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trella · 07-05-2022, 11:05 PM

Its been 5 years since I joined the SHL and I've made a lot of friends and memories along the way. I also just retired my 2nd player, Ambacas Cuddles after a nice career with Tampa Bay. Ambacas will play his final season with New England. AMA Smile

07-05-2022, 11:18 PMcaltroit_red_flames Wrote: What's next?

Like I said, Ambacas will play his last season with the New England Wolfpack. It sucks to leave the Barracuda, but with a prospect ready to be called up and a few legends wanting to stick around, it was time for me to take the bullet. I’m excited to sign with my old pal luke and help a young and rebuilding team.

I created a new player, Center Terry Leviathan. He will he a junions only player as I wait until season 69. I know that class will be absurd so how would i not want to be a part of it? I’m excited to have a fun juniors career starting with the engine change.

After I retire Leviathan, I’ll make my next attempt at a Hall of Fame player. I have one under my belt but I sacrificed personal stats Ambacas’ entire career because I was basically always my own manager. I’m not gonna boost my stats over other’s. Maybe I can prove it wasn’t a fluke and make another great player.

07-05-2022, 11:20 PMZ0REM Wrote: Is the cuddles dynasty over?

Maybe, I don’t really know. Leviathan is a short term player, so I could go back to Cuddles with my player in S69. I’ve been thinking of making his last name Hýčkat because I will be rejoining Czechia for IIHF and hýčkat means cuddle in Czech.

07-05-2022, 11:24 PMClint Eastwood Wrote: Do you like hot dogs or burgers more?

Any chance long lost brother Mohammad Cuddles ever returns?

For a long time, I would have said burgers but the Rhode Islander in me took over and I have found a greater love for hot dogs.

Mohammad coming back is up to you brother.

07-05-2022, 11:32 PMboom Wrote: With the benefit of hindsight, if you had been given the keys to the team before S54, would you still have undertaken the Process and gone 0-50?

Honestly, yes. I have always praised MCP for his foresight in making the moves that he did. MCP was not fired for having a bad team, he was fired because he made honest mistakes that broke the rules. MCP saw the changing landscape and knew that Tampa stood no chance against some other teams, and decided to sell his biggest assets when the market was very inflated. The assets acquired by MCP turned out to be major pieces of the revival of the team. Plus, the 0-50 story is something the team really latched onto and owned. We always had a chip on our shoulder because of that season. Lastly, the whole 0-50 bit being all my fault is probably my favorite bit that I’ve ever had on the SHL. So no, I wouldn’t change a thing.

07-05-2022, 11:47 PMACapitalChicago Wrote: Favorite memory with Ambacas?

This is a hard one, but I would say this last cup run. It was pretty tragic to lose, but the run was magical. Mike Fitted coming through in his old age to lead the team and league in goals and points during the playoffs run was a perfect and amazing story. Everyone was hyped to finally have a shot to fulfill the 0-50 to cup win story. Unfortunately, LA was too strong and they overpowered us.

If we were to lose to anyone, I’m glad it was LA. There’s nothing but love between Tampa and LA because of the Carolina roots of both modern iterations of the franchise. There were 15 Carolina Kraken alumni in the finals this year and this year was really a testament to the work done in Carolina starting with Fuzz and I in S49. Losing hurt, but losing to LA made it easier to swallow.

07-06-2022, 12:11 AMslothfacekilla Wrote: What are some of the best and worst changes you’ve seen here in your five years?

Its hard to point out specific rulings and instances, but the league slowly transformed from a player focused league to a GM focused league. This was a result of a rushed but necessary sim change after the previous engine was made unusable. Head Office did not forsee the the gap in sim knowledge that would form and underestimated how much of an impact going from STHS, a very simple engine, to FHM, a very complex engine. Of course, this is all hindsight and HO did not really have much of a choice, but if site leadership was more proactive and organized in the seasons following the engine switch, I think the league wouldn’t have had the dip it has been seeing.

I have to give Wannabefinn a lot of credit for the changes that have rapidly been put into place to minimize the gap in tactic and limiting time spent for GMs. SHL has always been a league too resistant to change and it really hurt the league in the season 50s and 60s. The league seems to be headed in the right direction and its nice to finally see some leadership that actually gets things done.

I understand the insane amount of work that goes into these things and that it is literally volunteer work, but I think a lot of changes enacted recently have been no brainers for awhile now and had HO been more willing to shake things up, the league probably would have benefited. I created a player in the PBE and while I have always been critical of HO in that league, their willingness to make small changes to balance the league is something I hope that the SHL can learn from.

07-06-2022, 07:17 AMPremierBromanov Wrote: What would you say that thang do?

Real question:

A genie offers you 3 wishes, but they have to be related to the SHL. What do you wish for?

It be jigglin

This is a really hard question, I guess my first wish would be to beat LA in the finals. Second… I wish Hamilton never became so dead set on exploiting STHS. Third… I wish @Clint Eastwood never left.

07-06-2022, 04:22 PMFuzzSHL Wrote: Not much of a question, but I just wanted to reach out and say a few things.

I have had the luxury and privilege of having a generally successful GM tenure from that first season in Montreal, but I know for a fact that I would not have been nearly as successful in the J or in LA if it weren't for you hopping onboard with me in Montreal to start things off. You always kept me level headed, especially when I was tunnel visioning a few trade ideas. You are a huge part of both Carolina's and Tampa Bay's success, and you don't get nearly enough credit for it. Ambacas had a hell of a career, and I'm looking forward to your player in S69

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Thanks for giving me the chance to manage with you in Carolina! I was hesitant at first to get started but I’m glad I did. I’m really proud of what we were able to accomplish.