This is an easy one.  If I were to change one decision in SHL History, then I would have allowed injuries with the adoption of the new sim engine.  The sim can be…mercurial at times.  We have all watched in horror as one of our teams gets dusted ten to nil on ten shots, throughly incapable of stemming the onslaught of goals.  Now, just imagine what the SHL would be like if the capricious hockey God that runs our sim engine doled out injuries?  I’ve crunched the numbers.  Debilitating injuries would occur once per every five minutes of sim time.  Moreover, these would not be run of the mill hockey injuries - concussions, contusions, concussions, fractures, concussions.  They would be gnarly, probably requiring all sorts of weird surgeries that are not exactly street legal to perform.  Every other injury would require artificial disc replacement, which the sim would inexplicably not allow to be performed.  + 3 TPE 


Miles O’Brien is a union man.  Always has been, always will be.  If given the opportunity to make a biopic about Miles’s career to this point, then I would focus on his efforts to unionize the SMJHL and secure better playing conditions for its players.  Why would I make this the primary focus of Miles’s biopic?  Well, Miles has been an okay but not exceptional talent, so focusing on his play on the ice may not exactly sell tickets.  Who really wants to hear the story of the guy with a career plus/minus in the negative?  Miles’s thoroughly average play, however, provides the perfect context for a motion picture about the trials and tribulations of the rough and tumble players who make the SMJHL go around.  I’m thinking Bull Durham meets Slap Shot, if that makes any sense.  Overall, considering the beating players take in the minor leagues for baseball, college football, and the AHL, raising awareness of the myriad ways in which athlete workers get screwed - especially below the professional level - would be a worthy cause.  + 3 TPE


As outlined in the following link, I am claiming + 3 TPE from milestones.


This is an obvious one for a Montreal prospect, but I would bring dankoa back to the SHL.  As it stands, the organization is in great hands, and I don’t think his exit changes the team’s prospects over the next couple of seasons.  I would bring him back simply because he was a solid dude - took the time to read and comment on everyone’s media, and was always encouraging and helpful with player build and other league relevant topics.  Although I am relatively new to the site and sims leagues in general, it seems like these types of exits are common, as are second acts.  Hopefully his second act happens sooner rather than later. + 2 TPE


If I were to approach trench-coat guy with a business plan, then it would have nothing to do with bunk pills that have whack tradeoffs.  Who wants to take a pill that gives you the runs, or drink a brain tonic that afflicts you with gigantism?  (Incidentally, “Homer at the Bat” is one of my favorite Simpsons episodes.)

No, I will tolerate none of that.  As one of my teachers used to say, “the business of America is business,” and nothing screams business opportunity like hawking CBD pills to players for a modest sum of $99.99 a bottle.  Do these pills do anything, medically speaking?  Why are you asking?  What are you, some sort of Narc?

The **checks notes** placebi effect is a beautiful thing, and what is really important is that the players feel like the pills are helping them.  Would they be better off just lighting a up a joint?  Probably.  But getting a recreational marijuana license would be far too time consuming.  + 3 TPE


Honestly, I am a fan of the creative PTs.  In general, I find it easier and more enjoyable to write something quick and silly rather than something that will require even a minimum amount of effort - like referencing the much improved indexes.  I am truly a lazy bastard. 

That being said, you found a good balance with last year’s PTs, appealing to both the creative types and those who are more interested in writing about league results.  This is a sim league, after all.  If I could offer one tiny bit of criticism, then I would say the timing of the “heated” Pt last year was not ideal, since folks were still running a little hot.  Other than that, however, I think you have been doing a great job.  I appreciate the myriad prompts with this CW. + 2 TPE

+ 16 TPE total