you change your dominance threshold?

Attraction is non-negotiable. It’s important to be aware of and honest about your preferences and select a partner wisely. Understanding how men think can help you become more comfortable with a man that has a DL way higher than your threshold. If you are with a man who’s DL is below your threshold RPW can help you with respect, loyalty, and all of the other issues that come with those dynamics. Your threshold may change naturally over time based on life experiences, as you learn what you actually like in relationships.

What can we do with this information?

As mentioned earlier, this system will be a great way to have everyone on the same page when it comes to discussing relationships and giving advice. We should all be aware of our biases, and our individual dominance levels and thresholds greatly affect the responses we leave about other people’s relationships.

A lot of women with low dominance thresholds can’t understand masculine, dominant men, and that contributes to them advising women to leave their men in certain instances or worrying that something is abusive. The reverse also applies, women with high dominance thresholds are less able to wrap their heads around how other women can stay with and be attracted to low dominance men.

It is important to be aware of our biases and work to overcome solipsism. It’s not about what we would do in their situation, but what they should do in their situation. Hopefully having the language to identify dynamics will help us all provide suggestions that work well with whatever dynamic a user is involved in.

[ageneraltheoryoflove]

Modern critics of The Arnolfini Portrait painted by Jan van Eyck are baffled by some of its symbolism, and have engaged in debate about the symbols and meanings behind the double portrait for some time.  Many have attempted to analyze these symbols in the context of societal norms of the time, and yet the controversy continues.  I propose that there is another, most obvious, though scandalous, and even heretical viewpoint that could settle the debate once and for all.

Erwin Panofsky views the painting as a record of a "marriage by a marital oath, more particularly by joining hands," as the two figures in this double portrait are indeed touching hands in the very center of the image.  He assumes the identity of the female figure to be that of Giovanna Cenami, whom a Giovanni Arnolfini living in Flanders at the time did not legally marry until 13 years after van Eyck's painting was completed (Chipps Smith, p. 102-103.)  I believe this assumption to be a mistake, because it precludes other possibilities as to the identity of the female figure portrayed by the artist.  I do believe that he is correct in the analysis that the painting is a record of some kind of societal contract, akin to a marriage, taking place in the private space of Arnolfini's domicile.  I believe it to be more of an allegory to marriage, however, since the historical identity of this female figure remains a mystery, and for all of the historical evidence available, did not exist in live human form at the time that the portrait was painted, in 1434 AD.

Art historian Craig Harbison wrote about The Arnolfini Portrait that, as a wealthy merchant Giovanni Arnolfini was well known for a "pretension to noble status" and that "Arnolfini apparently spent much time courting the Flemish nobility."  Harbison comments on the luxurious nature of the couple's dress to support this claim.  He relays details of how their dress mimics that of Royalty when he writes, "The somber colors of the man's clothing, dark purple, brown, and black, appropriately mirror the taste of the duke of Burgundy. Cenami's pale complexion is no doubt due to heavily applied makeup favored by courtly women to give a refined impression. Her robe, while not made of particularly costly fabric, has an elegant white fur lining and enormous sleeves decorated with applied dagging."  Harbison has overlooked, however, critical details of the female figure's dress that tell of how she is not merely attired luxuriously, but in the exact manner of the Burgundian courtly trends of the time.  Isabeau of Bavaria, wife and Queen to Charles VI, was the first woman in recorded history to wear a linen petticoat, and this item was considered the ultimate symbol of luxury and status in her court.  Burgundian Ladies, in an effort to display their status, would wear overcoats, the gender neutral houppelande, with cutouts and sleeves designed to give a glimpse of their luxurious linen undergarments.  The truncated sleeve of the emerald green houppelande worn by the female figure in The Arnolfini Portrait performs this service perfectly.  Yes, it is lined with white fur, as Harbison noted, but more importantly, it shows quite a good portion of the fine linen of her undergarment.  Isabeau was also the Queen of wearing high headdresses, particularly heart in shape, and the architecture of palaces was altered to allow ladies of her court ease and comfort in traversing the walkways in their headgear.  True to Royal form, the womanly figure that van Eyck portrays in this double portrait is adorned with an elaborate headdress, which accentuates her high forehead.  The Burgundian courts valued high foreheads above all other adornments on a noble woman, and the feature was emphasized and valued in portraiture painting of the time.  Like the symbol of fertility in gathering the houppelande skirts to one's waistline, the high forehead indicated survival of the plague that had wiped out viable brides of the Royal line.  The combination of these details convey to the viewer that the female figure in this painting is of Royal descent, and is likely to continue the Royal bloodline.  This figure was painted as if she were nobility, not merely imitating royal descent, and she is declared fertile by her dress.  Harbison, like Panofsky, assumed her identity to be that of Arnolfini's future bride, Giovanna Cenami, but I do not believe that she would have worn these styles in exactly this way, having come from the burgher class herself.  In fact, Wikipedia states that this marriage was assumed by art historians entirely, and that Arnolfini was never married a second time, as his first wife had deceased before this painting was commissioned.

