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: water
Code:
12. Written, 50 to 200+ words. Jenga
Expansion is once again a season closer and will potentially lead to each team losing three or four players. How do you think missing these players will impact different teams? Will it knock down the current competitors or maybe mess up the raising challengers? Do you expect those teams be able to recover with the assets available for them or do we finally see free agent movement like never before? What teams you would predict to be in cup contention for S83 and why?
The big wild card with this expansion effort is the sheer magnitude of it. I can’t speak to the olden days, but ever since I joined in S30, every expansion has brought in two new teams. This time, while obviously there are six more existing teams than there were back then, we are adding four new expansion franchises.
How will this impact our existing teams? The immediate impact is that more players will be pulled away from those teams, which could have dramatic effect on some of these squads. It will be a much more significant adjustment for these teams, some of which were already eyeing big changes with either prospect call-ups or moving out of their competition window due to the salary cap.
However, what remains to be seen is how competitive the expansion teams will be while fighting each other for those unprotected players. Will we see a competitive expansion team out of the gate, or will their head-butting prevent any one expansion team from truly gaining an upper hand? I look forward to seeing each expansion team’s approach to this unique expansion endeavor, and learning which teams will build to compete immediately and which will try to build a core group for the future.
[207 words]
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14. Written, 50 to 200+ words. Volatile Results
The IIHF has always been known to be hard to predict. Last season saw the 8th seeded Norway win the entire tournament after taking down 2nd seed Ireland, 3rd seed USA and 4th seed France. In season 77, we saw a similar situation with 8th seeded Ireland taking on 6th seeded Japan in the finals. How do you feel about the volatility of the IIHF, do you wish the series were longer so the stronger teams didn’t get upset as much? Or do you prefer the chaos that is single elimination?
The best part about IIHF has always been that short-season volatility. Certainly, some nations have an upper-hand, but on any given night upsets can happen. It gives everyone in the community something to play for during the offseason, and I hope we never lose sight of that when it comes to IIHF.
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.
Ivy
Code:
9. Written, 50 to 200+ words. Finals Fiesta Faceoff
Of the two teams in the SHL or SMJHL playoffs, which would host the most
banger party if the goal of the finals was to impress judges with the
most stellar party. What would their party be like? What would impress
the judges most? If your team isn’t in the finals, how would they one up
the two finalists to have the coolest party ever?
It has to be Tampa Bay! Florida is one of those states where no matter where you go, you can find a good party. I have also been to Tampa Bay for Lightning NHL games and there is so much pre and post game fun to be had. Being by the water, you can also do more beach type of activities. If I was throwing a finals party in Tampa, I would have a full on spring break type of beach blowout. All of the players would be there and we would invite a ton of fans to join too. It would be so memorable to bring the cup out there too, and we might be finding sand in it for months after. (123 words)
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10. Written, 50 to 200+ words. What do they do different?
We’ve seen Tampa Bay and San Francisco make the finals twice in a row
and both 3 times in the last 5 seasons. What do they do differently that
other teams should follow for better success in their future playoff
runs?
I really think that for both of these teams, it starts with the depth. Both teams have been in this spot multiple seasons in a row because they not only have the top of the line stars, but they have several lines behind those players too. When it comes to having a deep playoff run, you need to be able to roll out 3-4 lines during the rounds in order for everyone to stay fresh and for those top guys to not have too much pressure. Also, it has helped that both franchises are aggressive in the off season, acquiring star veterans from other teams in order to keep the group strong. For example, San Francisco trading for a former MVP in Chris Valentine is a move that a champion would make, and it paid off for them big time this season with another cup win for San Francisco! I admire what both teams have done for these incredible runs they are on. (163 words)
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.
trivial
+3 TPE
Quote:4. Despite being very heavily in regression, Tampa Bay’s Jølngüštrâädüvich DuBølk, Rikkert Biemans and Johnny Wagner-Svenson are still producing at very respectable rates. Is having depth players who can perform really well despite being low on TPE responsible for TBB’s recent success this and last postseason?
