Task 1

Well, I think this is pretty easy for me to answer. I 100% exceeded my expectations this season (and probably any season I could have imagined happening). I think there are a few things I can attribute the season to. One of them is definitely having a very strong offensive team and putting up a lot of goals every game, it definitely helped me get points in bunches and continue to put up points throughout the season. The team and management put a lot of faith in the top guys and I was one of them that benefited from that.

Another factor is definitely luck. In order to have a season like I did and to break the single season goal scoring record, you definitely need to have some luck involved. For next season I would definitely like to be a little better defensively, as I had quite a few more giveaways than I would have liked to have.

Task 2

I think one of the more memorable Challenge Cup Finals over the last 10 seasons would probably have to be Season 51 where Hamilton beat Edmonton. Probably not the reason most people want a memorable final, but this was the season that Hamilton was accused of cheating the sim with the infamous SC/PA situation in STHS. I think a lot of people pretty much wrote off that season as one they wanted to forget or deem that it shouldn’t even be awarded simply for the controversy surrounding the team and the league.

It was extremely memorable to see everyone pretty much decide that Hamilton would win the Challenge Cup even before the playoffs started, and it was like nobody even cared much to watch what happened because they knew how it would unfold. It’s unfortunate that such an event tarnished that season and the overall championship, but I think it definitely has to be the most memorable over the past 10 seasons.

Task 3

I think a good playoff format for this task (bad playoff format overall) would be if the bottom 4 teams got first round byes and the top 4 teams play each other (1v2, 3v4). It would continue in a reseeding format. However, the difference is that rather than having the top teams get matched up against the bottom teams, you have the top teams match up against the next highest seed so it encourages the best teams have to go up against the best teams and it gives the bottom seeded teams a chance to make the Challenge Cup Finals. This would almost guarantee that someone outside of the top 6 playoff teams would be in the Finals and have a legitimate chance to win. This encourages teams to be mediocre and not be at the top since the competition is weaker. Would be fun to see how teams would purposely throw games to improve their playoff chances.

Task 6

I think it’s without a doubt the Chicago Syndicate. Not only because they ended up having a 3-0 series lead against Buffalo, but I think they have the highest amount of TPE as a team compared to anyone else in the league. They have a fantastic roster and are poised to be a contender. I really thought this could be their year and I had them pegged to be in the finals. It was something that I was pretty surprised to see, just because of the way they were dismantling their competition, and when they went up 3-0 in the Semis I think everyone had marked them down as finalists getting ready to play for the Challenge Cup.

Task 13

a. Both teams are extremely strong on paper, but I think if I had to choose I might have to go with the Stampede. It’s tough to say, but I think the top end talent is close and may favor Hamilton, but I think the overall depth favors Buffalo in this situation.
b. I think it’s going to be a very strategic series. Both teams have very good rosters and there isn’t too much that separates them. I think the difference in the series will be made by minute changes to the lines, the strategies and definitely special teams. They can both shut each other out or score at will, so I think tactical changes will decide the series.
c. Well obviously it has to be Lake Superior, it’s literally written in the name. The lake is superior to any other lake, and honestly you can’t really go against that. I don’t know much about any of these lakes, but just looking at their names, I think everyone knows which one is best.
d. I’ll go ahead and choose someone on the Stampede since I know the Hamilton guys pretty well. I think if there’s someone on Buffalo I would hang out with it would be Kal. He’s a great guy and I’ve gotten to know him a little through team Canada and I think it would be fun and we’d get along well. I’d say we would probably go out to get some good food and have a few drinks together. Nothing crazy but just enjoy Montreal’s nightlife a little.

Task 16

Verification