Why would art historians assume a marriage?  I believe it is because they are too literal.  Of much debate and mystery is the inscription that the painter placed above the mirror, between the eyes of the two figures, and at eye level in the composition.  The inscription reads, "Jan van Eyck was here." It is also situated between the chandelier, which critics claim to represent God, and the mirror, which has been painted in great detail with scenes from the Passion of Christ.  Essentially, the artist has placed himself as an authority between the Heavenly and the Earthly realms.  Most art historians agree that this inscription is some kind of witness statement, but they cannot agree on what exactly is being witnessed.  When I consider that the female figure in this painting is an allegory, a symbol unto herself, of the Burgundian courts and Royalty, I begin to consider that the painter understood that he had been commissioned to document an unprecedented moment in History:  the marriage of the burgher class and the nobility.  He may have understood that this was a fantasy in Arnolfini's mind, but he also recognized that it was a powerful political statement, and he wanted recognition as offering support to his patron in making this statement.  He was indeed an authority to validate the marriage, for as a member of the burgeoning Flemish society of the time, he witnessed the economic exchanges with Royalty and the growing power of the burgher class, quite literally, and on a daily basis.

I believe that it is not an accident that this particular Flemish portrait of the Renaissance has survived, while others have not, for it carries meaning and power of great significance to the evolution of European economics and society.  In commissioning Jan van Eyck to paint a portrait of himself marrying Royalty, Giovanni Arnolfini was claiming that his wealth and status as a merchant afforded him the same amount of sovereignty and religiosity of the rulers of the time.  This painting documents the beginnings of New Money, and the destruction of the old system, as we saw with the entrenne, where money could not buy power or recognition.  The Arnolfini Portrait is so named because it is actually the portrait of one man taking a revolutionary stand in society.  The second figure in the double portrait is that of an institution, not an individual person.  The allegorical marriage in the painting was conducted in private chambers, an act of defiance in itself, and an official statement that a commoner was procreating with Royalty, with or without sanction.  Jan van Eyck was there, and his legacy lives on because he dared to join a contemporary burgher in fighting the status quo.  I mean, the strategically placed inscription, which art historians call "odd," rendered him infamous, for centuries, as World War II graffiti can attest.  The religious symbols abundant in the painting hint that the commission of this work was indeed sanctioned by a higher authority, a Bishop perhaps, but we lack evidence of this detail, and so the debate continues.

I have no doubt in my mind, however, after reviewing the writings of the aforementioned authors, and others, that Jan van Eyck documented the conception of Modern Capitalism with The Arnolfini Portrait.  To take a cue from Vicki Saxon, this painting was more like the Royal Wedding portrait of Harry and Meghan than a Kardashian family portrait.  The artist threw in all of those debated symbols of wealth and fertility specifically to inform the audience that they were viewing the birth of a New Age, one resilient with prosperity for the common man, not born to nobility, but married into it by wealth.  Jan van Eyck was a master of hyper realistic detail, which was highly valued then and is now, but his genius is in his apparent knowledge of his place in History, as the midwife, or St. Catherine, of the Art World.  One need only look to the era of Kilroy to see how the portent of this masterpiece played out.  With oil barons buying up noble estates, and the daughters of shipping magnates salvaging the old family name, the Merchant and his Royal Bride were more relevant in the 20th Century than they were in the 15th.  Somehow painter and subject were both aware of this, because the state of solemnity that Jan van Eyck painted on Arnolfini's face is so priceless, as he was a visionary looking to a future, centuries and centuries beyond his Worldly grasp.  Those unknown figures reflected in the mirror?  That is you and me.

Rachel Schultz

Course ARH361U : The Northern Renaissance

Portland State University

Spring 2020

[zhannabelle-eng]

The Ways to Find Your True Love: Practices from Zhannabelle

If you're still single, Saint Valentine's Day can help you to change it

Love is a wonderful feeling. It contains our divine emanation; it is a marvelous superpower given to us by the Supreme forces. We all dream of true love, wait and believe that it will burst into our lives and the world will shine with bright colors with a wave of a magic wand. But is there a ready-made prescription of how to find it? Does this real love really exist or is it just the fantasy of novel writers and film writers for melodramas? Zhannabelle is sure that such love exists. And she reveals a secret to us of how to find it.

Miranda, Vienna:

“I became convinced from a very young age that love novels were written only for confusing the naive girls. Has anyone ever seen in real life that perfect soul mate who would be smart, and strong, and handsome, and rich at the same time? For forty-three years, I have not met anyone fitting this description. And I was completely sure that such men did not exist on this planet.

I came to the Zhannabelle’s seminar on the recommendation of a colleague. My colleague talked much about the courses and the volunteer projects of these people. So I was inspired to contribute to helping those who really needed it.

From here on in, my life has changed a lot and got a new meaning.

I had attended constantly group studies and seminars to learn the ropes of mental perfection. I helped Zhannabelle to organize seminars and trips to Places of Power. I felt that such way of living was right and that made me happy.

Yes, my life took on meaning, and I have changed myself a lot for the better. The only thing that hovered over me at times and did not let me sleep at night was my miserable loneliness. That is why at last during the visit to one of the most powerful Places of Power in the world with Zhannabelle, I decided to ask the Universe to help me in meeting my true love. What did I expect from the fate at that moment? I am at a loss to answer this question even now...

