Login

Steve · 11-15-2020, 11:16 AM

CW Trivia Verification
Boomer

***luke*** · 11-15-2020, 11:29 AM

Code:
Code:

2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

Of the 10 most recent finals series, which do you think is the most memorable and why? Which will be remembered in history as the best/most important/most memorable series or victory? S46: BUF over NOLA, S47: WKP over CGY, S48: BUF over WPG, S49: EDM over NEW, S50: CGY over TBB, S51: HAM over EDM, S52: MAN over SFP, S53: HAM over EDM, S54: NOLA over HAM, S55: BUF over NOLA.

This one is a great question hotdog first of all, and I would say the most memorable one to me is MAN over SFP, as for me it was my new team vs the team that drafted me. manhattan came from beating CHicago in 7 games, beating Buffalo in either 5 or 6 games to make it to the finals where we face my former team in SFP. We were confident that we would beat them, and we did in 6 games, getting my player my first SHL Cup. For the league as a whole, Calgary over TBB in S50 is memorable because that is the latest reverse swept in the finals in a long time. And then other than that, NOLA over HAM in S54 was also memorable because HAM has been a step ahead of all teams in terms of tactics, so seeing NOLA beat HAM in 4 games was a nice sight to see.

Code:
6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)

Which SHL or SMJHL team was the best team to not make the finals this season and why?

THe best SHL team to not make the finals would either be Calgary or Chicago. Calgary came off a massive season, specifically for Vilde where he dominated the league, posting some amazing numbers for Calgary. But fell short in 6 games as they lost to Edmonton and their coaches. Never underestimate the coaches of Edmonton, and they paid the price. The other team would be Chicago, who go reverse swept by Buffalo, something that must have been a painful pill to swallow. They had a very strong start, but through a series of getting outshot, or Doyle coming up big, couldnt get it done. Manhattan is an HM, but couldnt get it done against Buffalo.

Code:
12. Podcast, 3 or 4 TPE

Record a mini-podcast on any of the below topics!

- Highlights of the S56 season (on or off the ice)

- S56 playoff round-up

- S56 Challenge Cup/Four Star Cup finals Breakdown

- S57 predictions

1 person Mini-Pod: 3 TPE for 5 minutes or 4 TPE for 7 Minutes

2 person Mini-Pod: 3 TPE for 6 Minutes or 4 TPE for 8 Minutes

Post the direct link to your podcast.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1I04O7R...v8rw6gqDMA

Code:
Code:

13. Written, up to 4 TPE - Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.

a. Both of these teams have an impressive set of skaters - without factoring in any coaching or tactical strategies, which team do you think has the better roster of skaters on paper?

b. Do you foresee the teams making any strategic adjustments during the course of the series? Should the teams be quick to switch tactics or stick with what they've been using?

c. These two teams hail from the Great Lakes Division. Which of the Great Lakes (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior) do you think is the Greatest and why?

d. If, once it is safe to do so, you had to go hang out in person with one of the users on Buffalo/Hamilton, who would you hang out with and what would you do? (if you pick gabe you get -1 tpe)

a. Without coaching or tactical strategies, I think Hamilton has the depth and talent on the front end to beat buffalo. With the additions of Theo Morgan, and Scarn to be on the 1st line, along with Volkov on the blueline, they are a powerhouse this season in terms of talent and strength. Their only weakness seemed to be their goalie, but with the defense like thiers, its not hard to defend.
b. The team that should be trying to make stratgeic adjustments is Buffalo, as they are the clear underdogs against Hamilton. The main goal for Buffalo is to get shots on Jobin, and quality shots on Jobin, as he is a weaker goalie than Doyle. Buffalo needs Doyle's A game in order to win.
c. Obviously its lake Michigan. Look at the state of michigan in the first place. 2 halfs of a state split in 2, what a legend. Instead of becoming 2 seperate states, or one going into Wisconson, it is 1 unified state. Obviously the lake is what binds them together, so therefore lake Michigan is the best lake.
d. I would hang out with my good friend, Aron Herdinvik. Obviously we are best friends because we are team czechia, so the natural conclusion is that we would hang out already you know? I would also hang out with Theo morgan because he was my player back in Vancouver, and it would be nice to hang out with him again.

Code:
16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.

Done: NOOT

caltroit_red_flames · 11-15-2020, 11:42 AM

Code:
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?

Coming into this season I wasn't sure that I was going to have a great one. The Atlanta Inferno have a ton of great defensemen including Guy Zheng, Geoff Moore, DeMaricus Smyth, and Simon LeBlanc. I wasn't expecting to be in the top half of defensemen in points, that's for certain. But the coach saw something in me during training camp and gave me a shot on the top pair! This season Brady had 34 points. After a really tough offseason of regression I was really expecting Brady to fall off a cliff and have closer to 20 points this season. Instead Brady came out and played like a work horse. He got time on the top pair and on the 2nd power play. I attribute Brady's success partially to Brady talent and work ethic, but I also attribute it to playing with possibly the best defenseman in the SHL right now, Guy Zheng, and the systems that our coach had us play. He really created a system where an offensive player like Brady could thrive and not have to sacrifice any offense for defense. Next season is going to be tough though. There's going to be another tough round of regression and Brady is going to have to play a lot better positionally to make sure he doesn't have any defensive issues. (223 words)

Code:
2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

Of the 10 most recent finals series, which do you think is the most memorable and why? Which will be remembered in history as the best/most important/most memorable series or victory? S46: BUF over NOLA, S47: WKP over CGY, S48: BUF over WPG, S49: EDM over NEW, S50: CGY over TBB, S51: HAM over EDM, S52: MAN over SFP, S53: HAM over EDM, S54: NOLA over HAM, S55: BUF over NOLA.

