1. Consequentialism

7. Since graduating I haven't kept up with the SMJHL situation as much as I should have, so it's a hell of a surprise to see not just a completely fresh finals matchup but a finals matchup featuring a team that didn't exist two seasons ago. Besides having an incredible brand - because for real, the Highlanders' logo and colours are fantastic - the Ottawa team have done spectacular work getting to this point so damn quickly...even if they've had a fair bit of luck doing it, judging by their shots for vs. shots against differential. Now I'm with the Argonauts, you love to see an Argonaut prospect look like a stud in goal.

...unfortunately, while I'd love to side with the fresh faces, I really do think it's Vancouver who have the best shot at the cup. There are a few reasons why: I think the team is better rounded than the Highlanders and generally much safer on the puck, but they also come into the finals with an astonishing amount of momentum. Had it not been for Phemeia McLaughlin throwing up a wall in the first round, Vancouver would have played 12 and won 12 on their way to cup contention, and the way they ran through both Quebec City and Regina was genuinely surprising.

If there's one X-factor for Ottawa, it's Pique Boo - their leading scorer in the regular season hasn't quite kept up that form in the playoffs so if there's a time to find the top gear, it's now. Either way, lfg.

11. It's kinda difficult to reasonably judge how this season was for Simo. Numerically and statistically, it was a binfire but that comes from playing on a team that was a bottom-feeder for basically the entire season and who are very clearly not ready to contend. I think next season was all but guaranteed to be better simply on the strength of new players coming onto the Blizzard, but this trade to Seattle means Simo joins a team that already has some existing, young talent and he's not going to be required to carry games by himself on the blueline. Joining up with old Falcons teammates in Will Tomlander and Jimothee Penjiman, and rivals like Shadow Fenix of the famous Detroit Four Star Cup-winning series means there's going to be an extra level of chemistry that other teams in the same position might not have, and that sort of advantage can only be a good thing.