The Tampa Bay Barracuda's recent success has a lot more to do with just more than having a few low TPE players who have still been able to produce. It’s honestly a combination of factors and there are a million little variables that go into building and maintaining competitive team. Things like team chemistry, coaching, player development, and of course the performances of your players.
But at the end of the day I can’t really deny that having solid, dependable performances from your bottom-six players is one of the more underrated aspects of doing well in this league. Teams could easily decide to spend the bulk of their cap space on two or three superstars, hoping those big names will be enough to carry the rest of the roster through sheer talent alone. But, a strategy like that might work in the short term or during a hot streak. You can't really count on that to work through a whole season. Your top players can only be on the ice for so many minutes per game. You absolutely need guys who can step onto the ice, take up a bunch of ice time to give their teammates some rest, while holding down the fort until the first line can come out again and score goals.
215 words, +4 TPE
Quote:6. Your player gets added to a message group by accident and gets an unintentional invite to watch the finals live with the commissioners on their box. What does your player do and how does the situation evolve?
Dag-Otto would definitely not highlight the possibility that he was added by mistake. He'll take the opportunity that showed itself and pretend to be surprised but delighted to be invited to sit with the commissioners. Although, he would most of the time be towards the back trying not to pull attention towards himself. Eating and drinking from the free buffet.
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.
Prompt 9
If the SMJHL finals were transformed into a medieval fantasy showdown where teams competed with knight and dragon-themed parties, the Kelowna Knights would undoubtedly host the most spectacular celebration the realm has ever witnessed. Their castle-converted arena would feature towering stone towers, medieval tapestries, and a moat surrounding the entrance where guests would cross via drawbridge while being announced by royal heralds. What would most impress the judges would be the Knights' immersive experience. They would commission master artisans to create theme specific caricatures of all the guests that attend the party as well as a wide assortment of different appetizers and beers that would capture all of the different creatures and ingredients throughout the Kelowna region.
The Knights would also have a great assortment of games that can be happening all the time to keep the party guests happy. We got horseshoeing, blacksmithing, and all the themes that come in between. The judges would be enchanted by our commitment to immersion from servants speaking exclusively in medieval dialect to the authentic blacksmithing demonstrations where guests could forge their own commemorative medallions as keepsakes. The Knights would surely turn the castle experience into a party that you wouldn't want to miss out on.
WC - 203
Prompt 11
While being a rival, the Vancouver Whalers shocked me this season, jumping from 12th place last season all the way to 4th in the standings. After last year's disappointment, i did not see this coming. Their new coach brought energy and accountability that was missing before, and suddenly they're winning close games. That goes to show the amount of effort that went into turning a rebuild into a full on championship contending team. Their young core finally clicked, with several players having breakout seasons after struggling last year. By the mid-season, their veteran leadership paid off big time, giving them stability during tough stretches.
Can they maintain this success? I think so. In a similar situation to the Kelowna Knights, they were able to build on the rookies they got through the previous drafts and were able to balance them to create a team that is competitive. Unlike other teams that make big jumps then fall back, the Whalers built their improvement on solid fundamentals. If they can add another scoring piece this offseason draft, while keeping their defensive identity, we might be witnessing the birth of a new contender in the league. Don't be surprised if we see the Whalers swimming in championship waters within the next few seasons.
WC - 210
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.
Spumoni
3 TPE
Code:
11. Written, 50 to 200+ words. It's About Time
Every season there are teams that seem to finally take that next step and be ready to make the push for the cup only to fall short and then be unable to improve or even stay at the same level as what they reached the season before. What teams did you think did better than what you expected this season, either during regular season and/or playoffs? Why do you think they exceed your expectations? Should they be even better next season? Do you think they can meet those raised expectations during next season? Can some of them become the next team that will make it to the finals 3 times in four seasons?