I think the most memorable series out of the ones listed for me personally is the S49 one when EDM won the cup against NEW. At the time it felt like the Blizzard were just find their legs again, at least to me, and while I thought we had a chance to win the cup I didn't think it was a sure fire thing. But lo and behold we won round after round to make it to the challenge cup finals and ended up going up against a team with my old GM at the helm, Ace! That made the whole thing even more exciting. His old team vs his NEW team (zing!). My first challenge cup was won in a season where the locker room was basically dead because of personality differences and it made the whole thing really kind of shitty. In S49 we could genuinely celebrate and get excited. This was truly a challenge cup finals that I would never forget! (164 words)

Code:
6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)

Which SHL or SMJHL team was the best team to not make the finals this season and why?

I think the best team not to make the Challenge Cup Finals in the SHL is easily the Atlanta Inferno. I've said multiple times in other posts that I think Eko Van Otter is the best forward in the SHL and that I think Guy Zheng is the best defenseman in the SHL. That alone gives you a fair shot at anything. But on top of that we have some great veterans with tons of playoff experience that can give you big advantage over less seasoned competition. Players like Brady McIntyre and DeMaricus Smyth who have both already won 2 cups being on the backend who know how to get it done can really make a big difference. I think by far we were the best team that didn't make the finals. (132 words)

Code:
13. Written, up to 4 TPE - Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.

a. Both of these teams have an impressive set of skaters - without factoring in any coaching or tactical strategies, which team do you think has the better roster of skaters on paper?

b. Do you foresee the teams making any strategic adjustments during the course of the series? Should the teams be quick to switch tactics or stick with what they've been using?

c. These two teams hail from the Great Lakes Division. Which of the Great Lakes (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior) do you think is the Greatest and why?

d. If, once it is safe to do so, you had to go hang out in person with one of the users on Buffalo/Hamilton, who would you hang out with and what would you do? (if you pick gabe you get -1 tpe)

a. This is pretty simple. The Hamilton Steelhawks have 4 players over 2000 TPE. I believe that to be great and win cups you need to have stars. Any player over 2000 is pretty much guaranteed to be a star unless the play have put all of their TPE into fighting. With Dick Clapper, Aaron Wilson, Theo Morgan and Michael Scarn on the squad it's impossible to say that HAM doesn't come out on top in terms of talent. (78 words)

b. I think that both teams are ones where the GMs really care and like to make strategic adjustments whenever required. Considering that HAM is the team that is famous for destroying the use of an entire sim system because they wanted to test it to hell I have to get with them on this one. They'll switch things up early and often. And personally I think that's what you need to do with FHM so :+1: (75 words)

c. As someone who lived on the coast of Lake Michigan for 22 years you would expect that to be my answer. Maybe it should be but in my opinion the correct answer is Lake Superior. Sure it's a freezing lake but I don't think any other lake can compare to it. It's crystal clear and that makes it gorgeous to look at from the coast off of the UP. (69 words)

d. I would definitely choose Michael Scarn (Trautner). He and I have known each other for almost 2 years now I think he's a really cool guy. It'd be interesting to get to know him more beyond the guy who earns literally every bit of TPE and loves baseball. Heck I don't even know where he's from. Weird tbh. (58 words)

Code:
14. Written, 2 TPE - The Procrastinator Special! (100 words min)

Welp, you waited until the last day to grind out your CW and the CC finals are longggggggg over by now. congrats to [TEAM], woo! Reflecting back on the series, who gets your vote for series MVP? Make the case why this player deserves it over any other.

As someone who believes that offense is actually the way to win championships I have to go with the center from Buffalo: Monkey D. Luffy. He had the most points in the entire playoffs, the most shots, and the most assists by 8. That's not a small number for such a short span of games. As the top line center playing almost 25 minutes per game you have to give Luffy the props that he deserves. Going up against the other team's top players and having to put up points as well as having to take care of the defensive zone is probably the hardest thing to do in hockey and he KILLED it. (114 words)

Code:
16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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: e

Renomitsu · 11-15-2020, 12:28 PM

1. My last season in the SMJHL was a bit of a bittersweet one, as I was traded to a different J team and knew I would need to be pulled up to the SHL or released by my team (the Stampede). It turned out largely the way I wanted it to – with a handful of points but an overall positive impact on the ice (+9 over the course of the season). My shooting percentage was pretty awful and I scored more goals than I would have liked to – as I would strongly prefer 0 goals and 20 assists to 5 goals and 8 assists – but I felt I had a significant impact on the ice by blocking over 100 shots and forcing 30 takeaways. 110 hits help too, especially at the cost of just 20 penalty minutes. I would have liked for us to perform a bit better regardless, as we were 23-23-4 as a team and definitely didn’t have the seeding we wanted going into the playoffs.

2. For me, there’s no doubt: the BUF over NOLA championship victory in Season 55 definitely means the most, even though I was still on my junior league team at the time. There was a lot of anxiety and frustration with the sim going into the series, and Buffalo had to plan extremely carefully in order to just get to the finals – especially with Hamilton and Chicago in our division! But it paid off in what I consider the best way in Season 55. Our locker room was suddenly going crazy after each game, and it was awesome to see the work that our players had put in over a dozen or more seasons paying off in something tangible. We’ve been competitive at the highest level since I was drafted, and it was awesome to see the team go from “almost there” to “holy crap we did the thing!” I hope that I can earn cups as an actual member of the team now that I’m being called up!

