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*Zerg* · 01-25-2025, 10:46 AM

1) Trivia verification word: kekw (3 TPE)

3) SFP doing nothing but feeding Logan Webb has worked out for them against the West, but I think this year the East has the goaltending to shut that down. Tibuk Soonika has sniffed this air before and come up short every time, but this year might be the year for the Barracuda. Tibuk only has one real scoring threat to face. Take Webb every time there's a breakaway, and the Barracuda just might have what it takes to make up the difference. To get a similar result, the Pride has to shut down the whole Barracuda squad; this season's eastern representative doesn't have the same weakness in a one-dimensional offense. (110 words 2 TPE)

4) And now for the goalie matchup. Tibuk Soonika has the simpler job this time: don't let Logan Webb score. If the Barracuda can hold Webb back from scoring, their team should be strong enough to make up the difference in sheer firepower. The real question to be asked here is whether Justin Time is finally getting bored. He is, as we all know, an eldritch god, and therefore doesn't age. Father Time is his little brother. There is no aging out for Justin Time; he's dominating the league deep into regression. Will the sim engine finally throw him under the bus? Has the ageless king in purple finally figured out this game of hockey to the extent that he's satisfied with his knowledge of this pocket of mortality, and begun to feign his regression? If Justin Time's TPE finally catches up with him, the Barracuda could run away with this series. If he feels that to allow this would be to let his teammates down, I don't think all the firepower in the eastern conference could guarantee the Barracuda this cup. They have a shot either way, but they can't rely on a goaltending collapse from the Pride to get them over the top here. May the best goalie win. (210 words 4 TPE)

Total TPE earned 9. Understand the maximum available is 8; one TPE overage in case of incorrect trivia answers.

*FaraDian* · 01-25-2025, 10:54 AM

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.

trivia

Code:
11. Written, 282 words. Did We Really Win

This season we saw something unusual as both conferences featuring a division where winner got arguably harder matchup than the second place team as the wild card from the other division finished with more points than the third place team in their division. How does it make you feel about the playoffs structure? Was it actually even worse for New Orleans and Buffalo to have won their division? Or does it really matter as if you are reaching for the cup likely should be prepared to face any team anyway? How much do you think it benefited Los Angeles and Philadelphia to face opponents out of their own division during first round?

This has always been an issue with the Wild Card system, which I’ve never enjoyed in the SHL or the NHL. I get the theory that it both enhances divisional rivalries while still rewarding the eight best teams in each conference. But the second part of that is essentially non-existent, especially with the SHL only having 10 teams per conference. At most, a flat 1-8 seeding would put in 5 teams from one division and 3 from the other… but that’s already possible in the wild card system.

As for rivalries, this season did the exact *opposite* in the Western Conference. Instead of having San Francisco play their in-state rival Los Angeles and New Orleans getting divisional foe Winnipeg, the wild card caused those matchups to be reversed. If you want divisional matchups, just do divisional playoffs. And if you really want to push divisional rivalries, go do what I’ve said in the last half a dozen Championship Weeks and change the regular season schedule. 66 games remains the weirdest, imbalanced number that no one has ever attempted to explain to me.

The biggest rivalries might be built in the playoffs, but they can’t be manufactured. The NHL’s Boston and Toronto playing each other every first round is funny, but I’m not sure it’s created a rivalry anymore than already existed between those two Original Six teams. Detroit and Colorado wasn’t a rivalry built in the first round; it was built in the Conference Finals. Heck, in the SHL, San Francisco and Texas having now played in three of the last four West Conference Finals is one of the bigger rivalries and it has nothing to do with the wild card structure.

*Pyro182* · 01-25-2025, 03:10 PM

CW Pass

***hockeyfan*** · 01-25-2025, 04:05 PM

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.

Verification word: lightning

+3 TPE

Code:
10. Written, 50 to 200+ words. The Unexpected

Toronto ended up making it into the playoffs by one point while Atlanta had the best regular season since S71 Winnipeg. Yet in the playoffs Atlanta ended up losing the second round, while Toronto made it to the conference finals. Does regular season success matter in the long run if the team fumbles in the playoffs? Should teams give much importance to the regular season or focus all of their energy to playoffs once their team has secured a spot? Should the league in general regard the regular season results more highly?