To highlight my own team, the Philadelphia Forge, I honestly thought we’d take a step back this season. We were fairly strong in the regular season and lost to Tampa Bay (the runners up!) in 7 games during round 1. I incorrectly assumed with so much of the core aging that we wouldn’t be able to keep up with the new guys coming up, but I was wrong. I’ve raised my own expectations now, thinking that we could potentially skip a rebuild and continue to be good for a little while (even if I retire soon). Tampa’s finals appearance surprised me, and probably a few others given their regular season. I was foolish to count them out, thinking that last season’s finals were going to be it for a while. I’m not sure how I expect them to do next year, but I wouldn’t trust myself to gauge how good they are anymore after this run.
Word count: 156 - 3 TPE
Code:
15. Written, 50 to 200+ words.- The Procrastinator Special!
Looks like [TEAM] won Season 81 Challenge Cup! So who won and why? What could the other team have done differently to change the result? What was your favorite part of the series?
San Francisco has managed to pull off another win and get themselves a fabled three-peat. I was on the wrong end of the first one so I know a thing or two about standing absolutely no chance against the powerhouse in California. Not to knock Tampa Bay, who beat my team in 7 games, but these are just not two teams of the same caliber. SFP is a freak dynasty that wasn’t going to be denied their third win in three seasons. Every single one of their series finished in 6 games, never having to worry about elimination. The only thing Tampa could have done differently is come in with a stronger roster than their opponent, which simply wasn’t possible this season.
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In the Simulation Major Junior Hockey League, the team with the easiest road to the finals was carolina, between carolina and kelowna, carolina ended up playing bottom 50% teams up until the finals, where as the knights played #9 yukon iirc, #2 newfoundland and then #4 vancouver just to run into the 2nd lowest ranked team amongst their run in the finals and get polished off in 6 games, carolina never really had to fight except when their tacticians room was sleeping at the wheel or something in their round 1 series, idk what happened there, 7 and kahri know what theyre doing so maybe they just werent paying attention, i have no idea. i think everyone in the northern conference knew that the first three rounds would be a gauntlet no matter who made it through, at the end of the day thats destined to happen when you have the top 4 teams all in the same conference, and none of them get upset in round 1, i bet in NL they thought theywouldnt have to put up a fight until round 3 to play QCC, but they mightve just not realized how strong kelowna and vancouver had become, the old gaurd fell, and the new conquerers duked it out in the 2nd round
215 chars
8
going into playoffs i had either quebec or kelowna winning, i legit thought that whoever wins the northern conference final would end up winning the cup, all the teams in the north in the regular season are just better in the regular season, but i had forgotten that playoffs are a differnt beast, you get to adjust tactics for every single game, you get to counter your opponent, you get to mic it up, and if its super not working you can blender lines and player roles to make sure that no matter what happens you can try to find a way to win. im not super surprised carolina ended up beating my knights in the final, brights were too light n all that jazz, it was a huge learning experience to see and feel that kind of run just to come up short, i really enjoyed the entire experience, it was shocking how similar it felt to the cup run for the avs in 2022, but never ever in a million years would i have taken carolina over kelowna, our team is better, we have more regular season contributors, goalie heat played a factor, but the tactics definitely also defined this series at the end of the day
209 chars
2. Which team has had the easier road to the cup finals? Do you think they could have made it to the finals if they were in a different division?
Tampa hands down. Any team that has to beat the glorious New Orleans already has the harder path to the finals bar none. Tampa not only faced teams the shells of themselves and still barely made it - they didnt have to face any real teams like NOLA to make the dance. The other big indicator that Tampa had an easy path to the finals? The didn't even force a game seven. What kind of mickey mouse franchise do you have to be to not at least take the winning team to seven games if you are just going to lose after all those games. The Buccs were spawned in the safest coral reef and it shows because when they had to come close to shore the pride picked them up and filled their bellies with sushi in an instant. Sure they might be back, but until they have to face real opponents in the tougher conference, it will always be seen as easier. (163 words)
3. The duo of Dominik Winters and Logan Webb currently lead SFP in scoring this postseason and have been top 10 in SHL scoring for the past three seasons. What makes them so special, and what does it mean for them to stay on top as a duo rather than a single successful player?