3. Okay, okay – hear me out here. We’re going to make the worst 12-team playoff a reverse gauntlet (otherwise recognized as a ladder bracket). There are a few leagues that do this, albeit more logically, around the world; one such league is South Korea’s KBO (professional baseball): normally, the top seed is rewarded for their valiant regular season effort by getting an automatic bye to the Finals. The rest of the teams have to “climb the ladder” up past the rest of the teams, one grueling series at a time – so in the SHL’s case, that would normally mean Seed 12 would need to face Seed 11, then the winner of that would need to face Seed 10, then the winner of that… you get my point, right? Well, we’d do that in complete reverse: the first seed starts at the bottom and needs to face the second seed in the first round, then the winner of that needs to face the third seed, and so on and so forth. That way, the top two seeds are each most likely to be eliminated in the first round and have a minimal chance of winning. Not only that, but how about we flip the series on its head by making the LOWER seed the one with home ice advantage throughout the series!? That’ll teach you to win regular season games, you jerks.

4. That’s tough to say. It’s unfortunate, but the need for a playoff bubble would probably lead me to offer up a city that doesn’t have a ton of people (in order to limit risk) and is temperate enough to house teams that are used to the brutal Canadian cold and the warmer temperatures in the southern United States. As a result, a compromise including a city in the northern or upper Midwest of the States would probably be a good compromise. The Minnesota Monarchs are a relatively newer team who could be invigorated by hosting an SHL final, so for me, a city like Rochester or Duluth (basically any non-Minneapolis-St. Paul city) would be a pretty ideal location. I don’t think it’s necessary to head to an extremely small city/medium-sized town (e.g. St. Michael, Ham Lake, or even Minnetonka), as you need to ensure that the city has enough resources to accommodate several dozen players’ worth of playoff teams without having a city so dense as to likely spread COVID.

6. Well, I’m obviously a bit biased, but I think the best SMJHL team to not make the finals this season was Quebec City! We had a host of 425 cap players that I found genuinely impressive – though nowadays it feels like there’s a bit of an arms race in the SMJHL even with expansion – and we had a couple of multi-sport athletes like Yuuto Kira Cloudera Jr. who are well-respected in other sim leagues. I think our team was overshadowed a little by the likes of Vancouver – who did have a genuinely excellent team all the way around – and Newfoundland, who like other teams rode on the back of older players like Tinke Jutila (don’t get me wrong, I’m equally guilty here!). I’d also like to point out that the playoff standings on the index are very confusing, as it makes it look like the Berserkers beat the Timber in the second round by a series lead of 8-1 (and 7-1 for the Kraken vs. Raptors).

16. TRIVIA – my verification word is “vagabond”

BarnabasCollins · 11-15-2020, 02:23 PM

Code:
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?

I wanted Vilde to finally have an award worthy season and I think I accomplished that whether he wins an award or not. Even with all the great team success we've had it's still nice to have your player have a great season. I think I surpassed even my wildest expectations with this past season with record setting goals against average and save percentage. I also had way more shutouts than I thought. I could only have accomplished this through the heavy amount of research done by my fellow dragons goalie Cale Amundsen without who's advice I probably would have settled for another just above average season which seemed to be my norm. I'm hoping to be able to fight off regression and at least try to keep the same stat ratios in an effort to at least come close to this past season's numbers. If I can do that I would be quite a happy camper.

Code:
2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Of the 10 most recent finals series, which do you think is the most memorable and why? Which will be remembered in history as the best/most important/most memorable series or victory? S46: BUF over NOLA, S47: WKP over CGY, S48: BUF over WPG, S49: EDM over NEW, S50: CGY over TBB, S51: HAM over EDM, S52: MAN over SFP, S53: HAM over EDM, S54: NOLA over HAM, S55: BUF over NOLA.

Well obviously for me the most memorable was the S50 Calgary and Tampa bay series since my team won it. What I find most memorable about it was the goalie battle between Kata Vilde and Benjamin Blue, rivals since they had been drafted just a couple picks apart in season 41. Blue had had way better seasons at that point than Vilde. I think Tampa was favored there just because of Blue's outstanding net minding. In the playoffs however Vilde went on an absolute tear. Calgary was able to prevail and Vilde was even up for the playoff mvp award after just a so so regular season. Definitely felt good to win a cup on my 2nd player, giving me a cup on each of my players now. And the locker room in Calgary was on fire that playoffs. It was a great win with a great group of guys and is a series that I surely will never forget having come out on top of my fellow net minder Blue.

Code:
3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
FHM's 12-team playoff bracket setup has received a fair bit of scrutiny. It re-seeds after the play-in round and for some reason puts the #1 seed and #2 seed on the same side of the bracket. I challenge you to come up with a different playoff format - can you come up with a format that's dumber/worse than this? be creative! Come up with the worst possible format for a 12-team playoff.

Obviously the playoff format sucks donkey nuts since the finals teams were both from the East. I'm not sure it's possible to be more ludicrous than this but I guess one way would be to have every team play each team in the playoffs 3 times. Then you could have the two teams with the best records in the round robin play each other in the finals. I think by doing this we may actually end up with the 2 best teams in the finals. I still hate the fact that it's not an east west thing anymore so may as well make it so quite probably the 2 best teams would be in the finals if that's the way we're going top go.

