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TASK ONE: There are two options for this task.
If not: How has your player kicked off their offseason? Are they traveling? Meeting up with friends and partying? Following the games? Write at least 150 words about the beginning of your player’s offseason. Must include at least one other player.

Vlad Lidstrom took a long look around the Texas locker room as the season ended without the Renegades making the playoffs. It was just him and Sven Karlsson left as everyone had finished up packing their gear and were already on the way home. Talk turned to the future of the Renegades and whether or not this might be the last time in the locker room for either of them. With the abrupt departure of starting goalie Pel, they wondered was it time for them to go as well. Although the team's management had moved quickly to secure another goaltender, was it enough to make one last shot at the cup? The Renegades have a couple young defensemen coming up and maybe they needed another season of mentoring from the grizzled veteran Lidstrom. Talk then turned to the upcoming IIHF tournament where both Karlsson and Lidstrom play for Team Sweden who will be rolling with a very inexperienced new goaltender. Seems like time is passing quickly for these two SHL veterans. Was it really worth another offseason of the physical training both men continued to put themselves through while watching other veteran players just coast their final seasons? As they departed the locker room, maybe for one of the last times, it seemed their were more questions than answers.



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TASK TWO: Who is your choice for the unsung hero of the S39 playoffs up to this point? Must be at least 150 words and include at least two statistics in support.

Without question Panthers player Danny Foster has to be the unsung hero for his team in these playoffs. The scrappy veteran has mostly made his name in the SHL as a goon, racking up tons of hits and penalty minutes as the "Bob Probert" of the league. And the playoff are certainly no exception as Foster has 24 penalty minutes, 2 of those being fighting and 36 hits. This is the kind of play the Panthers expected from their veteran, someone who could get the team fired up with a well timed fight or two. What they didn't expect however was Foster to really channel his inner Probert and start scoring like him as well. Foster has a goal and 8 assists in the playoffs in 8 games and is a solid +3. I don't think there is anyone on the planet who expected Foster to be a point per game player in these playoffs. Maybe Foster feels time is running out on his career and a Cup win would be a fitting ending if he decides to go out on top. Whatever way it turns out there is noone who can say that Bananas didn't give his all in that attempt.




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TASK FOUR: Unscramble the names of these four players who will be competing in the Challenge Cup Finals. Send the answers to me by forum PM. Please make the subject of the message “CW Word Scramble” or something along those lines. [Grading: 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer]

waxiaamrinmhceilt

eilrruasstgeglnht

thcaenmhnigscneru

nalzgaoaronzbo




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TASK SIX: Finals series always show surprises. Who will have to stand out the most from each team in order to win it? Make a prediction for potential series MVPs. Must be at least 150 words and mention at least one player from each team.

Well it really isn't much of a surprise but in order to win the Cup each team's goaltender will have to carry the load for their teams and play MVP caliber for Minnesota or Los Angeles to take home the prize. Timo Haas for LA has beeen outstanding so far in the playoffs with a 7-1 record, .941 save percentage and a 1.89 goals against average. He's going to need to continue that caliber of play for the Panthers to finish out Minnesota and take home the series. Likewise Olli O'Koivu for Minnesota will have to do the same thing for the Chiefs if they are to take home the prize this season. O'Koivu is boasting the same 7-1 record fr the Chiefs as haas has. However his peripheral numbers aren't nearly as good as Haas's with a .910 save percentage and a goals against average of 2.68. O'koive will have to improve greatly on those numbers in the final series for Minnesota to have a chance against LA. So it's all going to come down to which goaltender will be able to carry his team to victory.







Bonus question: Who scores the Cup-winning goal?Sophia Bennett