S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE

S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - Printable Version

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+---- Thread: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE (/showthread.php?tid=134597)

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RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - Seymour - 01-16-2024

Trivia: Bean

Procrastinator 1:

Wow can you believe that New England won the finals! It could not be me because I did not see this coming. What could Winnipeg have done to prevent them from losing in the finals. Well I wont trade on any insider information but I can share a few bites. I think they should have let less goals in than they did in the series. If you let less goals in then the odds of winning the game goes up. Secondly, they should have scored more goals, if you are having less goals allowed why not score more goals. Easy way to win is to have more goals.

Procrastinator 2:

[Image: Zpt68rN.png]

RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - Esso2264 - 01-16-2024

Trivia : birb

RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - CloudRobot - 01-16-2024

1. Trivia
Verification Word:MacT

3. Written, 3 TPE, Haven’t I Seen This Before? (150 words min.)
Even though both teams Winnepeg and New England did not finish at the top of the standings in the regular season, they both somehow made it to the final. I attribute this to past experince. Both teams have made it far in the playoffs for whats seems like seasons, they have both been super dominat come playoff time at least as loing as I have been a part of the site for a couple of seasons. It always seemed like it was one of them in the finals. I think they make it so far for two reasons 1)Playoffs are a different beast then the regular season. Playoffs and the regular season are incomparable. In the regular season it is a marathon not a sprint and you dont give it 150% each night unlike the layoffs where players play through injuries including broken bones. 2) GM's and Coahces already know how to win, these people have been there and done that, they know what it takes to win, they know how to adjust strategys, etc.

Affiliate Claim SSL: LINK +3TPE

Total:7.5(Plus .5 for correct trivia answers)

RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - NorwegianDemon - 01-17-2024

Code:
1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1.5 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is completed through a Google form linked below. Make sure to spell your answers correctly or you will not get credit. Post your verification word in your CW post.

norway

Code:
2. Written, up to 4 TPE - Grab Bag: Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.

Code:
b. Upsets were a theme this year - which of our finalists had the more difficult road to the promised land and why?

I think New England had the hardest road to the final, since they beat the teams that finished second and third in the regular season rankings, while Winnipeg strongest opponents ended the season sixth and seventh. On top of that, New England had two more losses than their final opponent and rebounding from a loss can be a hard thing to do, especially when you face a team that is supposed to be stronger than yours.

76 words

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d. If it ain't broke don't fix it: Who you got? Who wins? Why?

I think New England will beat Winnipeg during this season’s final. I think that the upper half of the Eastern Conference teams were significantly stronger than their Western Conference counterpart of this season and I think it will show during the final. I also think that New England has more players that can be game changer upfront, and these players will take over and give them the necessary wins.

69 words

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3. Written, 3 TPE, Haven’t I Seen This Before? (150 words min.)

Despite being the 8th and 10th ranked regular season teams in the league, our finalists from Winnipeg and New England represent two of the most dominant teams over the past several seasons. What do you think is the secret to their success? What can other teams learn from them? Which one is more likely to be back again next year?

I think we should learn that it might not be worth it to blow up your whole team. Even if the team is getting older and the player has started to decline, they still might have another big playoff run within them that could add another championship to the team achievement. New England and Winnipeg have been a contender in recent seasons and they both won a championship during this time. A lot of the players that were on these winning teams are there again for this season’s final and I think that the experience these players gain from all the game during the playoffs in the last few seasons is immense when it came to their ability to put together another great playoff run this season. Going forward, while I think New England’s defense could still make the difference, since they have two of the top defensemen in the league, I would bet on Winnipeg if I had to between these two teams, because I think they still have more depth that could carry them deeper into the playoffs.

