Buffalo: My choice is @TnlAstatine, Buffalo's S46 draft pick. Even though he was part of the team that won the S46 Challenge Cup as a rookie, Luffy can still be considered a prospect, because right now he's still in the SMJHL. However, he has already collected over 800 TPE and that's just insane. You need to build your team around a leader and Luffy has been Lethbridge's captain the entire time he played for them - until he got traded to Anaheim recently (and still has a chance to win yet another Cup, this time in the SMJHL). I was part of the Lions for three seasons and I can't think of a better choice for that position. He's clearly very dedicated to the league, tries to get along with everyone and while he was never the top scorer in the SMJHL, things might look completely different in the SHL, especially after unbanking all those TPE. Sometimes you pick your captain from an existing group of players or you just build your team around one. Besides, a center isn't such a bad choice.



I'm not quite sure which GMs I should mention here since I'm currently between two leagues, since I'm going to Toronto next season: @Nobody + @ml002
After three seasons in the SMJHL I've made steady improvements every week. I've never skipped an opportunity to train and tried to get as many TPE as I can in order to become a better player. While my ice time was limited during the first two seasons due to being a backup, I think I did a decent job last season as a starter. I'm particularly happy about my SHL games that I played with Toronto during the last 2 seasons. Not only did I win my very first game, I played six games in total and lost only one. My GAA needs to improve obviously, but considering that I wasn't even a full-time SHL player, but just a call-up from the SMJHL, that problem should solve itself sooner than later. I'm happy that my SV% was actually better in the SHL than in the SMJHL and I wouldn't be surprised to see some more shutouts in the future. Right now I'm really just looking forward to being Toronto's starter next season.




1. Put together a challenge cup fantasy team using the 2 teams in the finals as the player pool. This fantasy team must include at least 1 young player (S44 or higher) and in 50+ words discuss your choices.

Viktor Marius - Jason Visser - Louie Garrett
Tatu Mäkelä - Slip McScruff
Vivian Leblanc

Louie Garrett didn't play the entire season for Buffalo, but he came close to being a PPG player, so that choice was easy. The other winger on Buffalo's first line is Viktor Marius who has been a PPG player or better in the past. My center pick is Winnipeg's Jason Visser who had 60 points last season (easy choice). Tatu Mäkelä has been consistently good as well and Slip McScruff covers the hits category pretty well. I picked Vivian Leblanc for the goalie position, because I needed to cover the S44 or younger option and I think it's a good choice despite some of the older goalies maybe having better stats. Besides, Leblanc player a little bit more than just a regular backup role during the regular season.

3. Winnipeg making it to the finals was an unexpected surprise. What were some of the main reasons why this franchise was able to persevere into the leagues most important series.  (*tag anyone involved)

Their first line was pretty decent offensively (mainly Jason Visser with 60 points and Lil Manius with 54 and both were a +16 or better and rookie Nick Brain did well with 28 points, 7 of them on the PP). Visser even led the league in goals. Moreau and Leblanc split up goalie duties and together they managed to get 29 wins. Moreau came 2nd in the league in SV% and first in GAA and three shutouts while only playing 35 games. They totally deserve to be in the final and it was a team effort. @ToeDragon84 @Bonk @Psanchez55 @StadiumGambler @treant

4. Buffalo has made it to the finals in 2 of the last 3 seasons. Who or what has been a primary reason for the recent success of this franchise. (*tag anyone involved)

It was probably the people behind the team, the GMs, because they drafted well, traded well and turned this random group of players into a successful team. A team doesn't win only by having good players on paper, someone needs to work on strategies, lines and many other things, so I believe the primary reason (however, not the only reason!) for Buffalo's success is the management. @WannabeFinn @Tomen

5. Both franchises come into the series with a hot Cedric! Between Winnipegs Cedric Moreau and Buffallo's Cedric Robinson which emerging netminder has the advantage over the other in this series?

I've already talked about some of Cedric Moreau's stats above and how he was leading most goalie stat categories (or was among the top 3, not counting wins, because as I've also mentioned before, Winnipeg split the starts among the two goalies a bit differently compared to other teams). So purely by looking at the numbers, Winnipeg's Cedric has the advantage in my opinion.




The easiest question is why I decided to be a goalie. Goalies are a special 'species' and I've always like them, so the choice was easy - there was no other option for me. People told us right in the beginning that there were too many of them already and it would be better to pick a different position etc., but I stuck with it and of all goalies created in my draft class I'm the only one left and I'm the only one who will join the SHL next season and be a starter right away. So much about that. I want to be a player that can make a positive impact right away. I don't think there necessarily is a player in the SHL I would like my game to look like, but I do think the current/previous Toronto starter, McFadden, has done quite a good job in the last few seasons, despite being inactive, so my plan is to play at least at the same level next year, if not better.




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