Should be enough here for 18 points. I know I only get 16.

Task 1

I don’t even know what there is to do in Hamilton but I really wanted to get a vibe for the city amidst all the controversy so I decided to go there. I’m not very recognizable so I just kind of went in as a fan. I went to local sports bars and of course I went to the games. The fans remind me of the Patriots’ fans. They were pretty defensive and took an understandable “us versus the world” approach. Most of them are pretty cool though. They were able to take the jokes as long as their team was performing well. I’m not much on partying but I made sure to eat at the nicest restaurants and get some good food. I did a few local interviews for fan podcasts but there isn’t that much interest in Texas up here. I didn’t run up the tab too much, compared to other players.

Task 2

Hamilton is punished, severely, for their actions even though there is no precedent and no rule was broken. They lose draft picks and everyone who partook in the exploit is suspended for thirty games. The team is in tatters, barely able to field a team for the first half of the season. They return but are on an even playing field and do not make the playoffs. West Kendall sneaks into the playoffs but don’t really do anything. Everything else unfolds the same except the Challenge Cup Finals consist of Edmonton and Manhattan. The series goes seven games with the Rage ultimately prevailing. Hamilton is stripped of first round picks in the next three drafts and their franchise takes ten seasons to recover. Half of the league retires in protest as they feel that their the punishment did not fit the alleged crime. The league shrinks to eight teams. I am sure some people would like this.

Task 3

The two teams had a lot of difficulty coming up with a good cause that they could agree on. Edmonton wanted to host a regular hockey clinic for local kids where they focus on all aspects of the game. Hamilton wanted to strictly focus on scoring. The clinic was for local kids but the money went to a local charity for dentures. The kids definitely preferred playing with Edmonton players. Every time they were on the ice with a Hamilton player, they would get attacked and insulted for passing the puck. If they weren’t shooting, they were told they were doing it wrong. The kids started crying and the clinic was a disaster. The two teams ended up fighting each other and many arrests were made. The Challenge Cup Finals were almost canceled. Many parents asked for refunds and after everything was done, they raised about $74.34 for dentures for nursing homes. Well done.

Task 4

I suppose the easiest transition for me would be goalie. I’m not a very good hitter and I’m not fond of passing too much so it would be easier just to stay in goal and try swallow the puck. We won’t win too many games but I will keep us in the mix. I might even score a few goals from the net, if that’s even legal. I can also hold my own in a fight so if there’s a line brawl, I’m coming for the other goalie. Truthfully, this would be a disaster and I’m glad we don’t have injury bugs around here. I like that goalies have more pads though, I wear the well. I’m also pretty creative so I’d like to customize my helmet. I wish skaters got to do that. I could come up with some crazy masks if I was given the chance. Forget the new sim engine. I want to see this change.

Task 5

My off-season was longer than most since I was not in the playoffs. I stayed in Texas since I’m pretty settled here now but didn’t do much. I took a week off but then I got back to training by myself. I watched a lot of football but my team wasn’t even in the playoffs. Some local podcasters wanted to do interviews so I worked on that and showed up at a few local events. This was a pretty low-key off-season and I have been trying to lay low amidst all the nonsense and noise. I just want to play and I’m ready for the new season to start. I have been thinking about the future of my career a lot and I’m curious to see where it goes. I enjoy Texas and we some to be doing good things here and hopefully I’m here for the future. So yea, boring off-season for me again.

Task 7

There are a few ways to re-invigorate the league without breaking the system. Some sports have different tournaments for the same sport, even some countries do. Prior to or after the regular season we should host a tournament. I proposed a double elimination tournament in the past and I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. The off-season is still fairly long on some occasions and this would help it out. I know we have IIHF and we don’t need to get rid of that. It would just be all SHL teams randomly drawn into a bracket. It can even be hosted over a single weekend with games in the morning and evening. We could call it the President’s Cup or something along those lines. The players on the winning team could get a million dollars each so there are some stakes, even if they are not that high. I just think it would help gain more interest. Off-season can be brutal, especially for players