Code:
4. Written/Graphic, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
If the SHL needed to set up a playoff bubble (like the NHL did in Edmonton/Toronto or the NBA in Orlando), which city would be the best candidate to host as the hub city? What would the players do during their time in a playoff bubble? (For graphic option, make an advertisement [like a pamphlet/brochure] in support of a specific city as the hub city and highlighting the reasons why.)

I guess if you wanted to set up a bubble hub you'd probably want it to be in a Canadian city since the United States seemingly has zero interest in controlling the spread of Covid. So which city should it be? Well in a perfect world I would say Montreal. It has a long history with the SHL as a jr team before it was thoughtlessly moved away to a southern US city. It would be great for the amazing Montreal fans to once again have the SHL focused on their city. Also the fact that you could get amazing poutine as well as other fine Canadian treasures like Timmy's would be a huge bonus for the teams as well. There's a long history of great hockey media in Montreal as well. Would be cool to get the hockey night in Canada guys to broadcast and analyze the games to give even more great insights into the amazing players playing in the SHL.

Code:
6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
Which SHL or SMJHL team was the best team to not make the finals this season and why?

This obviously would be the team with the second best record in the league and tops in the west, the Calgary Dragons. The Dragons had a dominating season and for some reason fell into very bad luck and timing to have a slump in their second round matchup with Edmonton. This is a funny series in that it seems they meet in the playoffs every single season and the team with the lesser record for some reason always seems to take the series. To say that Calgary was a disappointment in the playoffs would be a huge understatement as they would have been seen to probably have the best chance of beating the Steelhawks in the finals but it was just not meant to be this season.

Code:
16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.
SUBMIT TRIVIA ANSWERS HERE
FuckHamilton

Cyanide · 11-15-2020, 02:38 PM

Code:
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?

This season Leonids Balzams had his best season overall with the Nevada Battleborn. In the 50 games played with the Battleborn, Balzams scored a career high 6 goals with 15 assists for 21 points. Along with those points came a plus minus of 6 and a PIM of 11. This showed an improvement for Balzams as of those 11 PIM, 5 came from his only fight, which he won. His possession game was just as strong as it was last season, with 17 giveaways to his 30 takeaways. The biggest improvement was his shots blocked, going from 33 to 71 this season. The only thing Leonids could say regressed was his physical play on the ice. He only had 24 hits this season, a far cry from his 64 last season. The play-offs ended in disappointment for Balzams as the Battleborn finished the season playing 1 playoff series, losing the the Armada.

Code:
4. Written/Graphic, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

If the SHL needed to set up a playoff bubble (like the NHL did in Edmonton/Toronto or the NBA in Orlando), which city would be the best candidate to host as the hub city? What would the players do during their time in a playoff bubble? (For graphic option, make an advertisement [like a pamphlet/brochure] in support of a specific city as the hub city and highlighting the reasons why.)

If the SHL had a bubble, I think that for the Eastern Conference, the hub city would be the same as the NHL one, Toronto. I know, right? The choice is super shocking and unexpected. But clearly the city has a ton of amenities that the players would be able to use, as well as a multitude of hotels for players to stay in. With the quarantine still in effect, the second hub city would most likely also be in Canada. For the sake of not completely copying the NHL the second hub city, which is for the Western Conference would be Winnipeg. While the city is not as glamorous as the other available options, there is still quite a bit someone can do in Winnipeg. With some local breweries and the Forks Market, there is at least something to do. Having it in Winnipeg would also give the players a reason to hate the Eastern Conference more, adding to the energy for the finals.

Code:
14. Written, 2 TPE - The Procrastinator Special! (100 words min)

Welp, you waited until the last day to grind out your CW and the CC finals are longggggggg over by now. congrats to [TEAM], woo! Reflecting back on the series, who gets your vote for series MVP? Make the case why this player deserves it over any other.

Well first off, congrats to the Hamilton Steelhawks for winning the Challenge Cup! Winning in 5 games shows how dominate of a season and series the Steelhawks had. Hamilton put on a clinic offensively with Buffalo shutting them out only once. Dick Clapper put in work these playoffs with 21 points, 10 of which goals. Michael Scarn was also excellent with 19 points. But the man who lead the team was Theo Morgan with 23 points in 18 games. Morgan is the going to be the winner for playoff MVP, but the overall play of the team was excellent, with no one person carrying the team.

Code:
6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)

Which SHL or SMJHL team was the best team to not make the finals this season and why?

The best team to not make the SMJHL finals was the Nevada Battleborn. The Battleborn won their division getting a first round bye. This team had an excellent goalie tandem with Phillip Weaver and C.K. Supernaw minding the net. The teams defence was loaded with talent such as Grandmaster Funk, Sachimo Zoidberg III, Tanjiro Kamado, Bane, and Vili Afalava. The teams offence had studs such as Zelma Zuntnere and Chad Danger. Unfortunately the team got cold against the Anchorage Armada and lost in 5 games. If the team's defence managed to put up a couple more shots, this series would have ended differently.

