Task 1

This is an easy one for me. I’m definitely going to Games 3 and 4 in Hamilton. Now, this is no disrespect to anyone in Edmonton, but Hamilton was my home for a very long time when I joined the SHL way back in S3. I played a long time for the Steelhawks, and was even a part of the team to help bring the franchise it’s first Challenge Cup.

On top of the fact that I have some deep love and appreciation for the organization, I also have a ton of my Whalers buddies on the team. Getting to stay in the city with the guys like Aaron Wilson, Robert Phelps, Dale Miller, Jax Duggan and Gabriel Johnson would be a blast, and they would no doubt have ideas on where we could go to rack up the highest tabs. Being reunited with these guys again would be a tremendous pleasure and I would definitely have to go to Hamilton to see them and support them.

Task 2

After some very quick research (so I may be wrong, don’t hate me), in the alternate reality that I’m in, the Challenge Cup Finals consist of the New Orleans Spectres and the Buffalo Stampede. Why? Well, based on my research, they are two of the teams that have players with higher passing than scoring, so why not have them in the finals?

In this reality, the Steelhawks didn’t even make the playoffs, and the majority of the playoff games ended 1-0, as everyone is passing the puck around and nobody wants to shoot it. The puck has gone in off of a couple of bad bounces and some players who decided that maybe putting the puck on net might cause a goal. Shots have been at an all time low, with each team averaging 10 shots per game. Goalie stats, however, are at an all time high. Because of all of this, attendance is at an all time low and nobody knows what to do to fix this issue. Should be a riveting finals!

Task 3

The two teams coming together to raise funds for a charity seems somewhat funny, since it seems nobody is fond of Hamilton right now. That being said, I think there could be some middle ground that would be able to be worked out between the two sides to put aside their differences for a little bit and help a cause.

The charity they would come together for, in my opinion, would be for the Super Players Hockey School. This is a hockey school that is for under privileged children who can’t afford to play hockey. And the Blizzard and Steelhawks would come together to help these children learn hockey. With the Steelhawks being a team of mostly shoot-first players, and the Blizzard a team of mostly pass-first players, they can teach these children to be Super Players. Imagine if everyone came out of this school with 99 PA and 99 SC!? A bunch of Lokitonov’s around the SHL. Would be madness!

Task 4

Well, if the team is that depleted to play me outside of position, I think the only position I would be able to play is defence. I have the defensive abilities to play defense and be a decent puck mover/power play quarterback. I won’t be the most physical, as I got a total of like 2 hits this season and I haven’t been working on my checking, but I’ll be good enough to get myself to be a decent defender.

If need be, I’d love to try my hand in goal, but realistically I don’t think I’d be able to pull it off. Put me on the back end with a good Dman who can take care of the stay at home work and lay the body, and the Panthers would have a pretty solid pairing with Morgan on it. If that is the case, I would definitely work on bumping up my checking so I can make an impact and be stronger in front of the net.

Task 15

A. Hamilton. Now obviously the series is over, but I would have went with Hamilton regardless. I think Tuck is a fantastic goalie, but Kryyst went up against teams who continually peppered him with shots and he still came out on top. He stopped a ton of shots on his way to the Finals.
B. Edmonton should stick to a physical style of play. While it could be dangerous, they got to where they are by playing their style of hockey. There is no reason for them to deviate now after what made them so successful this season. I think they should continue to lay the body and hope they make adjustments to have a better PK.
E. Definitely (f). I’ve known Aaron for quite some time now, being in juniors together with the Whalers, and I know his dedication to having the best outcome for his teams. If I could get that sort of dedication to help me win a Challenge Cup, I want it. The feeling of winning is like no other, and that’s what I want again.

Task 18 – PM Sent