180 words

RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - BadWolf - 01-17-2024

Gm cw pass

RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - FuriousChicken - 01-17-2024

1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1.5 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer: Chickenwing - 1.5-3 TPE

2. Total: 2 TPE
b. Upsets were a theme this year - which of our finalists had the more difficult road to the promised land and why?: Both teams were ranked pretty lowly coming into the play-offs, the Winnipeg Aurora had to defeat the San Francisco Pride, the Texas Renegades, and the Minnesota Monarchs. Meanwhile the New England Wolfpack needed to defeat the Philadelphia Forge, the Buffalo Stampede, and the Hamilton Steelhawks. According to the index the teams where 9th and 10th instead of 8th and 10th, so I will take 9th and 10th into account. With these opponents Winnipeg needed to beat the number 16, the number 6, and the number 14. While the number 14 did defeat the number 1 of the league in a big upset I wouldn’t say these defeats the teams the Wolfpack needed to defeat, with them getting the 13th placed team, 3rd placed team, and 2nd placed team for 2 upsets in their 3 games. Because of this I do think the New England Wolfpack had the harder route to the cup final, while I certainly do not want to count out the impressive performance of the San Francisco Pride. 171 words, 1 TPE

c. Which of the finalists had the more impressive conference finals victory, and why?: Both teams had quite a confident conference finals win, with the Winnipeg Aurora winning 4-1 against a San Fransisco Pride, who just beat the favorites in the Edmonton Blizzard with 4-2, while the New England Wolfpack beat a very strong team in the Philadelphia Forge with 4-2. Purely looking at the conference final, I would give it to the New England Wolfpack, but when also taking previous rounds into account you got to say that the San Fransisco Pride are a very strong team as well, and might even be the more difficult team with them just gaining a massive confidence boost beating the Blizzard, and the Winnipeg Aurora did shut them down quite confertably. 115 words, 1 TPE

3. Despite being the 8th and 10th ranked regular season teams in the league, our finalists from Winnipeg and New England represent two of the most dominant teams over the past several seasons. What do you think is the secret to their success? What can other teams learn from them? Which one is more likely to be back again next year?: Looking at these stats I would say it is more likely for the Winnipeg Aurora to be back again next season, while the west does have the Edmonton Blizzards who are really strong this season, I would say that (also based on the previous few seasons) west have less teams which are really close to eachother than the east does, since S70 the West had 2 finalists, while East had 3. Also, in the regular season standings the Texas Renegades (number 2 in West) was 6th in the overall ranking, with 4 eastern teams in the gap between Texas and Edmonton. 1 thing to also look at, is that the New England Wolfpack also had a more difficult route to the final compared to the Winnipeg Aurora, which has to count for the chance of either of these teams making the final, as the other teams in a conference are a important factor to take into account. Of course 1 team can go full rebuild over the next season and break this all open again. 175 words, 3 TPE

Total: 6.5 - 8 TPE

RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - Wheels - 01-17-2024

Code:
1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1.5 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is completed through a Google form linked below. Make sure to spell your answers correctly or you will not get credit. Post your verification word in your CW post.

Bender
+3

Code:
3. Written, 3 TPE, Haven’t I Seen This Before? (150 words min.)

Despite being the 8th and 10th ranked regular season teams in the 

league, our finalists from Winnipeg and New England represent two of the

 most dominant teams over the past several seasons. What do you think is

 the secret to their success? What can other teams learn from them? 

Which one is more likely to be back again next year?

It's evident that both teams benefit from experienced and highly regarded management, consistently translating into impressive performances in recent seasons. The leadership possesses the acumen to not only construct a championship-caliber roster but also execute strategic moves to refresh and sustain it, avoiding full rebuilds. Despite Winnipeg's regular-season performance not being the strongest, their playoff qualification and successful run, propelled by effective coaching, underline their ability to navigate crucial moments.

Similarly New England's veterans have turned it into a powerhouse franchise, sustaining success through astute decision-making and clever maneuvers. The managerial and coaching prowess of these franchises places them among the league's elite, making a recurring matchup in the coming seasons a plausible and unsurprising outcome. The longevity and respect garnered by both management teams have established a foundation for consistent success, and their ability to adapt and make shrewd moves bodes well for sustained competitiveness. As these two franchises continue to showcase their excellence, a future rematch seems highly probable, setting the stage for a compelling narrative in the seasons ahead.
172 Words
+3

Code:
5. Written, 3 TPE, Upset City (150 words min)

An impressive string of upsets took place this season, especially in the

 West with San Francisco’s Cinderella run. Which upset series impressed 

you most, why, and what in that series sticks out most in your memory? 

For the purposes of this task, any series won by the lower seed is an 

upset.

