Quote:1. Written, 3 TPE, Ups and Downs (150 words min.)

So this was a tough season for everyone in the SHL. Dealing with trolls online, horrible PR from product endorsements, and on top of that all some minor identity fraud to add to the pile. Are these the worst things to happen to your player this season, or did something unimaginably horrible happen? On the flip side, were there any bright spots hidden in the countless nuisances and problems? What good things on and off the ice happened this season for you?
In Season 60 Liam Slate had a fairly good season on the ice. Liam Slate saw improvements from last season and was able to score more goals, points and overall offensive improvements across the board. Liam Slate scored four more goals, 10 more assists and 14 more points in Season 60 compared to Season 59. Liam Slate scored a whopping 20 even strength goals which is pretty impressive. Liam Slate scored only 7 points on special teams which means Liam Slate scored majorly at even strength. Liam Slate also was more physical and was able to play a better overall complete game. Liam Slate was played in a more offensive oriented role compared to last season which was a positive. Overall Liam Slate’s Season 60 on the ice was very good. There is some room for improvements, but it was mostly a positive step forward for Liam Slate. Hopefully Liam Slate continues to improve in order to finally hit the point per game mark, although he was only 5 points short this season.

(173 Words)

Quote:6. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
What's your prediction for this season's IIHF tournament? Which teams do you expect to do well (or not well)? Which players?

I expect Team USA to do well again. The team is full of already superstars as well as players who did extremely well this season. I would expect Japan to do well once again as usual. I am not sure how Great Britain will do this season as they have gone through some changes. They seem to be on a rollercoaster right now. In terms of players, I would expect Danny Marston from Team USA to continue his dominance. Marston broke out this season leading Toronto. Marston is a very good player and surrounded by even better players should be a top player this IIHF tournament. One player to follow as well will be Ryuuji Minamino who is a dominant young player insulated with veterans on team Japan. Japan is a contender a lot of the time so he should put up some big numbers as well. I want to say watch for Liam Slate but Slate has been disappointing in IIHF thus far.
(164 Words)

Quote:7. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

We're at a point in the SHL where a good chunk of the playerbase played back in the STHS era, and a good chunk has known nothing but FHM. If you're in the latter part of the league you must have heard the horror stories... so: Let's make a hypothetical.

Players who played in both eras: What would have happened if we just had one sim engine? Posture how your career would have gone if we stayed in STHS (sans exploits). Or what if you had created in FHM the whole time? Would things have gone better or worse?

For you FHM babies: What if we were still in Simon T land? Would your career be where it is now? Or would randomness have stunted the dynasties you may or may not have been part of?[/b]

I think at my current TPE my player would be much better than currently on STHS than FHM although it would make everyone’s player better and we would have like half the league being extremely good most likely. We would likely see many 100 point scorers and a lot of records being broken every few seasons. I think we would just see a lot of teams being dominant for much longer and being able to just ride one or two star players compared to now where you need like 5 or 6 star type players to dominate. I think we would see a random team over perform every season and one of the top teams randomly underperform which would be interesting but also frustrating because STHS had a special mechanic to do this. I also think we would see no predictability in terms of who would be good so SHL Fantasy would be a gong show trying to pick at least in FHM we have a pretty decent idea. 
(169 Words)

Quote:12. 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.[/b]

a. The salt special: Do these teams deserve to be here? Or were they gifted a trip to the finals through puck luck and bullshittery?
I think both teams deserve to be here. Both teams are built to win as seen through trading. Both of these teams have kept their teams competitive through trading picks. Both teams GM’s have been dominant in the league and I think both teams have an excellent core of young and old to keep them competitive for many seasons. I would not be surprised if these teams meet again in the seasons to follow. (74 Words)

b. Buffalo has been here many times in the past 20 seasons, this is only the second (I think I'm too lazy to check) time for Chicago. Which is more impressive? The continued dominance of Buffalo? Or the solid couple of runs Chicago has made despite the team only being 15 seasons old?
I think it is obvious to me that the run of the Buffalo Stampede lately is more impressive. They have been competitive for what seems like forever and have managed to keep a huge window of being a top team. It doesn’t feel like they are going to be rebuilding anytime soon. It will be interesting to see if the Buffalo Stampede ever find themselves in trouble, but they have proven they can lose a top talent and just replace them via trade easily.

c. Everyone's a critic: Nitpick one thing about either team's logo, jersey, rink design, goal horn, or general site demeanor.
I think the Chicago Syndicate brand is kind of silly, I didn’t even know what it was when I came back to the site, also still don’t really know. It is kind of weird for a hockey team to me. I don’t really get it but then again I don’t understand a lot of things. I think it is the most out of place brand in the league but then again as I said what do I know, probably nothing. (80 Words)

d. Who is the best player to play for either team? Is is a current player? Retired? Traded? Make your case.
Steve Harrington is the best player currently for the Stampede. The playmaking machine has been a dominant force this season. His 59 assists and 81 points this season prove this. Martijn Westbroek has been a dominant force for many seasons. His 89 points this season is impressive and is over 15 points better than second highest on the Chicago Syndicate. Martijn Westbroek has been a staple for Chicago for many seasons and will be for a little bit longer. (79 Words)

Quote:15. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is 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 Word: Sad

16/16 TPE Completed