Code:
13. Written, up to 4 TPE - Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.

a. Both of these teams have an impressive set of skaters - without factoring in any coaching or tactical strategies, which team do you think has the better roster of skaters on paper?

b. Do you foresee the teams making any strategic adjustments during the course of the series? Should the teams be quick to switch tactics or stick with what they've been using?

c. These two teams hail from the Great Lakes Division. Which of the Great Lakes (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior) do you think is the Greatest and why?

d. If, once it is safe to do so, you had to go hang out in person with one of the users on Buffalo/Hamilton, who would you hang out with and what would you do? (if you pick gabe you get -1 tpe)

a. I think that the Steelhawks have the better roster overall when compared to Buffalo. With guys like Michael Scarn, Dick Clapper, and Theo Morgan, its hard to compete with that kind of high end talent. The defence is also fundamentally sound with guys like Gabriel Johnson rounding out the backend.

b. I feel that Hamilton will not have to make too many adjustments during the series. The Steelhawks have the better roster overall, so the onus is on Buffalo to make the adjustments. I expect aggressive adjustments to Buffalo's defence in order to counter the potent Steelhawks offence. With such a deep roster its Hamilton's series to lose.

c. Well clearly the best lake is the one that's most superior. Its doesn't get more superior than Lake Superior. Lake Superior does not care about any one or anything. It has 350 recorded shipwrecks. It contains 10% of all of the planet's fresh surface water. It has the most surface area of any lake in the world. Lake Superior is the best lake out of the 5.

Code:
16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.

qwertyuiop

16/16

Credit to Wasty
[Image: wolfpack3.png]

Credit to Sulovilen

5ympathies · 11-15-2020, 02:55 PM

1. I was pretty disappointed in my personal season to be honest. I went from being THE guy in Hamilton to being the third or fourth guy. Nonetheless we won the cup so none of it really matters lol. Winning the cup is such a relief because now as I age, I'll never get to a point where I feel the need to hop around teams desperate to get one. Any more on top of this one will be nice, and I hope we win again next year and the year after that, but it isn't a thought that will consume me. Ideally, to round out the season, I get placed on at least the third team all-star. That will then be my second time being an all-star. It's going to be close though, and even though I will, I can't hate if I'm not selected. Hoping for another IIHF medal as well.

2. As an unbiased player, totally not on any of these teams, I would have to go ahead and select this years final as the most memorable. Is it because I play for Hamilton, and this was my first Cup win in both the junior and SHL? Yes, very much yes. This is my second trip to the finals, the first being S49 while playing in New England, and we got swept by Edmonton lol. Not more importantly, but adding on to why this is the most important, this is another step forward in solidifying the HAM Dynasty of the S50s. Yes, their first cup was illegitimate in my eyes, as it completely abused STHS, but the next two were legit, and if Hamilton manages to get another in the next 4 seasons, they will leave quite a mark on the record books. Other than a Hamilton team tho, I would give it to S50 when JSS got reverse swept lol.

6. The best team to not make the finals was, in my humble opinion, the Atlanta Inferno. This time was expected to get swept by us. They were expected to lose every single game in the series, not even coming close to winning a single one. And yet they won the second game of the series? Then they went and won the third? Gave us a real stressful time in the locker room, before we changed the strats a bit and won three in a row. Still. even though Edmonton took us to 7, Atlanta was always the greater threat. Imagine how embarrassing it would have been had we lost to them. Would not have been able to bear it to be honest.

7. Every season we say this, but every season it's still true. This is the best Canada IIHF squad we have had, and I am once again proud to be repping as an Alternate Captain. Barring some kind of unusual FHM fuckery, Canada can expect to medal once again, and hopefully luck is in our favour as we attempt to get our second gold medal in three seasons. I think it's reasonable to expect 3 of Canada, USA, Great Britain, and Czechia to medal, any team aside from those four would be surprising to me. Great Britain this time around, has 2 defence-men playing as forwards, which isn't even the first time it's happened. In fact, I remember glutes telling me about this at least 6 or 7 seasons ago. Comical in my opinion that still, even a full year later, their d-men are better playing forward then the available forwards they have on the team. But it seems to have worked out for them as I believe they have won gold at least 3? maybe even 4 times in the past 8 or so seasons.

14. Well, the finals are over. Big congrats to me and the rest of the Hamilton Steelhawks. I am very excited to finally not get swept in the finals like I did in S49 against Edmonton and wow victory is sweet. I don't think the league hates Hamilton as much as they did back when the cheathawks were breaking STHS so that is good, but wow the teams third cup in 5 seasons, that is quite the accomplishment. Our top performers are regressing at 10% and the rest of the team is only growing stronger, with our weakest positions this past season taking quite the step forward, so hopefully we can find ourselves back in the finals again next season.

16. Clapper

Thanks to JSS for the signature

ztevans · 11-15-2020, 03:40 PM

1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?

Personally, I thought it was a decent year for Zdenko. I’ll always want more – my first player’s career spoiled me – but 37 points as a second-year SMJHL player in the era of 425 TPE junior players is nothing to sneeze at. In fact, Zach Evans had 38 points as an SMJHL sophomore, so I’m not that far behind his progress at this point.

I expected a little more out of Quebec City as a team this season, but we still weren’t in our window for a title yet. I love this team, and can’t wait to see how we fare in our third season. It’s an exciting time to be in the SMJHL as a whole, with the competitiveness throughout the league, and being a part of this expansion team’s journey has been incredibly rewarding.

What will I try to do better next season? Score more, obviously! Go get all the goals and assists and stuff!