The most significant and unexpected upset undoubtedly revolves around San Francisco's triumph over Edmonton. Any instance where a top seed is ousted before the conference finals qualifies as a substantial upset. However, the real shocker lies in the fact that a 7 seed managed to accomplish this feat against Edmonton, a team that had only suffered 14 losses throughout the entire season, and then proceeded to lose 4 out of 6 games. Considering San Francisco's barely .500 record, eliminating the President Trophy winner, who had an 11-game advantage over the next team in the conference, is nothing short of monumental. What adds to the impressiveness is the manner in which San Francisco secured victory, particularly winning two games in overtime. This underscores the team's determination to challenge the defending champions in sudden-death scenarios. What's intriguing is that Edmonton had beaten San Francisco seven times in the regular season, making their elimination after not losing to the same team all year particularly brutal. Although their journey concluded with a loss against Winnipeg, the closely contested nature of those games adds a touch of melancholy to the end of their remarkable run.
190 Words
+3

+8 Total (9 submitted)

RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - FaraDian - 01-17-2024

Quote:1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1.5 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is completed through a Google form linked below. Make sure to spell your answers correctly or you will not get credit. Post your verification word in your CW post.

cap

Quote:7. Graphic, 3 TPE, Upsets Go Brrr
Draw your favorite, or least-favorite, upset from this season’s playoffs in the form of the teams’ respective mascots/logos fighting!

Quote:8. Graphic, 3 TPE, Upon Further Review
Draw how your team's season went! As long as I can tell which team you play for and it conveys some kind of sentiment about your team's season, you'll get credit.

RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - Muerto - 01-17-2024

1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1.5 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is completed through a Google form linked below. Make sure to spell your answers correctly or you will not get credit. Post your verification word in your CW post.

VW: Grogu

3. Written, 3 TPE, Haven’t I Seen This Before? (150 words min.)
Despite being the 8th and 10th ranked regular season teams in the league, our finalists from Winnipeg and New England represent two of the most dominant teams over the past several seasons. What do you think is the secret to their success? What can other teams learn from them? Which one is more likely to be back again next year?

It was a bit of surprise that the two teams were actually this low in the standings over the regular season. Both teams had unfortunate slumps at one point in the season, while other teams did surprisingly well. But they were both able to turn it around and be on hot streaks going into the playoffs. And once there, they both took care of business in their conferences to get to the final. I would say the key to both teams' success was that they have a core which the team had been built around for many seasons, following a complete rebuild. And, success breeds success, once they had both reached a point where they were contenders (and winners!) they become a more attractive signing spot for free agents, plus it becomes easier to use your draft assets as trade pieces to keep adding high-end talent as players drop off. Chemistry is very important in this league, so having players with lots of time together will help build that chemistry, which can sometimes even overshadow high end talent on your opponents that might not have the same chemistry. So to summarize, the key seems to be patience in building a team, and then being opportunistic when it comes to adding pieces which can keep the team operating at a high level.

12. Written, 2 TPE - The Procrastinator Special! (100 words min.)
Looks like [TEAM] won Season 74! Who won and why? What could the other team have done differently to change the result? What was your favorite part of the series?

So New England won the cup in a 6 game series. Congrats to them. Obviously I'm not super happy about it because I play for the Aurora and wanted to win the Challenge Cup, but we just couldn't get it done. When you look at the leaders for playoff scoring, NEW has 4 of the top 5 goal scorers, 5 of the top 6 in assists, and the top 6 in total points. They say defense wins championships but when you have the kind of goal scoring talent that the Wolfpack possess, it is hard to outscore them in a 7 game series. It wasn't complete domination but Winnipeg just couldn't get the puck in the net often enough to overcome that talent. I'm not sure what we could have done differently, it was just NEW's year and they weren't going to be denied. My favorite part of course was actually participating in the finals for the forst time since S38, so it was a long drought without even getting a sniff. Also I was happy with my own player's performance, only had 1 bad game in the finals and led the team in scoring and led the entire league in penalties which isn't cool maybe but it's nice to lead in something!

RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - Valpix - 01-17-2024

Code:
1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1.5 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is completed through a Google form linked below. Make sure to spell your answers correctly or you will not get credit. Post your verification word in your CW post.

waffles

Code:
4. Written, 3 TPE, The Char B1 bis In The Room (150 words min.)

