CW TASK 1: (Written, 3 TPE)
Both teams in our challenge cup series come in with a healthy set of talented young players. if you were to choose a player from either teams SHL roster or there prospect pool with a (start date of S45, S46, S47 or S48) to build your team around, who would it be and why? What qualities on or off the ice make them 'that guy' and how do you think they would shape the image of their franchise? (150+ words and *tag any player involved in this task)

Easy answer. Super easy answer. I immediately select Cassius Darrow from Buffalo. @hhh81 is one hell of a player and one hell of a person. On the personal side, he was someone I grew close to during his draft season and was very, very close to going against our more pressing need in order to draft him. He's intelligent and a fun conversation, plus I'm sure he has a lot of stories from the work he's done. Meanwhile, on the player side, he's one of the best earners of his draft class and someone who is head and shoulders above others. He's great in his own zone, got a stellar first pass and is able to make stops when it matters. He's easily going to develop into a true Number One down the road and when you're starting a franchise it doesn't hurt to have something so rare as a legitimate franchise defenseman. He would fit in perfectly to set the tone on a fantastic locker room culture and would set the pace in play for years to come. He's the most obvious choice I've ever seen.

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CW TASK 3: (Written, 3 TPE)
For most of us S48 is over and now its time to sit down with your GM's for a season end review! talk to your GM's about what youve accomplished, what you are strong at, what you need to improve on and what would you like your role to be moving into S49. Task must be 150 words or more. (*Tag your GM’s)

Well, this is awkward. Usually when I talk to myself, I don't really have an audience. Ultimately, if we're going more so in character, Jakub is very hard on his son in order to not show favoritism. That in mind, with some perspective it's easy to see this season wasn't really that bad. Sure a -8 isn't good, but when you lead all forwards on the team, you're not exactly a black hole there. 36 points translates to a top tier second line player or a lower tier first line player. Overall, not bad at all. Being top-10 in face-off win percentage isn't that big of a deal, but it's something to hang your hat on. However, for next season, as I've once stated in podcasting, I'm aiming to be taking a step back in the lines. Luke is a fantastic player and center now, and it's possible for him to continue developing into a full time 1C and allowing Jax to take a step back into the 2C spot he may be a little more suited for. However, if that isn't the case, Jax has great chemistry with Reginald Rove and has done well when paired with David Kastrba and may be seeking to get that group back together to drive play in a more consistent fashion. Though you can't really complain about a line of Rove - Aittokallio - Auston managing to put up over 100 combined points.

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CW TASK 05: (Written, up to 4 TPE)
Pick up to 4 challenge cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth '1' TPE. Each answer must be '50' words or more.

2. This series boasts an interesting matchup at the blue line between star studded defenders! Which includes Troy McClure III, Gary Grease and Slip McScruff from Winnipeg.. & Buffalo's Tatu Makela, Connor Tanner and Charles Walker.. which group do you expect will outshine the other and why?

Look at the groups and it's pretty obvious that you take Buffalo's every single time. While Winnipeg does have an absolutely dominant defensive group -- they must be to carry Moreau like they have -- it just doesn't compare. The championship pedigree of the Stampede group, the experience. Buffalo has a group that has been there, done that and is doing it again and again. Winnipeg has a group that just arrived and is trying to plant their feet, but when you're having to push off someone already planted who also happens to be as large as a freight train like the Buffalo defense, it's hard to knock off.

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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)

Let's be honest here, Simon T is the greatest success story of this playoffs. Luck plays a factor. Cedric Moreau is not a true championship caliber goaltender, but thanks to stellar defense as highlighted above and the ability to get those few bounces that make the difference, @treant has been a difference maker even when he maybe doesn't resemble one so much. I don't know that this success carries over long term, but Moreau making a Fabian Fuhrberg style run like in S17 is not out of the picture and could be a nice feather in his cap here.

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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)

I mean, I hate to tag him but @WannabeFinn is THE key to success of the franchise. I'm sorry for the tag bro, just following orders. However, looking at it, WBF is the architect who constructed the team. He's their star defenseman as Makela. He's the driving force, the engine making this train fly through the night on their quest to the Cup. You don't have to like the guy, trust me not everyone does, but you should respect that he's definitely built this team to be successful and it's paying off now. He's a superb general manager.

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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?

Obviously, neither does. In the battle of the Cedrics, it's not about the Cedrics. They'll be entertaining, sure, but they won't be the difference makers. Both are somewhat uninspiring goaltenders. Unlike last season when Beaujeaux Biscuit was legitimately terrifying, they feel more so brought along by the stacked defenses standing in front of them. If I had to give any edge, it would be to Robinson as he's been there before and won it all before. He's no slouch that way. He's younger, he's more experienced and he has the pedigree. However, sometimes when you run into something good, you just can't beat it. That happened in S17 with Fuhrberg and it could happen again here.

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CW TASK 10: (Written, 3 TPE)
CHALLENGE CUP HISTORY reports will be viewed instead of commericals for those watching the series online! pick any previous challenge cup finals from before your current player's time in the SHL and in 150+ words talk about the series including who won and in how many games, and who were some of the better players in that series. [include link to archives]

Oh boy, during my player's time. This would've been fun to go back a little further, but that's fine. My choice is S45, and I'll tell you why. When you look back on this season, it's a classic example of a team going all in all together and fighting their way to the finish line. It's got the intrigue of Edmonton taking the first series in a sweep as they muscle on with their now super team. Then they have a hiccup, go down 2-1 in the series, get up 3-2 and only have Texas take it to 7 games before they can move on to the Finals. They go up 2-0, but suddenly there's cracks in the armor of the invincible group as West Kendall takes 3 straight to make it 3-2. Edmonton ultimately wins the last two games of the series to pull out the major victory. Then comes the part where New Orleans comes into the equation, they get Joe Kurczewski, Oisin Fletcher, DeMaricus Smyth and Piotr Czerkawski from that Edmonton group and make their consistent run to the Finals. This was the blue print of a super team, the combination of what would now be Edmonton and New Orleans, and it's one of those magical runs that you only get once in a lifetime.

Link to index? http://simulationhockey.com/games/shl/S4...index.html
I assume this is what you meant by link the archive.

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CW TASK 13: (*CASUAL MEMBER SPECIAL* Send answer in PM, up to 3 TPE)
Its trivia time with 4 questions related to our Challenge Cup participants!

1. What Buffalo Stampede player recorded a +28 which was the greatest +- number in franchise history?
2. Name 3 players in the Winnipeg Hall of fame
3. Who was Buffalos's 1st round draft pick back in S34?
4. When was the last time the Winnipeg Jets won the Challenge Cup Championship and who was it against?

**Important**: Send the answers to username "PT Director" with the subject of the message titled “#ACE of Base" do not send it to my personal account cause i will not look at it and you will not recieve credit for it. Do not post the answers in here cause you will not get credit for the task. [Grading: 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer]

Done