S80 Championship Week

S80 Championship Week Due: Sunday, February 2nd @ 11:59 PM PST

Aephino
Registered
"king" of the SHL

#252

02-02-2025, 07:50 PM

Code:
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.

Verification word: banana
+3 TPE

Code:
9. Written, 50 to 200+ words. Rising Stars

The Tampa Bay Barracuda have never been the top team in terms of average TPE. Yet over the years, we’ve seen many Tampa Bay players perform at MVP levels. From Max Carnage a few seasons ago to Johnny Wagner-Svenson and Jølngüštrâädüvich DuBølk the few seasons before that, TBB definitely is doing something right with their players. How does Tampa Bay bring out the best of their players nearly consistently? Do they do something different than the other teams? Is it just a bit of luck compared to other top teams? Or is there something about the builds of Tampa Bay players that makes them excel better than most?

It definitely is not luck - as science teaches us, when things happen consistently over repeated events, there is no way it is possible for random variance to work like that. Same thing applies in sports - when a team or player is consistently good, there is definitely luck involved. Tampa Bay is just filled with terrific in game coaches and player development coaches behind the scenes. It is why Zedward was itching to play there. Most importantly, they have the right atmosphere and mentality to bring the most out of people. Johnny Wagner-Svenson is a great example of just being the perfect for the team at this time.

100 words
+2 TPE

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10. Written, 50 to 200+ words. The Unexpected

Toronto ended up making it into the playoffs by one point while Atlanta had the best regular season since S71 Winnipeg. Yet in the playoffs Atlanta ended up losing the second round, while Toronto made it to the conference finals. Does regular season success matter in the long run if the team fumbles in the playoffs? Should teams give much importance to the regular season or focus all of their energy to playoffs once their team has secured a spot? Should the league in general regard the regular season results more highly?

Regular season success is important, as it does tend to give teams more confidence in the playoffs. However, I do think teams should not try to peak too early, which sadly appeared to be the case in Atlanta. Meanwhile, Toronto knew to ride their hot form when it mattered, and were able to be quite successful in game management in the playoffs. In general, I would not say the league should give more merit to the regular season, but it is still an achievement in its own right to win the Presidents Trophy, or in general to have a high standing.

100 words
+2 TPE

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11. Written, 50 to 200+ words. Did We Really Win

This seasons we saw something unusual as both conferences featuring a division where winner got arguably harder matchup than the second place team as the wild card from the other division finished with more points than the third place team in their division. How does it make you feel about the playoffs structure? Was it actually even worse for New Orleans and Buffalo to have won their division? Or does it really matter as if you are reaching for the cup likely should be prepared to face any team anyway? How much do you think it benefited Los Angeles and Philadelphia to face opponents out of their own division during first round?

While maybe yes it gave them a better percentage chance in the playoffs, I always say NO - it is not worse to win your division. If a team tries to purposely tank near the end of the regular season just to aim for a certain first round matchup, it shows weakness in mentality. The best teams always want to, and believe, that they can beat any other team.

50 words
+1 TPE

Total: 8 TPE