This league was until quite recently dominated by a cabal of four teams. Two of them, Winnipeg and New England, are our finalists. A third, Philadelphia, was a finalist last year. The fourth... was Montreal. Does the success of Winnipeg and New England prove that Montreal pulled the plug too soon and should’ve kept the gang around? Or did at least one of the others just get lucky and Montreal made the better decision, without hindsight? What team-building lessons can we learn from this?

The thing about these types of trends is that for the giants to fall someone else has to rise up in their place. In my opinion, New England and Philadelphia have benefit from Montreal blowing it up because nobody else in the East was ready to rise up. But given how much of that Patriotes core has retired I'm inclined to say it's the right decision and both the Forge and Wolfpack have gotten a bit lucky that no one from the tier below has really risen up to challenge them on equal footing. Atlanta is retooling, Baltimore is improving but not quite there, Buffalo has the know-how to punch above their weight with the roster but the gap in quality will eventually show. And as for Winnipeg, they also got a bit lucky in that Edmonton got bounced early by a Cinderella San Francisco that caught fire. Had Edmonton gotten through, I don't think Winnipeg is in this final and we're having a totally different conversation.

Code:
11. Written, 3 TPE, Juniors’ Juniors (150 words min.)

Are there any new promotions to your org that you’re excited to see make your IIHF squad? Who’s a good rookie on your squad this offseason? Alternatively, who’s a current World Juniors star you’re excited to see in the IIHF soon?

As a newly minted federation head, I'm really excited to see how Switzerland fares in our first season under new management. I'm especially excited to see one of the greatest J players of all time make the jump to the IIHF squad uncapped this season, as Jeff Hunziker will no longer be capped. He and Rikaad Metzller are the only two additions to our squad from prior teams. Outside of us, I'm excited to see how Czechia fares with their massive swarm of transfers-in (I count what, six new players on the squad? seven? for a fed that's been kinda stuck lately, constantly in search of that first gold, it's really refreshing to see), and the promotion of the Solberg twins is exciting for Norway as well. Overall, it genuinely feels like the IIHF is moving in the right direction, with plenty of excited players and teams, and I can't wait for puck drop!

RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - zaynzk - 01-17-2024

8/8

1. Trivia: aiodsjfaoidsf

3. Written, 3 TPE, Haven’t I Seen This Before? (150 words min.)

You know the reason these two teams are killing it is 'cause they've got this solid culture game going on I'm telling ya New England and Winnipeg are rocking some of the sickest vibes in the league and that's gonna stick around for ages So with New England it's all about that hustle precision and teamwork vibe From the coaches to the players everyone's on the same grind for excellence They're not just racking up wins they're creating a whole legacy that's pumping up players and fans alike Now Winnipeg's got its own flavor with a mix of resilience and community spirit It's all about that tight bond between players the love from the fans and a never-give-up attitude It's not just about the wins it's about building a real connection with the squad and the supporters creating a legit identity ooking forward you can bet your bottom dollar that the cultures these teams have built are gonna stand the test of time This ain't just a short-term success story it's a long-haul effort to create something solid As these teams roll with the punches their cultures are gonna be the backbone for all the future wins It's not just about the scoreboard it's about leaving a mark on the players the organizations and the fans who ride or die for these teams

12. Written, 2 TPE - The Procrastinator Special! (100 words min.)

Yo, this team straight-up owned it! Their vibe is all about that grind, hustle, and unity. From the coaches droppin' knowledge to the players bringing their A-game, it's a symphony of excellence. Wins ain't just numbers; they're building a legacy that's on a whole new level. This squad ain't playin'; they're crafting a story that's gonna be etched in history. With resilience and mad community spirit, they're forging connections, not just scoring goals. Future? You better believe this team's setting the stage for a ride that's gonna be talked about for ages. It's not just wins; it's a lifestyle, a culture, and they own it!

RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - Slappydoodle - 01-17-2024

1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1.5 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer.

Buttock manipulation

2. Written, 1 tpe
a. Two old faces are back in the ring, proving reports of the dynasty’s demise were greatly exaggerated! Pick either of our finalists, and tell me what about them impresses you the most!

