3. Written, 3 TPE, Been there, Done that (150 words min.)
It has been 10 seasons since Panthers last won the cup and Yannick Svoboda is only player left from that team. While for the New England this is 4th finals appearance since S70 and multiple players have been there for all of them, including the two cup wins. Will that experience triumph over excitement or will it make them overconfident? Will the nerves of Panthers get better of them now when the stakes are the highest? Which team has the mental advantage over the other and how big of an impact you think it will have on the match up?

Well, I think the answer to this one was glaringly obvious now that we've seen the championship games. New England came into this series horrendously over-confident and had one of the most embarrassing losses that I could remember. Sure, there were no games that they were completely blown out, and every game was a close, competitive one. But to make it to the finals with your champion history to be swept by the Panthers? I'm not certainly complaining, I love seeing new and different teams claim the cup for their own, but man what a shocker to see New England swept. I think the Panthers just had that much better of a mindset coming into the series. They finished an incredible season and had everything to prove and the confidence to back it up. They weren't going to let New England's history scare them away. Sometimes that eager excitement is just what a team needs to give them that extra step in their game.

WC: 164

3 TPE


4. Written, 3 TPE, Merely a setback! (150 words min.)
For more than 5 seasons conference finals have mostly been played between Edmonton and Winnipeg in west, yet this season they were both knocked out earlier. In the east Baltimore and Hamilton challenged Philadelphia and New England but ultimately we saw the same two teams in conference finals. Was season 75 merely a setback for Edmonton and Winnipeg or is the clock also ticking for New England and Philadelphia? Which teams you expect to see making it to finals during next few seasons?

Well, I certainly hope that this is a sign of changes to come. Not that I have anything against Edmonton or Winnipeg. Every sports league has their teams that are truly dominant and they have a reason why they're the best of the best. But as a fan as well as a player, I love to see new teams in the spotlight. Not just for the SHL, but also other sports across the globe. Look at the NHL for example. I absolutely despise the Florida Panthers, but hey, it was awesome seeing a smaller team like that make their push to the finals! In 2021, we saw the Montreal Canadiens, who NOBODY expected to make it that far, have their own push to make it to the finals. New things in sports are fun. I can definitely see Philly (as much as I would not like it coming from an Atlanta prospect) making their push to the finals in this upcoming season.

WC: 162

3 TPE



6. Written, 2 TPE, Maybe next season (100 words min)
Which SHL or SMJHL team was the best team to not make the finals this season and why?

This totally isn't me being a homer (sarcasm), but you gotta think the Kelowna Knights are on the up and coming. Their blue line is being led by the all star Paul Bondage and judging from this past season, it looks like he's willing to carry this team on his back to make it to another playoff series and eventually get that first round win. They are still missing many pieces to the puzzle to be a true contender, but there's a unity among this team that you don't find in every hockey team. Be on the lookout next season for this team.

WC: 103

2 TPE