It is quite clear, after the unexpected S80 playoffs, that the regular season does not seem to mean a whole lot. A team can finish 14th in the entire league and make it all the way to the conference finals. Toronto did not have a terribly hard path to the finals, as New England only played slightly better over 66 games, and Philadelphia were not the team of old, but if you were in a bad division much like this, the regular season standings don't matter. Finish in the top 3 of your division and you stay away from the good teams. If you're in a good division, then yes, regular season standings matter because you want to stay out of the wildcard by all means necessary. Get in to the playoffs and as long as you are better at strats than your opponent, anything is possible. Maybe we should go to a top 16 playoffs, where it's 1 vs. 16, 2 vs. 15 etc and it reseeds through the next round. Could be fun!

178 words: +3 TPE

Code:
12. Written, 50 to 200+ words. IIHF Back To Back

IIHF tournament is so short that every point is very important for the seeding for the playoffs. On top of that the playoffs are best of one making upsets more likely than during the league playoffs. Despite all that Canada did win the last two IIHF tournaments. Latvia, Switzerland and Czechia made up the rest of the top 4 for last season. Which of the last season’s top 4 teams you think is most likely to make it to the medal games this season and which is most likely to miss? Why?

The IIHF tournament is a fun place to be, because anything can happen. This season does feel like it's Switzerland's to lose, as the nation is bringing back their entire team which won the bronze medal and finished the entire tournament as the second seed. The players have improved and bonded together after their first full tournament together, and there is nothing stopping them from coming home with another medal, but this time, GOLD! Tibuk Soonika is playing his face off with Tampa Bay right now in the SHL finals, and he will look to continue that play and will Switzerland to the top for S80!

108 words: +2 TPE

+8 TPE

Tesla · 01-25-2025, 05:32 PM

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.

Couch

Code:
Written, 50 to 200+ words each. Short Prompts

2. Sydney Shaw has an incredible 6 powerplay goals leading the league this playoffs by 3x any other player, as a defenseman no less! Is there something San Francisco is doing differently to make Shaw a power play sniper?

Okay well based on my extensive experience in the refined art of ranged combat, my knowledge of military history, and my complete lack of knowledge on hockey I am going to say there are three things that have helped Shaw score so much. First Shaw's grandfather was a hockey player specialized in distance shooting. Do I know this to be true? Absolutely not! Am I guessing because of the quote that to train a longbowman you start with their grandfather which given longbowman's range would suggest a similar success here in regards to hitting a hockey puck a good distance? Yes. By extension I trust San Francisco sent someone in the past to help coach the grandfather up leading to this advantage. Second carrots. Why carrots? The lie that they were what allowed people to see things that were actually discovered via sneakier tactics, and the fact that to be able to properly analyze what you need to to score from that distance I would trust Shaw has good eyesight. San Francisco during their time travel training obviously instructed the elder Shaw to maintain a carrot rich diet for their grandchild. Third Shaw plays golf. In an inverse of Happy Gilmore Shaw spent time developing their driving skills in golf and then translated that talent to the ice. Something easy enough to force the entire team to do as part of some silly bonding exercise. Then those three facts were known by San Francisco's coach meaning all they had to do was get the other players to put the puck in place for Shaw to score with. I hope that makes sense!

Code:
Word Count: 272

Code:
10. Written, 50 to 200+ words. The Unexpected

Toronto ended up making it into the playoffs by one point while Atlanta had the best regular season since S71 Winnipeg. Yet in the playoffs Atlanta ended up losing the second round, while Toronto made it to the conference finals. Does regular season success matter in the long run if the team fumbles in the playoffs? Should teams give much importance to the regular season or focus all of their energy to playoffs once their team has secured a spot? Should the league in general regard the regular season results more highly?

Speaking as a fan of another sports league I enjoy regular season success. If my team makes the playoffs I consider the season to be a win whether we go anywhere or not. Obviously you want your team to go the distance and win the whole shebang every season, but that is not a tenable expectation if you expect to maintain enjoyment of the sport.

Now as for whether regular season success matters in the grander scheme of things outside of being a fan of the team in the moment my answer is no. While people remember the 1998 Vikings who were a historically good offense that went 15-1 it is mostly due to how snakebitten the Vikings franchise is that we remember it. Nobody mentions the 2004 Steelers who went 15-1 because while it was an incredibly successful season for the franchise it did not have anything historic about it beyond being one of just nine fifteen win seasons since the merger. In conclusion I think it matters to the fans of the team and so by extension for a league like this the players that they get to see success in the regular season, but in the grander scheme of things just getting the playoff berth is of greater importance.