But the point is that just a month later an amazing story happened to me. Yes, it happened to me notwithstanding the fact that I don’t believe in romantic tales! This happened on the day of loving hearts - the Saint Valentine's Day. I sat in a small Italian restaurant, sadly watching the happy couples at the adjacent tables. No one cared about me. Even the nimble waiters scurrying around the restaurant hall for some reason ignored my table. It seemed that my appearance expressed such a desperate feeling of loneliness on Saint Valentine's Day that they preferred to avoid me.

So after waiting for the menu about some time in vain, I was about to leave, when the restaurant owner approached my table. He offered me the menu himself and talked to me about some trifles.

I realized that the man in front of me was My True Love from the first moment. He was just the same as the heroes from novels, melodramas and other romantic opuses.

Four years have passed and our family is still surprisingly strong and happy. We have a beautiful daughter. It's hard to believe, but she was born on the Saint Valentine's Day too! This day is such a special day for our family. And I am so happy! Just now I can see what I have been missing for years of loneliness. Zhannabelle helped me to find my happiness!”

What is True Love?

Saint Valentine's Day is extremely popular nowadays. It is celebrated with great relish in many countries. People in love prepare small messages for each other called valentines - in which they confess their feelings. On that day sometimes proposals of marriage are made, and flowers or sweets are presented. This wonderful tradition is rooted in a beautiful but very tragic love story.

A generic priest, Valentine, was devoted to his faith from a very young age. Each of his sermons carried the pure light of simple truths: people should value God-given life and love and value each other. However, the emperor of Rome, Claudius II, strongly disagreed with such speeches. He sacrificed his personal life for the sake of a political career, and did not like the calls for a peaceful life in love and respect.

At some point, he hardened in heart so much that he completely forbade the lovers to marry.

His goal was to make men be ready for war constantly, and their excess attachment to the family was an annoying hindrance for the emperor.

The brave Valentine disobeyed the cruel emperor and continued to unite couples in love by marriage ties under cover of night. For that the priest was imprisoned. But he met his fate firmly and did not regret for his actions even a bit.

The love story of Valentine himself was very symbolic. The priest was a very talented healer. Once a prison guard turned to him with a request to heal his beloved daughter from blindness. Julia, the guard’s daughter, was beautiful, like an angel. And a tender feeling arose in Valentine's heart.

But unfortunately, he could not cure his beloved. By a twist of fate, Julia’s father subsequently turned out to be Valentine's jailer. So, with his help the priest sent to his beloved a declaration of love with saffron flower - the world's first “Valentine”. It happened on February 14, after the execution of Valentine.

Julia opened the letter and suddenly recovered her sight to read with tears in her eyes about her first and such tragic love.

That is how the Saint Valentine's Day holiday appeared.

Types of Love

True love is like a ghost. Everyone is talking about it, but no one has ever seen it. This is the conclusion of the vast majority of people. And with the increase of years, true love seems to us to be more and more ephemeral feeling. It lives in artwork, in music, in painting, in poetry, in films, but in reality everything is wholly different. Domestic problems, conflicts, fatigue and irritation - all these factors can make null and void even the loftiest relationships.

Is it possible to find true love at a mature age? Of course it is! However, first you should figure out as to what the uniqueness of a true feeling is.

It is common to distinguish three levels of love. And each of them has its place in the development of relations.

“I can’t live without him”

This is the very beginning of a bright beautiful feeling. The passion comes over like a snow-glide, the emotions makes you lose your head and the desire to dissolve in your loved one overshadows anything else.

But without trust and responsibility, any relationship is doomed to fade. The storm of feelings and emotions will gradually weaken, and the breach will be inevitable.

If you feel that you hit a rough patch, turn off all emotions and think about the reason of that. At the seminars, Zhannabelle analyzes the most typical situations in which couples most often make mistakes.

“From now on, wherever you go, I go, too”

The second stage of relationships is characterized by the joining of your interests and hobbies, making joint plans for the future, the mutual friends and acquaintances and the same view of the world.

Social compatibility demonstrates is the best way that you have not lost your head because of the boiling passion and are able to create reliable trusting relationships.

On this stage love needs the spiritual growth badly. At her seminars, Zhannabelle provides an opportunity to understand the very heart of your mission in this world and maximize your spiritual potential. She helps you to manage your internal and external energy, and gives recommendations for obtaining harmony in the family.

“We are together, which means that we are one”

Love of the highest level is an intuitive affinity of your souls, complete mutual understanding and self-sacrifice, support of a loved one in any circumstances, and constant help in the mental growth of a partner. Such a couple is connected by invisible threads of fate and their relationship cannot be destroyed.

The highest degree of love is quite rare.

Such a unique feeling can arise only for those people who devote their lives to continuous self-perfection and mental growth.

It is very difficult to achieve without the support of a mentor. That is why Zhannabelle invites everyone to her seminars.

In these courses, she will teach you the special practices and choose the unique amulets charged with the powerful energy of the Universe especially for you. The amulets will help you to discover your sleeping exceptional abilities and unique talents that will become for you one more step towards the highest level of spirituality.