2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Of the 10 most recent finals series, which do you think is the most memorable and why? Which will be remembered in history as the best/most important/most memorable series or victory? S46: BUF over NOLA, S47: WKP over CGY, S48: BUF over WPG, S49: EDM over NEW, S50: CGY over TBB, S51: HAM over EDM, S52: MAN over SFP, S53: HAM over EDM, S54: NOLA over HAM, S55: BUF over NOLA.

There are several ways to go about answering this one, honestly. Each Cup is memorable in its own way. Season 51 and Season 53 will forever be linked, with S51 being the tipping point to lead to the transition to FHM and Season 53 providing the rematch of that series on the new sim.

Season 54 gave us the first title for one of the S46 expansion franchises, which I think was huge from a league standpoint. After the lengthy struggles for Buffalo and Portland/San Francisco following the expansion prior, the arc of New Orleans and Chicago both showed the league had largely gotten it right that time around, and set the tone for the most recent expansion with Atlanta and Seattle.

In that same tone, Season 46 was a great Cup for the league (even if most of the league didn’t want to acknowledge it at the time because Buffalo) as the Stampede finally brought home a title.

Of course, we all love a good meme, and Season 50 will hold that crown from the past 10 years and many more as Tampa Bay was reverse swept by Calgary.

Lastly, I think you have to also note West Kendall’s S47 title cementing their status as the “Team of the 40s.” As much as I loathe nice things happening to Zoone because he will remind you about them non-stop, the S41 WKP title was a long time coming for a frustrated franchise, and then they continued to raise the bar throughout the decade. S47, in that sense, was a coup de grace on that storyline.

3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
FHM's 12-team playoff bracket setup has received a fair bit of scrutiny. It re-seeds after the play-in round and for some reason puts the #1 seed and #2 seed on the same side of the bracket. I challenge you to come up with a different playoff format - can you come up with a format that's dumber/worse than this? be creative! Come up with the worst possible format for a 12-team playoff.

As some of y’all know, I’m a racing fan, and enjoy all forms of motorsport. So you challenge me to come up with a dumb hockey playoff format, and I know of an exciting racing twist that would be absolutely perfect for this task and terrible for sim hockey.

In racing, it’s called a Pole Shuffle. You see it mostly at dirt tracks, when a small number of drivers have already locked their way into the A-Main (see: the most important race of the night) and the rest of the competitors are still battling to join them. As a fun intermission with some stakes on the line, the Pole Shuffle takes those drivers and uses a unique series of races to determine how they will start the A-Main.

In short, the 11th and 12th “seeded” drivers race each other one-on-one for two or three laps. The winner stays on track, the loser starts 12th, the 10th “seed” joins the winner on track. This continues until one driver is left standing, who starts on the pole for the big race later in the night.

It usually takes no more than 15 or 20 minutes, gets all of the big stars who have earned a spot in the A-Main on track for a bit, and is pretty fun. So let’s take that, and apply it to hockey!

In the first round of the playoffs, only the 11th and 12th seed face each other! The other 10 teams wait. If you want to fully encapsulate the Chili Bowl feel, make it a winner take all or best of three. If you want to eliminate randomness, go full best of seven. Either way, it’s gonna suck!

The winner of that matchup faces the 10th seed. Again, nine teams patiently wait, all with users who are in the playoffs and doing absolutely nothing. It’s brilliant.

Repeat 11 times. Crown a champion, perhaps one that was the top seed and only had to play a few games. Spend about five weeks doing this. It’s great!

7. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
What's your prediction for this season's IIHF tournament? Which teams do you expect to do well (or not well)? Which players?

For better or worse, the move to FHM has reduced parity and randomness in IIHF, bringing the big dogs to the forefront. It’s hard to bet against teams like Canada and the United States, and they should factor into the conversation.

With that said, it hasn’t been impossible for other teams to compete, as noted by the United Kingdom’s gold medal last season. In fact, the UK has medaled each season since S52. Czechia, or Czech Republic, or Czechoslovakia, or whatever they are calling themselves this season, will also be another team to watch.

Which players will be good? Again, with FHM helping the cream rise to the top, look for the usual suspects. Ola Wagstrom? Pretty good. Knox Booth? Yeah, he’s decent. Theo Morgan? He’s okay for a Canadian. As memorable as it was, the days of a Tommy Tuck carrying his nation to a medal with 200ish TPE are probably gone.

13. Written, up to 4 TPE - Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.
a. Both of these teams have an impressive set of skaters - without factoring in any coaching or tactical strategies, which team do you think has the better roster of skaters on paper?
b. Do you foresee the teams making any strategic adjustments during the course of the series? Should the teams be quick to switch tactics or stick with what they've been using?
c. These two teams hail from the Great Lakes Division. Which of the Great Lakes (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior) do you think is the Greatest and why?
d. If, once it is safe to do so, you had to go hang out in person with one of the users on Buffalo/Hamilton, who would you hang out with and what would you do? (if you pick gabe you get -1 tpe)

c. It has to be Lake Superior. It’s literally in the name. Superior. Higher in rank, status, or quality. Google it. It’s also the biggest. With that said, honorable mention to Lake Ontario for keeping Hamilton and Buffalo (and Toronto, for that matter) separated, preventing an unholy trinity of absolute suck.

d. This is a tough one for me. Part of me would want to hang out with Tomen or Tweedledunn for the S31 hookup. We’d have a lot of stories to tell from the past 4+ years of fake hockey. Then again, I also think hanging out with DrunkenTeddy would be a great time as well.

