TASK ONE: You’re the coach of one of the teams in the playoffs! At least you’d like to think you are. Come up with a new set of lines for one of the teams eliminated in the playoffs, and explain why you made the choices you did. Must be at least 150 words.

I would take any of the teams. Any one of those teams that were eliminated in the playoffs, and make one slight change. I would change their defense. This is what won Texas the championship, and I will spoil the secret. The old Leafs 1-2-2 defense. It makes them play completely different and revolutionized the transition game for us. Without that I don't know if we win the Cup, and may have been taken out by a team utilizing that defense. It renders other teams offenses obsolete, and makes your defense play physical but not take penalties.

That's all it would take to take a team with a poor defense like Calgary to the next level in shot suppression and defense transition. Their offense with thrive because of it, getting feeds up the ice, being able to cheat a little bit every backcheck. I would take that change to every team. Leafs knew what he was doing


TASK TWO: Who is your choice for the unsung hero of the S36 playoffs up to this point? Must be at least 150 words and include at least two statistics in support.

Zanakard Abes is the unsung hero of the playoffs today. That third line Texas did a complete 180 on the season. Content with being role players, putting up 10-20 points a year, working hard in the defensive zone, and playing a chippy game, Bent-Abes-Horvat was beloved by Texas fans all season for their in your face style of play, and their ability to relieve pressure off of the top lines and go out against other teams top lines. It didn't go well all the time, the line finished around -13 for every linemate, but they still went out and did their job every night

In the playoffs, lead by Abes, the lines stepped its game up. Abes was one of the most talented players in that bottom 6, going hard every game at both ends of the ice, and without him leading that third line to offensive production, Texas may not have made the finals


TASK THREE: Who has the edge, New England or Texas? What (or who) will be the biggest factor for one team to triumph over the other? Must be at least 150 words.

Now, the series is over, so this is more disingenuous than it would have been before it, but no matter what I would have said Texas. The defense was working all playoffs, one of the top teams in the playoffs. After going down 2-0 against Winnipeg Texas had won 8 straight, sweeping both series after game 2 in Winnipeg. So, to say that NEW had any advantage is crazy. Texas had a better season in a harder conference and worked on their game all season, finding the perfect balance of lines in the playoffs, and steamrolling their way in. NEW was on a good run, but ultimately, Texas was the hotter team going in, and they proved it

As Texas coach I was always going to say this, and I think ultimately the defense and momentum that Texas experienced led them to victory over New England. They won the first two, extending their winning streak to 10 games, and closed it out in 6.

TASK FOUR: The SHL is hosting a charity event including members of both teams from a series during this postseason. Describe how this teamwork event would go in a minimum of 150 words. Must include three player names from each team, the name of a charity and at least one activity.

The New England Wolfpack and Texas Renegades worked together on an initiative in the SHL during the finals. The Challenge Cup Finals roamed from hospital to hospital in the Boston and Dallas area. When doing home games in Texas, the two teams would go with each other to a local hospital the day before the game, both supporting the other team's very similar Renegades Miracles and the New England Kids Fund. The charities support local Make-A-Wish foundation and cancer hospitals (specifically childrens). So after landing in their respective city, and after a practice, the team would go to a local hospital and meet kids and talk about the finals, and give away tickets to lucky fans. All-in-all over 500 tickets were donated to these foundations for the Finals as the SHL teamed up with both teams to make these kids dreams come true. It was truly an incredible event, and incredible teamwork from these enemies turned friends for a couple afternoons with kids