What can you do to find your true love?

How can you to find your destiny? What should be done for this? There are several simple practices recommended by Zhannabelle to her students.

Practice No. 1: creating a list

Make a special list of the necessary qualities of your prospective partner. Describe what kind of person your perfect soulmate should be. For example, he should be gentle, generous, strong, caring, loyal, kind and reliable.

At the same time make a list of qualities for the partner of this perfect man. After all, a prince charming needs a no less splendid princess.

And then try on the qualities of this princess for yourself and analyze the situation. Do these qualities suit you? And if you see that your personal qualities are not enough to become that princess, you need to take oneself in hand and change! Make all the necessary changes and become that perfect woman! How? Courses of Zhannabel or her individual coaching can really help you in it.

Practice No. 2: assistance to the needy people

Help the suffering people, and God will help you too. It really works. We receive from the Universe as much as we give to it. Besides thoughtful women have always been held in high esteem by the men.

So, become our volunteer! Your help to those in need may be very small.

But still it will significantly increase the concentration of love in our world, and the love will finally burst into your destiny too!

Practice number 3: spiritual growth

Get ready to love and dream, share your happiness and improve yourself! Come to the Zhannabel’s seminars. The higher your energy potential and level of spiritual growth, the more you increase the opportunity to meet you true love. It's time to take decisive actions to find your love and happiness!

[vincentbuckles]

Weekend reading: Can we take back control from Brexit?

[A quick update on Brexit thoughts for those who want to reasonably discuss it. For those who don’t, please feel free to skip to the links.]

Imagine having anticipated something for 30 years, finally getting the freedom to do it, and then making a car crash out of it.

But enough about my life as a mid-life singleton. I’m thinking here of the Eurosceptic wing of the Conservative party.

You know – those 40-odd guys who can’t muster up enough votes to unseat the UK’s most ineffectual leader since Hugh Laurie’s Prince Regent in Blackadder the Third, and yet who’ve somehow managed to send 63 million of us towards an apparently imminent impoverished future.

You might think the World Class farce we’ve endured over the past 30 months would see me smiling.

After all a second referendum is looking ever more likely, if still not odds-on.

But unfortunately, I continue to read and hear abundant evidence that most of the Leave voting contingent still doesn’t get it.

And that means despite the demographic challenges of that faction (i.e. its original margin of victory is literally dying) it’s quite possible Leave could win again.

Especially if the Remain side sticks to the previous policy of dull facts over bus-splattering bullshit fabrications.

No wonder Leave voters seem almost as angry as Remainers:

I’ve seen a parade of #Brexit leaders on news programmes today. Their position boils down to this: We are absolutely sure voters knew exactly what they voted for and, as soon as we manage to agree among ourselves what that was, we will inform voters what it was they voted for.

— Alex Andreou (@sturdyAlex) December 6, 2018

A second referendum is a horrible solution to a stupid problem, with plenty of downsides.

However from my perspective it has the minor virtue of being less terrible than all the other alternatives.

Whose Brexit is it, anyway

Can we not stop this death march? Absolutely no one seems happy with the direction of travel.

Not even the Leave voters, that’s the most galling – if unsurprising – thing.

Blogger Ermine came close to capturing this contradiction at the heart of the Leave vote with a graphic this week. Leavers are represented here by the two Mickey Mouse ears on top of the smug metropolitan elite mug:

What @ermine’s Venn diagram is missing though is the set of people who voted either Leave or Remain to make us poorer.

Perhaps that’s because it doesn’t exist – despite even the Government admitting that’s what we face.

True, a tiny set of Brexiteers have belatedly conceded that a No Deal Brexit will hit us in the national nads.

That, they now say, is a price worth paying for sovereignty / blue passports / the right to negotiate trade deals with Madagascar and Kazakhstan.

But all the leading Leave-supporting players continue to lie to the electorate.

Theresa May herself rounded off her Deal Debate Dodge by harking back to the supposed ability of Brexit to reduce the inequalities and insecurities she spoke of in the aftermath of the vote – despite almost every single analysis of Brexit showing a net negative impact, economically-speaking.1

If you want sovereignty or fewer immigrants from Brexit, fair enough. Own that. Don’t claim the tooth fairy too.

But sadly, the very few Leavers I come across in real-life are still saying things like “The EU needs us more than we need them.”

The same EU that has run rings around us in negotiations.

The EU that has stuck firmly together, despite all forecasts to the contrary, and strangely believes more in its vision of togetherness than in the fantasies of Brexiteers.

The EU that takes 44% of our exports, while we take 8%2 of theirs.

The roughly 450 million of them versus the 63 million of us.

The UK vs the EU is a negotiating position that only looks attractive to Tories of a certain class raised to see greatness in the self-destruction of The Charge Of The Light Brigade.

“C’est magnifique, mais ce n’est pas la guerre; c’est de la folie”.3

Barry Barricades

What I missed when I created Barry Blimp – the archetypal Home Counties Leave voter of not inconsiderable means and more than a few years – was his zealotry.

