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!

Well, after just finishing a grueling 4 Star cup Finals which saw Ruslan Zaporozhets and the St. Louis Scarecrows lose to the Anaheim Outlaws. Its time to take a week to relax, send letters home, maybe look at accommodations in Toronto due to next season being his last in St. Louis. After THAT?! The full weight of coming just 3 wins away from tasting victory should set in and be the catalyst for some HARD training to become a faster, stronger, and better player for this team and the future too. Though it should be said his last year in Junior will also be the last for his current contract with the Toronto North Stars. Will they want to re-sign him? Will they look to trade him for even more picks as part of a strong package? Who knows, let the rumor mill swirl with its words and wild scenarios.

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?

Honestly I could play this both ways. On one hand the course we are already on is perfectly fine, its part of the wonder of hockey and the grueling travel and pain of the SHL playoffs. However the special that could be for JUST the finals alone would be wild. Imagine you have the winner of the Western Conference, lets say it was the Calgary Dragons face off against the West Kendal Platoon. Better team in the regular season gets more home games. THEN the series finishes out with games 4 to 7 in the home of the WORST team in the league that season, lets say the Toronto North Stars. WILD inclusion there.

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 let me shoot it to you straight. The absolute worst odds have GOT to go to the Toronto North Stars and here is why. These serial OVERACHIEVERS! are about to have the bottom drop out. With the lowest depth team in the league moving to a simulation engine that is way less random and places a higher value one well build, organized teams who have played together a while I just don't see them having the seal of approval to many outside of the team or organization. As for the best odds? Its a little harder, you see you have the San Francisco Pride, a team that has done well these last 3 seasons and may be our champion going in, making them the favorites. Of course if it is the Manhattan Rage, another younger, up and coming team being the defending champion going into S53, we may speak of a different story. The likes of Buffalo, Hamilton, New Orleans, and the Edmonton Blizzard are all possible cases dependent on growth and offseason moves.

14. Written, up to 5 TPE Pick up to 5 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words to qualify.
1. Head GMs JayWhy and Grapehead have been GMing for a while, whereas Co GMs Luketd and DaftRaincloud are newer to management - which team's front office staff (including coaches) do you think will provide a strategic edge (lol as if such a thing exists in STHS) in this series?
2. Manhattan has been rocking a pretty evenly-distributed ice time for forwards (35-33-32) whereas San Francisco is going a bit more top-heavy (40-40-15). Which approach do you think is better for a fierce Challenge Cup series?
3. The Rage and the Pride have, in my opinion at least, two of the best logos in the entire SHL. Which team's logo do you like more and why?
4. What is your favorite player name on either of these two teams and why? (not favorite player/user, just focusing on their player name)
5. Would you rather: (a) a chainsaw lesson with JayWhy, (b) a private Gritty meet-and-greet for you and Luke, © an all-you-can-eat grape buffet experience with Grapehead, or (d) an hour session where DaftRaincloud shows you everything from his internet history?

1. Honestly the experience of both JayWhy and Grapehead SHOULD be an advantage as you have two students of Simon T's Hockey Simulator with many a season behind the bench at building and maintaining rosters of Championship Calibre. However the hockey gods are a fickle crowd and a fresh perspective from Luketd or DaftRaincloud could be that edge needed to win it all.
2. I think it depends on your team makeup and how much each coach trusts their team. A deep team could see someone willing to roll out all 3 lines without concern. On the other hand if you can trust your top end talent to pull it out even with a heightened workload you may want to push to make it happen, provided it gives you that edge.
3. Well there are many great logos here in the SHL. Many of them are becoming more and more detailed over time and as we move to a new era we may see even more logos go through that evolution. Personally I love the West Kendal Platoon logo the most. The maroon back drop plays well to highlight the eagle's head and navy blue ring as well as the shining stars. It feels timeless.
4. If I had to pick one? Nathan Explosion. The San Francisco Pride's forward just sounds like a powerful star and he plays like it too. A physical demon with a hard shot and dynamite speed. He is a media man's dream to write about and someone who does NOT need a nick name.
5. Its hard to choose, but it comes down to two. Is JayWhy going to teach me Chainsaw carving or how to murder people with said chainsaw? What about Grapehead's Grape buffet? will he be feeding me grapes and wine while I lounge about? Or is it going to be some sick torcher where I am tied to a kitchen chair and force fed some of the worst possible recipes containing grapes? These are the questions I ask.

17. Casual Member Special, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer - SEND ANSWER IN PM TO "PT DIRECTOR" (tagged below)
A. As determined by draft class, which rostered player is the oldest player in this series?
B. Name TWO players who have played for both the Pride and the Rage.
C. Among ACTIVE PLAYERS, who has the most points scored in Pride franchise history?
D. Who was recently selected as the #1 player in Rage franchise history as part of their Top 50 in 50 series unveiled this season?

**Important**: Send the answers to username "PT Director" with the subject of the message titled “S52 CW" - Do not send it to my personal account; those will not be graded. Do not post the answers in here; you will not get credit for the task.

Sent