The New England Wolfpack are impressive because one does not expect a pack of wolves to be so.good at hockey. Especially since by their nature they want to chew up sticks, just like the one in their logo is doing, as opposite scoring goals and poking pucks away with them. They must be some amazingly well trained canines.

15 min podcast, 4 tpe

https://m.soundcloud.com/mesbonk/s74-championship-week-bsh

RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - NJBadApple - 01-17-2024

1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1.5 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer.
Verification word: applepie

4. Written, 3 TPE, The Char B1 bis In The Room (150 words min.)
I don't think you can really question moves like that until things have fully played out. Montreal made the decision to move on while their window was waning and build an elite prospect pool and roster for the future. An alternative would have been to have kept selling future to keep the window open, but with the team clearly believing that was not a viable strategy, they made the most sensible move available to stock the cupboards for future runs. Ultimately, 3 of the 4 teams mentioned could not win another Challenge Cup for a long time so who knows? There's no point dealing with "what ifs" in these scenarios and there's no point judging moves before they've had a chance to play out. We'll see over a long window whether Montreal's rebuild succeeds and whether or not they made the right decision to pull the plug when they did, at this point in time it's simply too soon to say. Although I do miss the glory days back in MTL.

Code:
Words: 150+

12. Written, 2 TPE - The Procrastinator Special! (100 words min.)
So New England ended up taking the cup home, and it really wasn't a huge surprise. They have one of the most well-rounded rosters in the entire league, and definitely the stronger of the two there in the finals. One thing Winnipeg could have done to increase their chances was to not trade away their TPE leader halfway through the season, although they did knock him out in the earlier rounds. Another thing about New England is the over-performance of a lot of their younger players, helping compliment the offense that was led by Lacksamus. They must be on to something in FHM when it comes to that delicate balance and not trying to just build a super team.

Code:
Words: 100+

RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - karey - 01-17-2024

Code:
1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1.5 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is completed through a Google form linked below. Make sure to spell your answers correctly or you will not get credit. Post your verification word in your CW post.

Karey

Code:
2. Written, up to 4 TPE - Grab Bag: Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.

Code:
b. Upsets were a theme this year - which of our finalists had the more difficult road to the promised land and why?

I think New England had the hardest road to the promised land this season. New England may have avoided playing the first hot Edmonton Blizzard, but they had to face two equally strong matchups. I think the jolt of energy sparked from taking out the Buffalo Stampede so decisively made it for an exciting journey that was by no means easy.

61 words

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d. If it ain't broke don't fix it: Who you got? Who wins? Why?

The Winnipeg Aurora are winning this. They are a team that is so stacked with every position across their lineup being filled with high-quality players, but also players that have endeared hardships and have have experience playing in the finals. Both the resilience and experience will come in handy and I even though the New England Wolfpack are a great team themselves they are going to have it real tough against, the Winnipeg boys.

73 words

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3. Written, 3 TPE, Haven’t I Seen This Before? (150 words min.)

Despite being the 8th and 10th ranked regular season teams in the league, our finalists from Winnipeg and New England represent two of the most dominant teams over the past several seasons. What do you think is the secret to their success? What can other teams learn from them? Which one is more likely to be back again next year?

Yes, I’ve seen this before. We’ve all seen this before. If you’re surprised at the two best teams in the regular season were defeated by the New England Wolfpack and the Winnipeg Aurora, you likely overestimate the impact of the regular season. Their teams who find success in the regular season, and also find success in the playoffs, but as we all know, the most indicative of success in the SHL playoffs is team chemistry and experience. Both the Winnipeg Aurora and the New England Wolfpack have been here before. The experience of their veterans whom used to be young, buckeye, rookies, and sophomores in the league, are now mentoring the new generation of players in the respective teams. Experience is critical in knowing how to both endure the hardships of the playoffs, but also to model just how much gusto the playoffs take. I would not be surprised to see members of these teams continue to find success, and make an impact of the league come playoff time. It doesn’t matter if they squeak in by a single point or lead the regular season in wins as a team, when it comes to playoffs, it’s anyone’s game and often experience trumps all.

203 words

RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - Snussu - 01-18-2024

Gm pass