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2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
With everyone getting a free redistribution this offseason, S54 is quite wide open at the moment. Before those redistributions take place, who would you anticipate being the top team(s) for next season?

I would assume that not a whole lot will change compared to this season. With FHM being decidedly less random than STHS, I think that fluctuations between season will become a lot less pronounced and the teams on top will stay there for longer and more consistently, while it will get harder to get out of a rebuild or even work your way up from the Midfield. I expect the dominance of New England, Hamilton and Buffalo in the East to continue and to be completely honest, I don't see any of the other teams there join them anytime soon aside from Manhattan, who will at the very least have a firm grasp on that #4 spot again, so don't expect a tight playoff race in the East... In the West things should be a bit closer as I think both San Francisco and Winnipeg have what it takes to challenge for a playoff spot after missing out last season but it will be an uphill battle as well, as none of the teams who made it in last season are getting significantly weaker.

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5. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Just like everything else in S53, IIHF is going to be an exciting mystery for us all! We've seen the introduction of a new format (all 14 teams in one group) and it's bound to be a very exciting tournament. What are your predictions for IIHF this season? What team or teams do you think have the best shot at taking home the gold? How do you think your team will fare?

I'm really looking forward to this IIHF tournament and the changes it brings both in terms of the rules itself and the engine we play in. I would expect the re-shuffling of the field to be even stronger than it was in the SHL. We always knew who the good teams with the most high-TPE in the SHL were even before the sim-change, but in IIHF things have been a lot muddier. We could see a lot of risers and fallers compared to how things were previously and nobody can tell at this point which Coaches and Federations Heads are the most knowledgable ones in the new engine who get the most out of their team and, maybe more importantly, which are the highly committed who are willing to spend time test-simming and working on roster for something that others just see as an off-season filler activity. I for one think that Germany has a great shot at being one of the most competitive teams but our lack of defensive depth could become an issue, as we have seen with certain teams in the SHL this season...

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8. Written/Graphic, 3 TPE (150 words min. for written option)
The arenas in Edmonton and Hamilton certainly don't need any gimmicks to get people into the stadium for the series, but the arenas want to make sure they're pulling out all the stops on the big stage. Help the concessions department of one of these two teams develop a new product, with marketing specifically pertaining to this finals series, to be sold at the arena during the finals. Describe the product and the marketing in 150 words or create a promotional poster showing the product, its name, the price, etc.

The Hamilton Steelhawks have come up with a new promotional activity this season that has proven incredibly popular with their fans: The Hamilton Steelhawks Exploit-a-palooza. It's all about cheating... excuse me, exploiting, the concessions stands around the arena as well as their fellow fans and get collectable bonus points as a reward that can be redeemed for cool Steelhawks merch. A concession stand worker isn't looking and you are able to snag a beer without anyone? You get points! You successfully force them to refund you the money for a hotdog because there were hairs in it even though you put them there yourself after you bought it? Points for you! You drink half of your buddies beer and fill it up with water while he had to take an important phone call from work? POINTS! POINTS POINTS! Because remember, it's not stealing, or cheating or simply a dick move if there isn't a written rule specificall against it, it is just an exploit and you are smart for using it!

Quote:13. 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 to qualify.
a. Who is the best player in this CC finals? Plenty of good candidates: Lagerfield, Phelps, Kryyst, McIntry, Pepperoni, Scholz, etc. Who's your choice for best player and why?
b. Based on player ratings, EDM has the advantage in speed and acceleration and HAM has the advantage in balance and strength. Which team's physical skills will give them the edge in this series?
c. Assemble your ideal fantasy team out of players in this series - F, F, F, D, D, G. Explain your choices.
d. Blizzard... snow... ok debate time - do you like snow? yes or no? why or why not?

a) For me it's Tony Pepperoni because he has consistently been great and is very versatile as well. He is experienced yet dynamic and flashy, he can score a lot but is also a reliable defensive player with a strong physical presence. You won't find a better player than that to build your team around.
b) My money is on Hamilton because of their proven track record of exploiting weaknesses in whatever engine we use. They've pretty much come right out and said that they don't care about breaking the league as long as it means that they win, so whatever approach they have come up with to shape their team, I'd assume that it has been extensively tested for maximum gamey-ness.
c) Hercules Rockefeller-Robert Phelps-Tony Pepperoni
Tor Tuck - Troy McClure
Geezus Kryyst
Hercules Rockefeller because Leafs is just a legend and people tend to forget how incredibly huge is legacy is just because he isn't super vocal, Robert Phelps because he is one of the few guys on Hamilton who actually seems to care about the league and not just his own team, and Tony Pepperoni for the reasons mentioned above. Tor Tuck adds some great veteran presence on the back end and Troy McClure because of the Raptors-connections. And lastly, fellow German Geezus Kryyst in net who always seems to turn it up an extra notch in the playoffs.
d) A clear and resounding yes! I always loved snow as a kid and I'm not sure if it's just my perception as I get older or if the enviroment and climate is actually already observably changing, but it sure feels like we aren't getting as much of it anymore as we used to. In fact, many recent winters have gone by without any snow whatsoever and I definitely miss it and the calm coziness it exhudes.

Quote:16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now completed through a Google form linked below. Make sure to spell your answers correctly or you will not get credit. Post your verification word in your CW post.

Verification: Kalua