16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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: ztevanssss

***SpartanGibbles*** · 11-15-2020, 03:55 PM

3 TPE: Trivia Verification: Yup

3 TPE: Prompt 1: It was an interesting season for Collin Gibbles. For the first time since our switch to FHM, I did not lead the league in Takeaways as I tried to shift to a slightly more offensive role on the team. I still ranked 3rd in the league so it was not a complete abandonment of the statistic, but no where near the dominance of last season. I also had a career FHM points high this season although I still landed in the mid 30s overall when the top of the league had almost double my totals. Like each season since the switch, I plan to have my player continuing to contribute and support my fellow players. As we have recently been calling up more and more actives, I do not have to take as much ice time to cover for IFA pylons. I hope next season I can manage to crack 40 points and we can get the team into the playoff picture.

3 TPE: Prompt 2: I think the most memorable finals in recent memory would be the first post switch to FHM. We were all still learning a lot about the new systems and the playoffs were shortened causing a more condensed post season race. The Final match up of Hamilton against Edmonton was not a surprise as both had previously been top teams but we got to see two completely different teams on the ice opposed to the STHS era that resulted in many of the same builds on the ice. I don't think anyone was surprised to see Hamilton win the cup and cement that they were good enough to win regardless of the previous STHS controversy. Many top stars of today's SHL were also playing on the teams and it has been interesting to see how their careers have developed. One notable player who was a huge part of these Hamilton cup wins was Tig Murphy who now plays for Seattle.

2 TPE: Prompt 3: I think I can come up with the perfect Playoff format to satiate the needs of the Simulation Hockey League. Everyone always complains about not making the playoffs so from now on, everyone will make the post season. To not completely invalidate the regular season, the top team in each conference will be paid 3M to each player. I think the obvious structure then should have the top 2 teams in each Conference play each other in the first round as a play in round and then we proceed to a normal 16 team playoffs with seeding to allow the bottom teams a chance to make it to the finals. Let's make it single elimination for maximum chaos as well.

2 TPE: Prompt 5: I think the best team that didn't make the finals this season was Chicago. They have had an amazing season and playoffs leading up to their elimination and many were calling for them to go all the way this season. This is was the last season before their core starts to hit regression so they have a lot of players peaking in skill level and brought in key FAs to fill the holes in their lineup during the offseason. I think the amount of talent on the Syndicate roster and their performance one ice definitely tells a much different story that simply glancing at the playoff tree. I wouldn't be surprised to see them in the finals next season as the return with more experience and growth.

**bbjygm** · 11-15-2020, 03:57 PM

Code:
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?

I thought my player did okay, he led the team in many offensive areas but that's to be expected when you're a little ahead of the window that your team is building for. I think my realistic goals were met, but optimistic ones not so much. I was a top contributor to my team, but because of the core meltdown a few seasons ago we lost most of the players near my draft class so compared to where I could have been if the plan kept traction I'm probably a bit below average. I think as a team, we could have had some better defense. Eller was doing his damndest to swat the pucks away, but I think we may have let too many through to sustain the success needed to progress through the playoffs. I'm confident we'll be better next season as the new core continues to grow and the team TPE overall spring's upward.

Code:
2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

Of the 10 most recent finals series, which do you think is the most memorable and why? Which will be remembered in history as the best/most important/most memorable series or victory? S46: BUF over NOLA, S47: WKP over CGY, S48: BUF over WPG, S49: EDM over NEW, S50: CGY over TBB, S51: HAM over EDM, S52: MAN over SFP, S53: HAM over EDM, S54: NOLA over HAM, S55: BUF over NOLA.

To me the S49 finals was the most memorable. Overall, I think S51 was rather important, though. Just a couple seasons prior, HAM found an exploit in the previous sim engine STHS, which allowed a team to do consistently and unreasonably excellent if all players had the smallest passing allowed (making them all shoot first). The exploit could not be worked around cleanly, which caused the sim engine change a couple seasons later to FHM. What I think made this situation controversial was HAM's attempt to game the engine without bringing it to the attention of league management. It was only caught when one updater was updating Hamilton during the offseason and noticed everyone was redistributing TPE out of passing and pushing their scoring up. Once discovered, HAM garnered a sour reputation league-wide. Hamilton's S51 cup win (which was notably after the sim engine change) was probably very important to Hamilton to show the league they can still do well while playing fair, and important to the league's cohesion by softening the discord between teams.

Code:
3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)

FHM's 12-team playoff bracket setup has received a fair bit of scrutiny. It re-seeds after the play-in round and for some reason puts the #1 seed and #2 seed on the same side of the bracket. I challenge you to come up with a different playoff format - can you come up with a format that's dumber/worse than this? be creative! Come up with the worst possible format for a 12-team playoff.

My format would be an 11 round elimination, with two teams going head-to-head each round. The seeding will be based on percentage of fights won. The top and bottom seeds will go head to head in the first round, and first team to 15 games won will progress to the next round. There, they will face the next team, which gets filled in based on which seed lost the last round (if bottom seed wins, next lowest seed fills in, and similar for highest seeds). The teams continue on with this king of the hill style competition until 3 teams remain. From there, the teams get shuttled into a gladiator pit with their normal playing equipment on and fight to kill. Once an entire team has been eliminated, the remaining players of the other 2 teams move to the last round. There, they pick one representative among themselves and the two players face off in a round of trivia with questions submitted by the other 13 teams. The winner gets the cup and the team that submitted the best questions gets to pick the mascot of the team that lost all their players to gladiatorial combat.