For any contending team to be able to develop two players who are both challenging for the top of the league is something special but necessary for long term success. There will always be the Jennety of the group overall in the fans eyes but without that 2nd piece the top piece might not have been ever to hit the highs they did during their prime. The Pride has the benefit of hitting that perfect stride of a teams prime years all aligning perfectly vs the rest of the league and they are reaping the benefits of this for so many seasons now. The player who scores more goals will always be the favourite of the fans and critiics when it comes to voting time and legacy - but no true great is usually born without the +1. Crosby and Malkin - McDavid and Draisaitl - they all could still hit the goals they want but would it be as easy? Would the highs be as high as they were during their careers? The answer is no. The pride have something truly special in their line ups and I hope for that teams sake and their fans they appreciate what BOTH players are doing together year in and year out. (207 words)
We’ve seen Tampa Bay and San Francisco make the finals twice in a row and both 3 times in the last 5 seasons. What do they do differently that other teams should follow for better success in their future playoff runs?
This seems to becoming an SHL trend with the Tampa Bay Barracuda facing off against the San Francisco Pride. But what do these teams do that consistently sets them apart from the rest of the teams in the SHL? What we see is a 2 unique views on team building while the San Francisco Pride have stacked heavily on their forward core which generates a huge amount of shots in almost every game. While in the other side of the coin we see the Tampa Bay Barracuda who have invested quite a bit into their blue line and a overly handsome goaltender. It creates a ying and yang of hockey where we see who eventually gets the edge. Is it going to be the offense heavy San Francisco Pride or the stead fast Tampa Bay Barracuda? If you are reading this you know Tampa lost (again). Sorry that should have had a spoiler warning. I am surprised that the series didn't end up going longer as I think the Tampa Bay defenceman should have withheld San Francisco's forwards a bit better. As the (overly handsome) goalie on the receiving end of that thumping I always try and cheer for the defensive power house but sadly it was not to be had this year around, hopefully we get another chance at a cup.
222 words
4 TPE
Procrastinator Special!
Looks like [TEAM] won Season 81 Challenge Cup! So who won and why? What could the other team have done differently to change the result? What was your favorite part of the series?
Oh look San Francisco won....again. There is something to be said about maybe having some parity in the league. While that is great and they have been able to build a dominant team it really does make it discouraging that now we simply have to wait for the team to age out before we can look at anyone else having a chance to play.
Yesterday, 01:25 PM(This post was last modified: Yesterday, 01:35 PM by charlieconway. Edited 1 time in total.)
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.
ovechkin
{+3 TPE}
Quote:12. Written, 50 to 200+ words. Jenga
Expansion is once again a season closer and will potentially lead to each team losing three or four players. How do you think missing these players will impact different teams? Will it knock down the current competitors or maybe mess up the raising challengers? Do you expect those teams be able to recover with the assets available for them or do we finally see free agent movement like never before? What teams you would predict to be in cup contention for S83 and why?
I don’t know if it’s going to have too much of an effect on the current best teams, as the teams at the top of the standings every season seem to be the ones with the highest calibre players, and there are plenty of protection slots available to make sure that the most integral players on each roster are unavailable to the expansion GMs. I think we will see the four expansion teams perform reasonably well out of the gate, since even with protection lists there are some great players available, and the GMs chosen will naturally have connections with players that may draw them to joining new teams to make their mark in the expansion franchise’s inaugural season.
I do think we will see heavy activity on the free agent market that offseason because of the plethora of holes needing to be filled by the biggest contenders. Since mid-level players tend to be the ones available in FA, it’s unlikely that any player with even a decent amount of TPE is left unpursued.
{+3 TPE, 174 words}
Quote:13. Written, 50 to 200+ words. Old Reliable IIHF Analysis
Write your predictions for this year's IIHF tournament or WJC! Tell me about your team! What are your expectations for your player? What teams are you watching out for this time around? Did last season's results surprise you and how much do you expect them to change this time?