Because I now see a big chunk of the Leave cohort want Brexit no matter what.

In fact I rather think some would enjoy it if we had ferries piled up outside Dover and food rationing at Tesco.

Obviously I feel vindicated when I think back to the insults hurled at me when I ventured my opinion on my own blog that many Leave voters didn’t know what they’d started, or that this would drag on for years.

But that’s about as satisfying as telling the person in the seat next to you that yes, you were right that the 747’s engine sounded a bit funny as the Captain shouts “Brace, brace!” over the tannoy.

There seems no good solution to this mess now. Revolutions have started over less.

(That may sound melodramatic if you don’t know your history. I suggest you Google the origins of the French Revolution, the English Civil War, or the American War of Independence before you jab your finger in my chest.)

To be clear I’m not predicting revolution – let alone hoping for it, from any perspective – but there’s got to be a non-zero chance.

Currently we are just living through a nationalist coup, and that’s bad enough.

The irony is for many on the right, Jeremy Corbyn is a revolutionary Marxist.

Politics has abandoned the center ground. As a result, lots of people are going to be very unhappy, however this turns out.

Our politicians need to get a grip, fast.

From Monevator

Money is power – Monevator

From the archive-ator: The characteristics of an entrepreneur – Monevator

News

Note: Some links are Google search results – in PC/desktop view you can click to read the piece without being a paid subscriber. Try privacy/incognito mode to avoid cookies. Consider subscribing if you read them a lot!4

UK economy slows as car sales fall – BBC

Property market at weakest since 2012 as Brexit takes toll, says RICS – Guardian

ECB ends €2.5tn eurozone QE stimulus programme – BBC

Luxury goods inflation running at nearly 6%, says Coutts – Guardian

Richest parts of London generate 30x cash of poorest parts of UK – ThisIsMoney

Scotland freezes threshold for higher-rate income tax – Guardian

Crowdcube investors threaten legal action after Emoov goes bust – ThisIsMoney

      Check out the collapse in the price of solar powered energy – Vox

Products and services

Are real or fake Christmas trees better for the planet? – Guardian

Small energy providers keep going bust. Is switching too risky? – ThisIsMoney

Investors flock to venture capital funds [Search result] – FT

Britain to force broadband providers to tell customers their best deals – Reuters

Ratesetter will pay you £100 [and me a cash bonus] if you invest £1,000 for a year – Ratesetter

Examining the risks and rewards of securities lending for funds – Morningstar

Investec’s new notice savings account allows 20% withdrawals – ThisIsMoney

Questioning the $1million retirement maths special

$1 million isn’t enough – Fat Tailed and Happy

The hardest problem in finance – The Irrelevant Investor

$1 million? Meh. [US but relevant] – The Belle Curve

Comment and opinion

Stellar take on the savings-versus-investment-returns debate – Get Rich Slowly

Situational spending – Seth Godin

Index-investing critic takes aim, fires, misses – Bloomberg

Rational versus reasonable – Morgan Housel

Financial planning – Indeedably

Three investing maths mistakes to drive you nuts – The IT Investor

The current danger for stocks: Fear itself – Morningstar

Why you need a money mentor – The Cut

The reason many billionaires aren’t satisfied with their wealth – The Atlantic

The wonderful Portfolio Charts has had a makeover – Portfolio Charts

How to measure a company’s growth rate – UK Value Investor

The best investing white papers of 2018 [For nerds/pros] – Savvy Investor

Crypto corner (December 2017 nostalgic edition)

Four days trapped at sea with crypto’s nouveau riche – Breaker Mag

Yes Bitcoin was a bubble. And it popped… – Bloomberg

…but is it time for believers to buy back into Ethereum? – AVC

Prices are down more than the ‘fundamentals’ [My quotes] – Chris Burniske

Brexit

The EU rebuffs Theresa May on Brexit — six takeaways [Search result] – FT

Lord Heseltine nails it on Brexit [Video] – via Facebook

“This was the second failed attempt to unseat May in three weeks, for a bunch of guys who’d be picked last for paintball and are led by rejected Paddington villain Jacob Rees-Mogg.” – Guardian

EU leaders scrap plans to help Theresa May pass deal after disastrous meeting in Brussels – Independent

Sir Ivan Rogers on Brexit [Full speech] – University of Liverpool

How Ireland outwitted Britain on Brexit – Bloomberg

Don’t know why people see a nasty, racist fringe to the Leave vote… – via Twitter

Kindle book bargains

The Barcelona Way: How to Create a High-performance Culture by Damian Hughes – £1.09 on Kindle

The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity by Lynda Gratton and Andrew Scott – £2.99 on Kindle

James Acaster’s Classic Scrapes by James Acaster – £0.99 on Kindle

Off our beat

Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement – Farnham Street

Population mountains [Striking 3D maps of global populations] – The Pudding

KFC debuts fried chicken-scented fire logs ahead of Christmas – Fox News

We need academic conferences about robots, love, and sex – Slate

And finally…

“For half a century the competition to produce the fastest stock price-printing machine was almost as frantic as the pursuit of the stocks and the shares. Indeed for many, the two were inseparable.” – Selwyn Parker, The Great Crash: How the Stock Market Crash of 1929 Plunged the World into Depression

Like these links? Subscribe to get them every Friday!

