1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
This reality is just one of infinite realities existing alongside this one in parallel. Take us over to one of those realities in which everything is the same but these S52 playoffs have unfolded differently. What happened in that reality's playoffs and who's in the Challenge Cup over there?

Welcome to the reality known as "San Francisco pulls a San Francisco", where the Pride do NOT make the run they do in this reality. Instead, they do what they do best: losing in the first round despite being hyped as a possible championship team. It happens every time and none of us are shocked with this one. In this reality, the New England Wolfpack decide not to let the worst team in the league into the playoffs, sweeping Hamilton in the Conference Finals (take that you cheating fucks) to play the resurgent New Orleans Specters, who decide not to pull a New Orleans: they actually win a game 7, beating the Edmonton Blizzard in this reality's Western Conference Finals. It's a great finals matchup that should be close and high-scoring. Much better than the one here to be honest, as the Wolfpack and Specters are arguably the two best teams in the SHL and were unlucky to not make the finals (NOLA) or make the playoffs (NEW you bums).

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2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
You're put in charge of making the casino odds on the Cup winner for next season. Whom are you giving the best and the worst odds to, and what's your reasoning?

Well I'm not good at doing odds. I don't bet, I've never paid attention to gambling (fairly sure it was illegal in the Netherlands but I don't know), and I sure as hell do not think I'd win money if I ever bet on an SHL-related thing. I'm just too virtuous. However, if I was in charge of making the casino odds (my guess is this casino is located in the Atlantic City strip, a truly horrid place), I would be giving the New Orleans Specters the highest odds to win the Cup next season. Sure, I may be biased as a Specters prospect, but this is a team stacked with SHL talent. You've got a forward core of Nicholas Williams, DeMaricus Smyth, Jimmy Slothface, Michael Fox, Mika Mayfield, Lil Manius, and Joe Kurczewski. A young defensive core of Kaspars Claude, Charlie Serpe, Sean Stevenson Jr., Darnell Johnson, and Lyle Odelein III. Not to mention one of the best goalies of all time in Aleister Cain. This is a quite frankly stacked team that won't get fucked over by Simon anymore so they'll be favorites for sure.

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3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
By now, you're probably familiar with the attributes on FHM, and you likely have some sense of what type of build you're going to be aiming for with your player. What one attribute are you going to focus on most? Of all the attributes in the game, what is your player going to strive to be the absolute best at? Why are you picking that specific attribute above all others?

I am going to focus on speed. I want to make sure that van der Heijden is a speedy little son of a bitch who can use his natural speed to skate away from anyone, big or small. While I am planning on making my player well-rounded and good at pretty much everything, speed is going to be one of my highest attributes (around the 14 mark I think), and I think with the new sim high-speed players will be valued more, making my player a SMJHL god. Well-roundedness may be the key to my build, but, as previously mentioned, speedy players may have an upper hand, hence why I plan on making it one of my highest attributes.

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4. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
The Most Generic Prompt of All Time - what is your player looking forward to in the offseason? What are they planning on doing? Training? Relaxing? Testing free agency? Whatever it is, let us know!

I'll be preparing for my final SMJHL season with the Amchorage Armada, which is bittersweet. I've spent my whole career with the Armada and have been luck enough to have won a Four Star with them, but I also have been wanting to go up for a while now. However, that urge doesn't mean I won't leave it all on the line this season. The Armada will most likely be my team, with me as the best player, primary scorer, and maybe captain. So I'm brushing up on everything. I'll be on the rink every day to make sure that I won't miss a beat when I return to the ice with my fellow boats. I'll be spending time with my teammates to get to know them better and brush up on my leadership skills. Seeing as we lose Daniel Bischoff, and Augustus Wang, someone is going to have to fill that void both scoring wise and leadership wise. I intend that person to be me through the things I mentioned earlier, especially the teammates aspect. I need to get to know them inside and out if I want to be the best leader I can be, and always show positivity no matter the result. This season is arguably my most important: one last hurrah in the SMJHL. I need to go out with a bang.

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5. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
Which player from the Rage or the Pride would you bet on to win a regular season individual award in a future season? What player and what award? What makes you think they'll live up to their potential and take home the hardware?

Jonas Larsen is a Pride star. Let me just say the dude's been dynamite these playoffs. 7 hits and 1 point is nothing to scoff at, you know? In all seriousness, Dilk is building a great player who will blossom into a bona fide star with FHM. The dude works harder than most people on the site and really cares about his players. Oh, did I mention that he became Grape's co-GM within 3 seasons of being drafted? That's pretty fucking cool. I knew he was gonna be a star from the moment he joined the SFP discord (Lombardi was on the team back then). I expect Larsen to prove it over the next 10 to 15 seasons as he scoops up Dars (when CCII doesn't have them) every season.

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6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
The SHL is taking a stand and trying to do its part in reducing its carbon footprint. One of the proposed ideas is to eliminate back and forth air travel during the Challenge Cup and Four Star Cup finals and instead hold all 4-7 games in one neutral, rotating location a la the Super Bowl. Are you FOR or AGAINST this idea? Why?

I agree with the idea; we need to reduce our carbon footprint in order to enable a better future not only for us but for our children as well. Having the teams (in this case San Francisco and Manhattan) travel cross-country every two games hurts the environment because of the amount of gas released by the airplanes that fly them to and fro. So holding it in one location is easier. Instead of having to fly 2 or 3 times across the country and back, you only have to fly twice: once to the city where it's held and once back home after the series ends. There won't be a time difference struggle either, as the players will not have to change time difference every 4 days. They'll be able to adjust to the local time and get good rest. It's a great idea that the SHL needs to implement in order to better our future.

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7. Written, 1-2 TPE
Our poetry theme this season is a limerick! Write 1 SHL-themed limerick for 1 TPE or 2 SHL-themed limericks for 2 TPE.

there once was a lad named trella
he was a sick, dope little fella
he won a few cups
got caught with the mumps
he retires and sings a cappella

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