Since the tournament is being held in Canada, I think that Team Canada is the team to beat in this season’s IIHF. My player happens to be on Team Canada, and since he will be playing first line minutes, he has a good chance of being one of the highest scoring forwards in the round robin. He just so happens to be playing on a line with the SHL’s leading point-getter this past season, and he’s the leading point-getter from the prior season, so there’s a lot of firepower on that line. Last season’s results surprised me in that Team Canada didn’t win, which has been rare of late, given that we have won gold in three of the four seasons prior to that tournament.
Yesterday, 01:41 PM(This post was last modified: Yesterday, 02:17 PM by oknom. Edited 2 times in total.)
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.
confirmation word: dunk +3 TPE
Code:
10. Written, 50 to 200+ words. What do they do different?
We’ve seen Tampa Bay and San Francisco make the finals twice in a row and both 3 times in the last 5 seasons. What do they do differently that other teams should follow for better success in their future playoff runs?
So I really thought I knew something about how both teams crafted their roster but boy was I wrong! Obviously being a part of the Tampa organization, Im generally aware of which drafts we had high picks in and which ones we had traded out of for key roster pieces. Turns out the San Francisco Pride were also pretty similar to the Barracuda!
Tampa has had many more first round draft picks that the Pride over the past 10 or so seasons. But that may mean the Barracuda were picking in the high 20’s while the Pride weren’t picking at all. There were also plenty of seasons with neither team picking in the first round at all. So what were these teams doing without all these first round picks!
Trades. Wheeling and dealing. Bolstering the roster to better align with current needs and championship windows. This is a great way to keep the roster at a healthy level without the slow buildup from the SMJHL to the SHL. Careers are so long and there are so many chances to miss a PT or some other TPE. Not to mention the risk of going inactive altogether. By paying the premium price of first rounds picks, both teams stayed in the hunt for the Challenge Cup.
WC: 214 +4 TPE
Code:
9. Written, 50 to 200+ words. Finals Fiesta Faceoff
Of the two teams in the SHL or SMJHL playoffs, which would host the most banger party if the goal of the finals was to impress judges with the most stellar party. What would their party be like? What would impress the judges most? If your team isn’t in the finals, how would they one up the two finalists to have the coolest party ever?
If you haven’t seen the Tampa Bay Buccaneers super bowl boat parade, then you don’t know what you’re missing. Tampa Bay can offer not only the water parade, but the tropical atmosphere of South Florida. An English friend of mine once lived in Florida for a few years and when I asked him about it he said, “I’ve never felt more freedom, but at the same time more fear. There are no rules. You can do whatever you want to do, but there are no safeguards for you. You must accept whatever transpires.” And I think that’s a great summary for why Tampa would have the best championship party.
WC: 109 +1 TPE
2.) (208 words - 4 TPE)I really and truly think that if San Francisco and Texas had to face off at some point, we would have their number. All throughout the regular season Texas consistently showed that it could pull bigger upsets from thin air. The thing about San Francisco is that they were super top-heavy on offense and a lot of other teams in their/our division were not prepared to counter that. Instead they tried to match San Francisco with sheer firepower and couldn't keep up most of the time. With the list of defensive dominators on the Renegades spanning from Hodor to my own player, Cadmael Ixazaluoh, that high-flying offense would have a hard time finding any clearance. With that said, I think we had a bit of a harder time finding our own ground and being able to capitalize on chances. I think a big part of that was our young core. In another division, we might have faired a little better and maybe made it to the 2nd round, but I do think we could have taken out San Francisco in rounds 1 or 2 at least. Problem is getting to meet them in the playoffs to begin with and getting to a point of keeping up offesively.
9) (66 words - 1 TPE) It would easily have to be the Texas Renegades locker room that ends up throwing the best party. Its hard to beat some amazing BBQ, good music and dancing and then on top of that it would be the perfect time of year for the weather to start warming up so it wouldn't be so frigidly cold like up north would be. A good ole cookout!
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