Yes, a couple of things might be made better for a tiny subset of the population. But as we’ve discussed before, almost every serious economist believes those benefits would be grossly outweighed by the economic negatives. They’d be far better addressed directly via redistribution or government investment.

Or 18%, in a certain light.

“It’s magnificent, but it’s not war; it’s madness” – General Pierre Bosquet.

Note some articles can only be accessed through the search results if you’re using PC/desktop view (from mobile/tablet view they bring up the firewall/subscription page). To circumvent, switch your mobile browser to use the desktop view. On Chrome for Android: press the menu button followed by “Request Desktop Site”.

Weekend reading: Can we take back control from Brexit? published first on https://justinbetreviews.weebly.com/

[thrashermaxey]

20 Fantasy Hockey Thoughts

Every Sunday until the start of the 2018-19 regular season, we'll share 20 Fantasy Thoughts from our writers at DobberHockey. These thoughts are curated from the past week's "Daily Ramblings".

Writers: Michael Clifford, Ian Gooding, Cam Robinson, and Dobber

  1. There’s always a concern about a team suffering from a Stanley Cup hangover. The wear and tear on the body from an extended season. The adrenal fatigue that comes with the insane high of winning a championship. And, of course, the brutality that the liver is faced with in the days and weeks that follow the Cup ceremony. But, in all seriousness, after spending 13 years together climbing to the top of the mountain, there’s a legitimate chance that the Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom step off the gas a bit to start next season. Especially Backstrom, as he’ll have some healing to do this offseason that will take away from training. Watch for that lull and take advantage if you can. If they start icy, it’ll be a prime opportunity to get one or both at a discounted price. (june9)

  2. Is there another NHL team that benefits more from the increasing salary cap than Washington? With a reported $5-7 million dollars being tacked onto the roof this offseason, that will likely facilitate them retaining John Carlson.

The powerful right-shot blueliner re-established himself as a cornerstone fantasy asset this past season. Leading all blueliners in points is fantastic but replicating it is always the hard part. However, he attained his lofty numbers on the back of some sustainable metrics. Carlson shot the puck a great deal more this season – surpassing his previous career-high by 29 shots. Yet, his conversion rate remained consistent with his career norms. The other main factor to his 68-point season was the 33 power play points – another slam dunk career-high. He saw over a minute more per night on the man-advantage than 2016-17 and clearly made effective use of the additional time.

While 2017-18 very well could end up as his peak season, there's little reason to believe the 28-year-old won't be flirting with the top of the pile for defenseman scoring in immediate future. There is no one sniffing around his spot on the top power play unit, and his surrounding talent will remain quite high. (june9)

  3. It appears that Brady Tkachuk’s 2018-19 season is very much an unknown.

According to @OHLinsiders: Top NHLDraft Prospect Brady Tkachuk to OHL London rumour certainly has legs. I'm told that former Boston U Coach David Quinn's departure for the NHL is making Brady think twice. Will come down to whether or not he's NHL ready or not – if not, look for him to be in London.

This comes on the heels of his announcement to return to Boston University for a sophomore campaign a few weeks ago. However, it appears David Quinn grabbing the Rangers’ gig has changed some things.  

Many had assumed that Tkachuk would be one of the more NHL-ready prospects and thus hold some more clout in fantasy drafts this fall. Being drafted out of the NCAA will facilitate a multitude of options. Tkachuk will be eligible to play in the NCAA, OHL, AHL, or NHL. If he ends up in London, let’s hope he just takes No.7 to save fans from going out and getting a new jersey, as brother Matthew (Tkachuk) rocked that uni during his monster 2015-16 season with the Knights. However, this new revelation re-opens the door for an NHL debut next fall. That should play a role in his fantasy draft slot. (june9)

  4. The fact that Noah Hanifin is reportedly being dangled on the trade block shouldn’t raise huge red flags on his offensive upside. He scored 23 points in 37 games during his draft season, his only season at Boston College. His power-play time and production dipped slightly over the past two seasons but his role stands to increase if Justin Faulk is traded. Plus, if Hanifin continues his current pace, he could easily push for 40 points in 2018-19. Also keep in mind that he has been more durable than Faulk, missing just four games over his first three NHL seasons.

It’s clear that the Hurricanes want to make some drastic changes, having missed the playoffs for nine consecutive seasons. If they choose to stand pat with both Faulk and Hanifin, it’s possible that Hanifin could start to earn a greater share of ice time and power-play time. Hanifin is also entering that potential breakout fourth NHL season and was the Canes’ top-scoring defenseman last season (one point more than Faulk), so there is some sleeper potential here. (june10)

  5. The Stars are expected to bring back Valeri Nichushkin on a two-year deal, although the signing can’t be announced until July 1 (according to TSN). Although he failed to reach 35 points during his two seasons in Dallas, Nichushkin should give the Stars some much-needed scoring depth. Now, we’ll see if he can fulfill that promise that made him the 10th overall pick in 2013. (june10)

  6. Last week, I spoke about Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s pending free agency in 2019. At the time, it was reported that the Coyotes have an eight-year deal on the table for $8.25 million. John Chayka does not appear to be a man who minces words or actions. There’s a reason the organization is putting that worthy of an offer on the table 13 months before their star blueliner is eligible to test the waters. And, that’s to know what his intentions are.

