Quote:1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1.5 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.

Funtime

Quote:2. Written, up to 4 TPE - Grab Bag: Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.
a. Two new finalists mark the end of a dynasty in the west and the return of an old heavyweight in the east. Pick either of our finalists, and tell me what about them impresses you the most!
b. The Forge have won a cup with this core, while the Blizzard are sniffing this air for the first time in a while. Who would you rather be - the veteran team that's been here and won it before, or the hungry youngsters taking their first shot at glory?
c. The Blizzard upended a long-time nemesis in the Aurora to get here, while the Forge avenged several previous losses to the Wolfpack as well. Who had the more impressive victory to punch their ticket to the cup final, and why?
d. If it ain't broke don't fix it: Who you got? Who wins? Why?

a. Obviously I'm gonna have to pick my own team here, the Edmonton Blizzard. The team spirit in this group is simply amazing, everybody is supporting each other and there for their teammates when they need them, whil still being a team that expects the best out of their people. I couldn't wish for a better team to play on and challenge for the cup with.
b. I think the answer here is rather obvious, at least to me. Being the young team that is hungry for their first cup is simply so much more exciting than having done it all before. Making it all the way to the finals for the first time and winning your first Championship is such an amazing feeling that you will never forget and nobody will be able to take away from you!
c. I think the Forges road to the finals was actually more impressive. Yes I know that we in Edmonton had a great team and overcame our nemsis, the Winnipeg Aurora, along the way, but the Forge had arguably the even bigger obstacle this time around in the Wolfpack, the team that dominated the individual scoring tables as well as the Standings last season.
d. Blizzard in 7, obviously! For real though, going into this serious I really wasn't sure who the favorite would be. Both teams were very evenly matched throughout the season, both teams had star players as well as good depth and great goaltending. You couldn't have hoped for a more wide open series imho so it was no surprise that it went all the way to not just game 7 but the final period of that game as well before the championship-deciding goal was scored.

Quote:4. Written, 3 TPE, Winter is Coming (150 words min.)
Unlike their rivals, who have literally never been bad, the Blizzard were deep in the doldrums not too many seasons ago. Now that they've reached the mountaintop, how did they pull off such a strong rebuild? What can other teams currently facing hard times learn from their success?

You have to give a ton of credit to the Blizzards managing group because there road towards becoming a contender again was so well planned and methodically executed without being suffocating or forcing anything on the teams players that they aren't comfortable with. The team had a great culture of accountability and support for each other, which lead to great friendships and an awesome atmosphere in the LR while also pushing each other to be the best versions of themselves night in and night out.

When it comes to a rebuild, I think there are basically two versions of this in the SHL these days. The first one is the hail mary, the teams who blow it up and go into a rebuild because they have no other choice and where it's a wide open question whether it will work out or not. And then there is the second group of teams, the one that when the rebuild is starting, there isn't really a doubt in anyones mind that you will see them back near the top a few seasons down the road. I would put Edmonton into that second group, they loaded their time up with promising young talent early on, gave those players all the time they needed to develop while bringing in outside help when needed. And I will give myself a little credit here as well, as I think going out and adding a player such as myself in free agency was that one grand move and signal the team needed to then switch from rebuilding mode into contender mode, so the GMs timed that perfectly as well, even if it took a few more seasons after that.