I am firmly in the camp that you play to win the game ahead of you. Admittedly as a gridiron football fan I am used to benching star players in the last game of the regular season if seeding is set, but in hockey with depth being what it is and the length of the season being what it is I firmly think you need to focus on having a winning mentality game to game rather than start looking beyond. It happens all to often that people put the cart before the horse and stumble. Focus on what you can control right now and just work to continue being successful rather than splitting attention and possibly fumbling it all.

I think the league in general should just do what it feels best about as someone who is only here for vibes. If the team I am on wins the most games in the regular season and I am aware of it I will celebrate, but I do not expect any trophy on my forum page for it. My thoughts are if you are a fan or member of the team that won the regular season celebrate it in the moment and be happy cause whether you go the distance or not it is still a nice season.

Code:
Word Count: 429

2+4+4=8 TPE please and thank you

icewindoo · 01-25-2025, 05:57 PM

1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max

verification word: strawberry

11. Written, 50 to 200+ words. Did We Really Win

I'm still new around here, and while I'm really loving my time here, one of the first things I would change if I were SHL King would be the structure of what the playoff matchups are. In short, the current system is nonsensical. First off, I literally cannot make sense of what the format is, because it is neither described in the rules or any official document, nor is it reflected anywhere in the three different standings formats that are shown in the Index. How on earth is any new (or even established) player supposed to understand how the playoffs are organized?? Secondly, the wild card system is kind of silly. Since the SHL schedule is very unbalanced, it's very likely to have the kind of situation that we have here: good teams grouped into one division will look worse than they actually are, and bad teams grouped together will look better than they are. Case in point: the two worst Eastern Conference teams played each other in the first round of the playoffs! If the schedule is going to remain so unbalanced, it's worth considering whether the playoffs should be strictly based on division: the top four teams in each division qualify for the playoffs, and the first two playoff rounds are played entirely within each division. This proposal is likely too extreme for most, so a reasonable compromise would be to make everything strictly conference based: the top eight teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs, and the first round matchups are 1v8, 2v7, 3v6, and 4v5, with a fixed bracket. Please, SHL Gods, seriously consider changing the playoff format.

[273 words, +4 TPE]

13. Written, 50 to 200+ words. National Pipeline

Canada tends to be a very successful nation in international play, but last year's WJC campaign was an exception: Canada Red lost in the quarterfinals, and Canada Black managed only a single victory in the entire group stage. If I had to pick a Canadian Junior player to watch, it would be S79 Carolina defender Chuck Stewart. Chuck is one of the top Canadian TPE getters for his age, and while his offensive numbers aren't eye-popping, he is one of the best defenders in the SMJHL. As just one example, at the time of writing, Stewart is leading his team in +/- in the playoffs, for a team that is currently in the finals against Quebec City. Mark my words: Stewart will have a long and sucessful SHL career.

[129 words, +2 TPE]

***Aleris*** · 01-25-2025, 06:18 PM

ISFL affil

1. poggies

7. I want TBB to win the cup final this season. Mostly because they are the underdog, had the top team in the league in their conference and still made it all the way to the final. And because SFP is now the KC Chiefs of the league and everyone is sick of them and they're never gonna be bad again and they're the evil empire. Also Max Carnage was an NBB grad and is a total stud of a player and deserves a cup, especially since he lost in the last one he was in. Also who doesn't love pink as a color. They deserve a cup right there just for their color scheme.

[Image: renoalerissig.png?ex=67a29efe&is=67a14d7...8c0780046&]

*Ara* · 01-25-2025, 08:26 PM

HO Pass

***39alaska39*** · 01-25-2025, 10:53 PM

1. Trivia: Verification word Astro

+3 TPE

2. It’s hard to argue with the contribution that Sydney Shaw has put on the ice for the Pride in the playoffs. She has been the best defensive player in the league throughout these playoffs, and it has shown through in her powerplay points. She’s become the go to player on what had been a mostly mediocre San Francisco powerplay and really helped it kick into high gear during the playoffs. While Shaw does take plenty of shots, they’ve been doing a phenomenal job to score in timely situations and with the powerplay, each of those goals is important and punishes the opponent for their mistakes. I’m not sure if I think that there is anything inherently different that San Francisco is doing to get her opportunities on the power play, but I think she is taking her chances better and picking good shots to put on net. Goalies aren’t necessarily expecting her shots and it’s working out wonderfully for the Pride.