OEL can take the offer under advisement for the summer and not allow the team to glean much information from it. Or, he can thank them and politely decline saying he wishes to focus on next season and leave the contractual part of the game for next summer. If that’s the case, I have a sinking suspicion that Arizona will dangle OEL at the draft in Dallas. Imagine the draft floor chatter that will be flying about if both OEL and Erik Karlsson are being legitimately shopped. (june9)

  7. That the Sabres might want to trade someone with a high cap hit isn’t overly surprising. It would essentially be the start of their second (third?) rebuild, but with Jack Eichel, Casey Mittelstadt, and eventually Rasmus Dahlin in place, along with two first-round picks next year, the chance to further stock the cupboard with prospects/picks makes sense. Ryan O’Reilly has fantastic for the Sabres but maximizing the return now in hopes to build a contender three to four years down the road seems like the right move. I’m sure the Canadiens are inquiring.

  8. Troy Stecher’s power play (PP) time on ice (TOI) in Vancouver all but disappeared this past season. He went from 2:42 per game in 2016-17 (nearly 193 minutes total) to … 15 seconds per game (17:22 total). Alex Edler saw an increase in PP time and that meant someone had to lose their minutes and that guy was Stecher. And he lost almost all of them.

It’s not really a huge surprise. Out of 50 defensemen with 150-plus  power play minutes in 2016-17, Stecher was 49th in points per 60 minutes. The team scored 5.29 goals per 60 minutes on the power play with him on the ice, 48th out of those 50 defensemen. With Edler patrolling the blue line on the PP, that goals/60 rate increase to 8.98 in 2017-18. Sure, there are mitigating circumstances (Brock Boeser) but that same mitigating circumstance means that Stecher isn’t likely to reclaim that PP time in 2018-19.

There still isn’t much depth on the Canucks roster as far as scoring is concerned, so without those power play minutes, Stecher might not carry much fantasy value next year. Edler is a UFA after the season, though, so Stecher dynasty owners may need to exercise patience. (june7)

  9. It’s hard to see Tim Heed having much fantasy value unless his coaches start trusting him. He was consistently a healthy scratch down the stretch for the Sharks and ended up only playing a little less than a third of the season for the team. He was a tweener for them; not really a NHL regular but too good for the AHL (he has 61 points in 65 career AHL games).

Heed is under contract for 2018-19, so he’ll have another year to prove himself. It seems unlikely the Sharks move Heed’s role from inconsistently in the lineup to 20 minutes a game in his age-28 season. Whether by adjusted shot share, actual goal share, or expected goal share, he was at or near the top in every regard for San Jose. We can quibble about his usage or sheltering but he crushed the opportunity given to him. It’s just a matter of whether it will lead to a bigger role. (june7)

  10. It appears Sean Monahan’s recovery from multiple surgeries is going as planned. It’s nice to hear there haven’t been any setbacks for the Calgary center and that he should be ready to go when the team hits the ice for training camp in a few months.

In general, I’m wary of drafting players coming off significant offseason surgery. If Monahan is all ready to go for the start of training camp, though, I’m not sure how much we should be concerned as fantasy owners. The concern would be if we get close to training camp and the team says he’ll need another couple of weeks. Until then, it seems there’s nothing to worry about.

  11. There is cause for concern that the Jets’ Dustin Byfuglien’s style of play is already leading to a statistical decline. Although Byfuglien’s points-per-game average has remained steady over the last four seasons (0.65 PTS/GP), he is now 33 years old and was held to just 69 games last season due to injuries. His hit total has also dropped from 222 in 2015-16 to 183 in 2016-17, and to just 147 in 2017-18. The Jets appeared to be a tired bunch after their hard-fought seven-game series win over Nashville. Although Byfuglien played three minutes less per game in 2017-18 compared to 2016-17, logging nearly 25 minutes per game is still heavy mileage. Understand all that Big Buff provides in a multicategory league but be careful not to overpay. (june6)

  12. Nikita Zadorov finished second among blueliners (to Byfuglien) with 103 penalty minutes and first among all players with 278 hits. This was the first season in which Zadorov reached triple-digits in penalty minutes and the first season in which he has recorded 200 hits. For what it’s worth, Zadorov also reached a scoring career high with 20 points (7g-13a), so he was one of many Colorado players to improve over a dismal 2016-17 season. Zadorov finished the season owned in 28 percent of Yahoo leagues.

If you believe that today’s game has less hitting than even last season’s game, then one stat supports your belief. In 2016-17, two players finished with over 300 hits (Mark Borowiecki led with 364), while in 2015-16 three players finished with over 300 hits (Matt Martin led with 365). We know that penalty minute totals have dropped through the years with far fewer fighting majors, but the number of hits could be declining as well. (june6)

  13. Brayden McNabb isn’t a player that you’re going to read about in a whole lot of fantasy articles. Yet, in the right type of league he could be extremely valuable – a true hidden gem on a team that unearthed plenty of hidden gems.

