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*CptSquall* · 10-03-2020, 06:07 PM

Ahoy SHL, Cpt. Squally here with a new article (Series maybe?) featuring the San Francisco Pride. This franchise is only slightly older than my time on the site, having been a relocation of the Portland Admirals before the start of S37. With the exception of having the best record in S38, the Pride have largely spent the S40s struggling until their slow rise to the playoffs. Lets take a look.

Things started gaining steam in S46, after a rough S45 that saw them take home a 18-30-2 record. Isak Odegard lead them with 39 points as a D man but the team finished 7th in the West and featured the S43 first rounders Leshaun King (1st OA) who had 14 goals and 15 Assists for 29 points, Luke Thomason (3rd OA) who had 18 goals and 19 assists for 37 points, and Goku Muerto (5th OA) with 9 goals 17 assists for 26 points. For King, This was his second season, but Luke and Goku were having their rookie campaigns so one could say this team had SOME youth to it. This was also the end of things with the 14 team, 7 per conference established nearly unchanged since the last expansion back in S25 that gave us the Buffalo Stampede, and the Portland Admirals....so these guys.

S46 saw the SHL expand to 16 teams, in the East this was the Chicago Syndicate

and in the West it was the New Orleans Specters

. The Spooks were set to play in the newly established Southwest Division along side the Pride, Renegades, and Panthers as the SHL went with 4 new divisions for their conferences. This meant two things for the playoffs, one was that EACH division winner would make it (seeded by who had the better record) and two, we wanted to make it seem like more teams made it, while still having 4 teams in as that seemed to be the sweet spot. Thus, the SHL forced the 4th place, and 5th place to have a wildcard play in series with the winner playing the 1st place team like normal.

For the Pride this presented a unique opportunity. Finishing with a record of 24-22-4, SFP managed a winning record for the first time since S39. Unfortunately they finished 7th again and last in the division with 52 points. Things were looking up though as this was only 1 point back from 4th in the conference. Jack Tanner lead the way with 38 points and was one of 8 30 point players which included young stars King and Goku. Luke was lost to Chicago in the Expansion.

S47 was a new year. Same exact record Lundberg retired but this didnt seem to drag the whole team down but this may have been more because the team tightened defensively and Chris Partridge had a better season in net. Finishing 5th also gave the Pride their first playoff birth of the S40s, even if only in a technicality and only lead to a 5 game loss to the Texas Renegades. Things could be looking up.

S48 saw the team get shaken up a bit, coming in with an all new roster that saw San Fran finish with a 28-19-3 record, good for 3rd in the West and a date with the Winnipeg Jets. Gone were defenceman Fedor Shirobokov and forwards Dionyz Vyskoc, Howie Dewitt, and Kyler Gill. In came young new defenceman Dominic Montgomery, and forwards, Nathan Explosion, Filip Zadina, and journeyman Joseph Lombardi. Jeff Brogen lead the team this time with 47 points and young Goku Meurto broke 40 as he began to come into his own. But the young Lions stumbled in 6 games to the Jets and were sent home in round 1 again.

S49, final season of the decade and surely one that should have seen more improvement. But the Pride were dashed as they stumbled to a 20-26-4 record and had no hope of making it, in spite of a second straight season of 47 points from Jeff Brogen. Sadly the scoring depth just wasn't there and the defence came back down to earth.

S50 flipped the script as they finished with a fantastic 32-14-4 record for 1st in the West and the league, Charlie Schieck had 45 points but EVERBODY was scoring. Dakota Reid's retirement couldnt be at a worse time for herself. They would have to wait with anticipation for the winner of LA vs CGY. The Calgary Dragons would beat the Los Angeles Panthers in a hard fought series and then stun these big cats here in 4 to end her all early. But i mean come on, young team on the rise, gotta learn about the playoffs somehow and who better than the team that almost never misses the post season party in the Dragons right?

S51 was marred with controversy but none of that had anything to do with San Francisco and their terrible 18-27-5 record this year. This was through little fault of their own as everyone regressed in their numbers only slightly. It was a year to learn and grow, not one for panic right?

S52 saw some minor line changes that may have actually helped the chemistry of this team somewhat. Or maybe the tools were all there already and they needed an off year to set em straight. Their 31-12-7 record was again good for first in the League. Steven Moyer, who had been a quiet member of the team since S46 broke out with 55 points, and Jeff Brogen was ever present with his own 50 in 50. Yet again they waited for Calgary and Los Angeles to play, yet again the Dragons won. But this time everything clicked and the Pride slayed the Dragons in 6 games. Their first ever playoff series win. Next they would have to face New Orleans, who had been trying to return to the Challenge Cup Finals since S46. Beating them in a fierce 7 game series was a watershed moment and seemingly had everything set for them. Being out worked in a gritty 6 game final against the Manhattan Rage was a tough pill to swallow though and left questions going into the offseason.

S53 Brought with it a new Sim Engine and therefor new rules. Lines were contracted from 4 to 3 on the forward end. Some players struggled to readjust to the new style of hockey they were to play, couple that with the short break and the retirement of star goalie Chris Partridge, this team felt different. Piotr Czerkawski lead the team with 58 points and Patrice Nadeau was solid in net. In spite of the 27-20-3 record carrying them to 5th, the new engine brought a restructuring of the playoff format. Seeding organized by top 4 with 1st playing 3rd and 2nd playing 4th. Gone was the play in series.

S54 had them at 27-22-1 but the Pride slid to 6th in the west as Nadeau and last years backup, Venables split the net while both having poor outings. Half of the D corps were also on the wrong side of 30 and the years were catching up with them. In spite of three 50 point players.

S55 Saw both goalies gone so that young Kelowna Knights star Cillian Kavanagh could take over. But some of that solid core from the S52 run was gone. Nathan Explosion was sent away as were Bo Kane and Piotr Czerkawski, even solid D man Dominic Montgomery was out of the picture and each had made way for a combination of young, new players, and ready to retirees. The team finished 16-32-2 and the writing seemed to be on the wall. The short lived powerhouse had burnt bright and was now out of gas. The only thing left was to rebuild. Picks and young prospects were loaded up on and some painful seasons are ahead.

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it. This is Cpt. Squally, sailing away

1358 words graders

JumpierPegasus · 10-03-2020, 06:42 PM

The Pride have been cursed since s25

***bluesfan55*** · 10-03-2020, 06:43 PM

as someone who spent a good chunk of his career (last player) with the pride i found their collapse pretty sad, hopefully they can get back on track soon