2. Looking Towards The Future

Honestly, I think Thunder Bay is in a pretty good spot coming into next season. Last season's draft ended up quite good for us, though I do acknowledge how egotistical saying that is when I was one of the players picked up in that draft, but it's true. Defensively, we're quite well set, with a top pairing of 425s and a second pairing of 350s, so a couple young guns could be good just to round out the lineup there. We're fully set in goal as well, with a capped goalie and a solidly earning backup. Our main focus is going to need to be on offense, as we're losing 4 forwards to ageing out. The forwards we picked up last draft have been earning well, so if we get another good group this season we could be on track to be a real contender - maybe not quite next season, though we could absolutely make it further in the playoffs, but in season 83.

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6. Team History

The history of the Walleye is not exactly one that is laden with success and trophies, but it is one that I know somewhat well, seeing as I have ended up on this team for the third time now. This team was founded exactly 20 seasons ago, at the start of S61, but in a very different part of Canada, taking to the ice in one of the largest cities in the Prairies under the banner of the Regina Elk. This is the team where my previous two players, Adrians and Teodors Skalbergs, spent their junior hockey careers. Unfortunately though, the Elk were not a team that saw much success in the post-season, to the point where they were seen as being cursed. Indeed, this curse was ultimately the reason for the team's relocation and rebranding, as management felt that the organisation needed a fresh start in order to help get the monkey off of their back and finally become a successful team. In season 78, the Elk would move over a thousand kilometers and two provinces towards the east to Thunder Bay, as well as changing their mascot and name to be more fitting of their new home city, officially becoming the Walleye. The team's old colour scheme of purple and gold stuck around though, presumably as an homage to the team's old branding, showing that the Walleye still carry the spirit of the Elk within them. The team's only been in Thunder Bay for a couple of seasons, so we have not yet had a chance to see if the curse has stuck with them after the relocation or not - but with the team building up its roster to make a run at the Four Star Cup within the coming few seasons, I think we will find out sooner rather than later.

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7. Winner Winner Chicken

So, the playoffs just finished up, and we've got a champion - the Carolina Kraken. Almost 30 seasons since their last championship, they've finally added another one to their trophy cabinet. As for what made them the strongest team in these playoffs? I mean, it's pretty clear. It's the plot armor. Think about it. Their long-time GM, who was on the team as a player the last time they won the cup, and has been running the team for many, many years without a championship of his own to show for it, is about to leave the team to start an SHL expansion franchise. It would've been a bit of a tragic end to the story for him to leave without getting to hoist the cup with the Kraken one more time, wouldn't it? The hockey gods were never going to let that happen, the storyline was just too perfect to pass up. It's the fairytale ending.

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15. Charity Drive

Seeing as our team has the whole fish theme going for it, the Walleye decided to organise a charity fishing event for locals in Thunder Bay. Anyone who wanted to could show up, be given some Walleye-branded fishing gear for free, and fish to their hearts content - and all of the fish caught by the participants, including the Walleye players, would then be cooked up and served to the local homeless population, entirely free of charge. The players helped both with the fishing and with the cooking of the fish, and they also did other standard activities such as signing autographs and even playing some street hockey with the kids at the event.

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18. Milestones +3 TPE https://simulationhockey.com/showthread....pid3652437