McNabb didn’t earn a particularly high point total (15 points) in 76 games and he won’t often be mentioned as a reason that the Golden Knights were so successful, but McNabb finished sixth among defensemen with 226 hits and sixth among all players with 176 blocked shots. That represented the highest combined hits/blocked shots total (401) among all players.

Interestingly enough, those weren’t the only categories where McNabb shined in 2017-18. He also finished tied for 13th with a plus-26 ranking (and fourth on the Golden Knights). McNabb is also a decent option in penalty minutes, having nearly reached 100 penalty minutes two seasons ago with the Kings and amassing at least 50 penalty minutes in each of his last four seasons. Although McNabb was owned in only 14 percent of Yahoo leagues, he turned out to be extremely valuable in leagues that count all of plus/minus, hits, and blocked shots. (june6)

  14. Reader Loutzenheiser asked: “What do you make about all the noise regarding the Habs drafting Jesperi Kotkaniemi at the third spot? Opinions seem scattered but some scouts him as a challenger to Filip Zadina on the third pick.”

Honestly, from what I understand of the draft, after the first two picks it becomes too close to call. Yes, there seems to be a consensus about numbers three and four, but the number nine guy could easily move up because the gap between three and 10 isn’t huge. Kotkaniemi, we have ranked 13, but he’s also considered by many to be the top center available and it wouldn’t shock me if he moves higher to a team that needs a center. Would I do it if I’m Montreal? No. However, if I really liked him or Joe Veleno, then I would trade down. I’d see if I can swap with sixth or seventh and get a second-round pick thrown in. Then I’d still get my guy plus the pick. (june5)

  15. Matt Norman: “Where does Victor Mete fit in this year? Are they going to run him next to Shea Weber full time? It feels like last year was a bit of a crap shoot at the beginning. He cooled off after game 10.”

No, and I don’t think you can expect a lot offensively from Mete this year. Give him time. He’s a good one but Weber has the top role right now. Mete and his career trajectory reminds me of Olli Maatta (so far … even include the injuries). (june5)

  16. Todd MacKay asked: “Will Elias Lindholm ever take the next step? What about Tomas Hertl? Who's going to have the next Sean Couturier-esque breakout?”

Yes, I believe Lindholm will. I know it’s been five seasons now, so my expectations have dropped to 70 points at best. But, there’s another gear … As for Hertl, I don’t like his chances as much. I think he gets hurt too much and I never thought he’d top 70 points to begin with … Couturier-esque breakout: Lindholm is a good candidate; Tyler Johnson … I’m just looking at guys who have been around for a few years and have established a production window. I’m not looking at young players on the rise such as Jake Guentzel and Pierre-Luc Dubois because I think those are obvious candidates. (june5)

  17. Jonny Miazyk: “How much do you like Alex Tuch going forward?”

I think Tuch will be Chris Kreider fantasy-wise and – knock on wood – doesn’t have the injury baggage to slow his development or reduce his production. (june5)

  18. The breakout we’ve been waiting for from Jason Zucker finally came and the power play had a lot to do with it. Zucker amassed 16 power-play points, which doesn’t sound like a lot, until you realize he had six (!) power-play points in his first 248 games with the Wild. He’s an RFA and is deserving of a healthy raise over the two-year, $2M AAV contract he just finished.

One issue is just whether there’s growth to be had or not. Minnesota is one of the teams that still splits its two PP units evenly – first through sixth in PP TOI per game among Wild forwards was separated by 18 seconds – so, unless something changes with the coaching staff, it’s hard to see Zucker racking up more PP points. If he’s back with the Wild, though, in this same role, I wouldn’t anticipate much of a decline in production. (june4)

  19. Back in late February, I wrote about how good of a season Nick Schmaltz was having, all things considered. It is recommended to go back and read that.

Going forward, Schmaltz certainly seemed to have earned the Blackhawks’ second-line center role behind Jonathan Toews. Skating with Patrick Kane boosted his five-on-five ice time from his rookie year but a huge chunk of the jump also came from the power play; he finished fourth among their forwards in PP TOI per game.

To my eyes and by the numbers, Schmaltz looks like a good playmaker right now and that should only improve for the 22-year old. The lack of shots means the across-the-board production may not be there but he seems in line to have a season like Mikko Koivu has had recently – expect somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 goals and 35 assists. (june4)

  20. Micheal Ferland saw a career year with 21 goals and 20 assists, career highs in both stats. Part of the jump in goals came from his power-play usage in that he tripled his career output to that point in PPGs with six (he had three for his career before 2017-18).

Maybe he stays on the top line under the new coaching regime, but it’ll be interesting to see what happens with the power play. It was a sore spot for the Flames most of the season and needs to be better next year. Do they just eschew the second unit completely? Does Ferland finish in the top-6 mix for forwards PP TOI again? Open-ended questions with a new head coach in town. (june4)

  Have a good week, folks!!

from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-home/20-fantasy-hockey-thoughts/20-fantasy-hockey-thoughts-27/