1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE - Verification word: Parm


2. Written, up to 4 TPE -

a. Atlanta is a recent expansion team reaching it's first finals appearance. Chicago has been a dominant force in the league for a long time now, with their last cup win only seven seasons ago in Season 57. If you're betting on these finals, do you go for the experienced vets in Chicago, or the hungry Atlanta first-timers?

I think both teams are deserving of being in the finals this season, Atlanta's done a great job and it's awesome to see them get there. That being said I think Chicago's experience wins out in this series. Experience often is more valuable in the end than youthful exuberance but I think it will be a good series and if Atlant does lose no doubt they will be back soon
.
b. Chicago's lineup much more active with their sticks than Atlanta's, racking up 97 takeaways to Atlanta's 79. This late in the playoffs, how do you adjust to a team that's so adept at picking your pocket?

Hard to say because I don't know the exact tactics both teams are running, but I'd probably try something with slowing the tempo of Atlanta's game, aiming for more control of the puck and less giveaways. That said Chicago may just be stronger and gets a lot of takeaways, so if I found that nothing I tried to worked I would stick to what got me there in the first place.

c. Atlanta has only 32 penalty minutes in these playoffs compared to Chicago's 45. With emotions high and the Challenge Cup on the line, do you think discipline will play a big role in this series?

I think special teams always play a role in any series. The team that gets the most powerplays usually has an edge, especially if they are good on the man advantage. Even if they dont capitalize it sometimes changes the momentum of the game. So if one team is less disciplined and gives up a lot of powerplays then yes discipline will play a role.

d. Similar to last season's finals, we see Chicago running a balanced ice-time attack against Atlanta's targeted approach that has some players seeing sheltered minutes. Last season the more balanced attack won out. Do you think we'll see the same again? Why or why not?

I do think we will see that again. If Chicago can roll a strong balanced attack of 3 lines and 3 D then I think it will ultimately win out over Atlanta sheltering their [i]weaker lines or lines, I have no idea what their lines are just assuming from the question they are playing line 3 low minutes.


5. Written, 3 TPE, Cup Check (150 words min.)

I've won both as a GM and I'd have to say both are special in their own way. If I had to say which was more prestigious it'd have to be the SHL's Challenge Cup because it's the premier trophy of the top league in sim hockey. Everyone wants to win at the highest level and that's what the Challenge Cup is, a reflection that you won at the top level in sports. A GM Career that has no challenge cup is incomplete in my opinion, where a GM career that has no Four Star Cup could still be considered good because you're job as an SMJHL is not only to try and win a championship but almost equally important is to develop members to become long time members of the league and enjoy their experience. Of course that's also part of the job in the SHL, keeping your players active, developing and having fun, but in the J it's often people's first time in the league and you are the one making the first impression on them, so can have success in other ways in the J imo outside of winning the Four Star. Also the tpe gap is smaller in the J and you can only do so much team building with turnover ever 3-4 seasons, where in the SHL you have to build a team to win and the tpe gap is larger, players more talented, etc. I was in I think three Four Star Cup Finals as a Junioir GM in 4 seasons, won once. Was in I think 9 Challenge Cup Finals as an SHL GM and won 6, so to me the Challenge Cup is the hardest to win and most prestigious.


6. Written, 3 TPE

The perfect line for Esa Parmborg would have to be a line that I played on in my career when I had b2b 79 point seasons (I think-cant remember). I think the line was Barry Batsbak-Esa Parmborg-Mikael Choybuk at forward with Brennan Kennedy Jr-Otis B Driftwood on defense. This line worked incredible because it had a two-way high offense strong defense center in Parmborg, a high offense playmaker in Batsbak and a speedy pure sniper in Choybuk. The chemistry was great and all 3 players are among the all time leaders in various categories in Dragons history. On defense we had Brennan Kennedy Jr who was an offensive defenseman, all time leader in points for Dragons defenseman and a physical bruising old school defensive defenseman in Otis B Driftwood who is near the top in hits and blocks for Dragons D. This was really an awesome line and I enjoyed both making it as  GM and playing on it as a player.

21. Written / Graphic, 3 TPE

If I could choose a piece of hockey equipment to imbue with "Materia" it would have to be my skate blades. I would give them some kind of special power that made them create more push or speed on every stride so I could reach max speed even faster and have ridiculous accelleration. It would allow me to blow by defenders when carrying the puck, get back on defense when backchecking and get to every loose puck. Basically super speed. It wouldn't be noticeable on my gear since it's metal and a small part that makes contact with the ice, would fly under the radar. Maybe some kind of new super powered steel skate blade or imbued with dormant energy thats activated when it makes contact with the ice. These would be Bauer skates because that's what I always wore in real life when I was a slow defenseman dreaming of speed.

22. Written 2TPE - Be nice.

Doing a bonus task because i didn’t see this at first and want to say nice things about TWO people who have really stepped up in Calgary and done a great job as the new Dragons GM’s. @Muerto and @DarkCanuck29 you are both great quality people and members, have great attitudes and the right mix of working hard on the management end but keeping it light and humorous in the room. Really appreciative of you guys stepping in when the team needed someone and continuing to do a great job leading us today. Thanks very much for taking such great care of the franchise I love so much. Keep being yourselves and having fun!