WC: 161 +3 TPE

7. Even though I know the series is over now, I’m never going to choose anyone other than San Francisco to win the Cup. This year, it was the right call and the Pride came through to win a tightly contested series against the Barracuda. I think this was probably the closest and best Finals that we’ve participated in since I’ve been on the team and definitely the most difficult win of our three wins. That’s not to take anything away from Philadelphia in S79 or Baltimore in S76, but I think represents how well the Barracuda played. Great team with a lot of great people, and I think also that the cross country nature of the series had an effect. By forcing both teams to travel as much as they did for that series, it really takes a toll on the players mentally as well as physically. It was a grueling finish to the season, but I’m proud we won again.

WC: 161 +3 TPE

Total TPE Earned: +8

Alex Winters (retired)
Matej Winters (retired)
Dominik Winters
S45 Jesster Trophy Winner
Challenge Cup Winning Goal Club: S52

***BadWolf*** · 01-25-2025, 11:59 PM

Cw pass

***lore*** · 01-26-2025, 01:27 AM

Code:
1. Trivia - 3 TPE 

verification:

boop

Code:
2. Sydney Shaw has an incredible 6 powerplay goals leading the league this playoffs by 3x any other player, as a defenseman no less! Is there something San Francisco is doing differently to make Shaw a power play sniper?

59 words - 1 TPE

A big reason is that Shaw is just a force of nature these days, but it really helps that she is simply always out there on the ice. Rather than hold her back, it seems like Sydney decided she may as well score while she's quarterbacking the powerplay, controlling the penalty kill, and dictating the play on even strength.

Code:
3. A total of 5 goals separates SFP and TBB’s goal differentials. The difference? SFP has 17 goals from Logan Webb with most of his teammates just feeding him puck while TBB has no player besides 1 to have less than 2 goals scored this playoffs. Which team’s strategy is more likely to pay off in these finals and why?

155 words - 3 TPE

In seasons past, current TBB was how the Pride operated. We had depth for days, and we used it to our advantage. San Francisco may not be quite as strong in that sense this time around, but the depth is still there nonetheless. In fact, 7 game-winning goals have come from SFP's second line, where the entirety of the rest of the team combined came up with 9. That's three players versus twelve, and if you add the third line to the second line that's 10 GWG for the "weak" depth, versus only 6 combined from the rest of the team. So sure, Logan Webb stands out as the offensive weapon that he is, but the rest of us are quietly making our contributions count. And to answer the question, it could still go either way. Tampa Bay deserves so much more credit for how elite their roster has been for a few seasons now.

Code:
6. Which team would your player root for in the finals and why?

77 words - 1 TPE

This is going to sound dumb and likely worth throwing tomatoes at me for, but Viktor would root for both teams. There isn't a chance in hell that he'd say so out loud, but he's always cheered for the best team to win it all when it comes to the Challenge Cup. It's awful when that team isn't the Pride, but he can't help but admire everything that goes into finally lifting that cup over your head.

Code:
7. Who you got? Who wins the Challenge Cup or Four Star Cup? Why?

84 words - 1 TPE (if trivia incorrect)

Just in case I somehow messed up trivia: SFP and QCC. I'm super biased, but I'm also very confident that both teams can and will do it. That said, the opponents that both have to get through have to be the strongest I've seen in my "short" time on the site and following both of these teams. If both teams end up on the losing side, yes I'll be disappointed, but it's a whole lot easier to swallow when the opposition was this tough.

roquefort · 01-26-2025, 01:29 AM

ISFL affiliate +3 TPE
rats (Trivia, +3 TPE)

6. Roquefort Cotswold would have no choice but to root for the Barracuda. For starters, the Pride are a lame design. San Fran doesn't even have lions. I don't get the branding. For seconds, Lions are big cats. Cats hate rats. Rats hate cats, big cats included. Roquefort is a rat, thus anti lion. Finally, the Barracuda have them beat with their color scheme. How can you hate ont he miami vice pink and blue? Not to mention that Tampa bay area actually has Barracudas, and that they're a unique branding for a sim league team. Roque would ofc go with the underdog.

Code:
100+ words, +2 TPE

karey · 01-26-2025, 02:30 AM

Trivia: karey

Graphic 1:
[Image: IMG-1366.jpg]

Graphic: IIHF Captain
[Image: IMG-1368.jpg]

NUCK · 01-26-2025, 02:39 AM

Trivia: Nuck

8. San Francisco's recent success has been amazing and a real eye opener for the league as a whole. Its easy to look at them and their recent success and think its one or two players carrying the team and some simple sim luck on the part of the PC. But The dynasty they have built and the constant season and ply off success is nothing to just shrug off. It's evident to see that they have everything clicking right for them and the sim is in love with what they have going on. The Coaching and management have been spot on and no other team league wide has cracked their code of constantly icing a contending team. They are drafting like a top team and what they cant draft, they are able to obtain threw free agency and trades. The players that they have are giving it their all and its showing on the ice. The Pride are definitely a team to mirror as an ideal image of a perineal contender and top team. They really have no weakness on their team besides maybe creating to many strong players and being stuck with salary cap problems, leaving them with tough choices that they are making the correct choices on.

209 words

9. Tampa Bay is a dream location for many players, great climate, amazing fans and a management group thats on the ball and doing everything right. When you look at the success they have had with all star caliber players over the last few years, its evident that their scouting and drafting game is on point.

55 words

3+4+1=8 TPE

*bobdigi9* · 01-26-2025, 05:22 AM

1. CW Trvia: +3 TPE

sexyama

8. Written, 50 to 200+ words. Dynasty in the Making: +4 TPE

San Francisco has made the finals for two seasons in a row now and has won the cup twice in the last 5 seasons with a chance to make it 3. What has made San Francisco so successful? Is it immaculate drafting? Coaching? Hard work from each of their players? All of the above? Should teams learn from SFP and emulate what they’ve done to get their time in the limelight?

Make it 2 in a row! If your team isn't trying to model themselves after the dynastic Pride, then you're doing it wrong. Most franchises would be content with winning a single championship, let alone 3 over a span of 5 seasons.

How have they done it? While there are many factors to consider, one can't look past the S71 draft when San Francisco picked three times in the top 5 (1, 4, and 5). With those picks they nabbed franchise cornerstones Levin Schattenaxt, Logan Webb and Dominik Winters. If you don't know those names, you should. Webb and Winters are regularly in the top 10 of scoring at season's end, not to mention what will inevitably be a MVP calibre playoff performance from Webb after scoring at nearly a goal per game clip (21 goals in 22 games)!!!

So, obviously drafting plays a large part of success. Of course, we all know that drafting can sometimes be a crapshoot and teams aren't always fortunate enough of having so many picks that high in a draft. Kudos to San Francisco's management for putting themselves in that position as well as their scouting department for identifying the talent that was available in that draft among others.

With all that being said, three players don't make a team. It's been a total buy-in effort from the entirety of the Pride roster. With a mix of top end talent and another brilliant season from future HOF goaltender Justin Time, San Francisco has formulated a template for SHL success and executed it to perfection.

Code:
wordcount: 331

12. Written, 50 to 200+ words. IIHF Back To Back: +4 TPE

When it comes to hockey, Canada always has one of the deepest pools of players to choose from, which typically gives them a better chance of succeeding in international tournaments (although not always the case, see: the recent World Junior Championship as an example).

Coming off an otherworldly playoff campaign with San Francisco, Canada is led by Logan Webb and with their success over the past two IIHF tourneys it's easy to foresee them back as one of the top teams in S80.

I'm biased as this will be Matviy Cajabi's first time representing Czechia so I'll choose them to get back to the medal round. Switzerland is always in the mix so it's hard to rule them out either.

For the sake of choosing at least one of the 4 teams, I'll pick Latvia at the least likely to repeat their performance. Which isn't a knock on their squad as they've got some great players and are trending in the right direction in recent seasons. But with the track records of nations like Japan, Germany and Ireland among others, it will be hard for Latvia (and every team) to not only make it to the playoffs but advance to medal contention.

Code:
wordcount: 202

Total TPE Earned: +8 TPE

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