Code:
8. Written/Graphic, 3 TPE (150 words min. if written)

The arenas in Buffalo and Hamilton want to make sure they're pulling out all the stops on the big stage. Help the concessions department of one of these two teams develop a new product, with marketing specifically pertaining to this finals series, to be sold at the arena during the finals. Describe the product and the marketing in 150 words or create a promotional poster showing the product, its name, the price, etc.

I think Hamilton should create a metal groin protector for hockey players. It would be branded with the team abbreviation, "HAM," and would be called the Hamilton Steel Cock. The tagline would be something like, "A Steelhawk fan is a Steel Cock fan." There would be posters of Dick Clapper with nothing on but the product, posing like a model and with a quote: "With my Steel Cock, no one's clapping my dick." - HAM Dick Clapper. The promotional song played at the arena during games would be a version of Queen's "Another One Bites The Dust," but every "bites the dust" is replaced with "buys Steel Cock." The product itself will be like an armored crotch guard with an extended chamber for a one-size-fits-all design, with bent spikes thrusting forwards in the likeness of a hawk's talons coming out the end of extension. No one would dare approach you seeing that in your pants, which could give you a leg up if the 12-man format proposed above gets adopted.

Code:
13. Written, up to 4 TPE - Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.

a. Both of these teams have an impressive set of skaters - without factoring in any coaching or tactical strategies, which team do you think has the better roster of skaters on paper?

b. Do you foresee the teams making any strategic adjustments during the course of the series? Should the teams be quick to switch tactics or stick with what they've been using?

c. These two teams hail from the Great Lakes Division. Which of the Great Lakes (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior) do you think is the Greatest and why?

d. If, once it is safe to do so, you had to go hang out in person with one of the users on Buffalo/Hamilton, who would you hang out with and what would you do? (if you pick gabe you get -1 tpe)

b. I think the teams should stick with the switching tactics they've used so far. Whether if one got to this point by sticking to their guns or by adjusting tactics frequently, they should continue to do so since their team has already been thriving with their strategy. So basically my stance is, "why fix what ain't broke?"

Code:
16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.

superhot

Kylrad · 11-15-2020, 04:25 PM

1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?

My player had a step down from last season with only 20 goals and 39 assists for 59 points compared to 72 or something last season but it was still near the top of the league in scoring so I was fine with the season. More importantly overall most of Chicago did do better in the regular season offensively and defensively so that was nice with the team finishing with 78 points 3rd in the league. Playoffs well we don't talk about the playoffs although the first 12 games of the playoffs for Chicago was nice, don't remember how my player did in the playoffs but think it was ok. I think overall individually my season was fine as i didn't overachieve or underachieve much and team wise was much of the same with a decent regular season, playoff wise we underachieved but only slightly since i expected to make the finals and lose but we were 1 game short of that.

2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Of the 10 most recent finals series, which do you think is the most memorable and why? Which will be remembered in history as the best/most important/most memorable series or victory? S46: BUF over NOLA, S47: WKP over CGY, S48: BUF over WPG, S49: EDM over NEW, S50: CGY over TBB, S51: HAM over EDM, S52: MAN over SFP, S53: HAM over EDM, S54: NOLA over HAM, S55: BUF over NOLA.

There's a lot of interesting finals here, most will obviously soon be forgotten as most finals are except probably the few remaining active members that participated in those finals. For me the super interesting ones here are S46 with NOLA making the finals in their first season as a team and BUF winning their first cup I think. S50 was also quite interesting due to TBB making the finals when I don't think many expected it and then getting reverse swept in the finals. S51 was also quite interesting and might be the one remembered for the longest with the start of the whole STHS scoring drama. I guess as a result S52 is also interesting since it was the last finals on STHS and I guess S53 too as the first finals on FHM. So lots of noteworthy finals in this group actually in a very interesting period of SHL history

7. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
What's your prediction for this season's IIHF tournament? Which teams do you expect to do well (or not well)? Which players?

I expect a similar result to past IIHF tournaments at least expectations wise. Canada and Great Britain should be the favorites fighting for gold. USA should be the third favorite behind them with Japan and Czechia as dark horses to make a big run as with recent seasons. Sweden and Norway are also pretty good and Switzerland is a team that has struggled a bit recently I think but can easily go on a run with the talent they have. I think Austria Latvia Finland Russia will be near the bottom again standings wise. Germany could also easily get into the top 4 of groups. Player wise Monkey D Luffy or Martin Westbrook of Japan should have good tournaments points wise as they usually do along with Ola Wagstrom and Nick Brain of Great Britain. Most of Canada should also do well although their scoring seems to usually be more spread out throughout the lineup.

13. Written, up to 4 TPE - Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.

a. Both of these teams have an impressive set of skaters - without factoring in any coaching or tactical strategies, which team do you think has the better roster of skaters on paper?
I think Hamilton has the better rosters of skaters on paper and should have the advantage in the series though Buffalos roster is no slouch and they do have the edge in net. Hamilton has a great balance of depth and superstars though but perhaps Doyle can steal a series

b. Do you foresee the teams making any strategic adjustments during the course of the series? Should the teams be quick to switch tactics or stick with what they've been using?
I expect both teams to make strategic adjustments during the course of the series especially after losses while sticking with what works for wins, i'd expect Buffalo would make more changes and perhaps from the start as they're coming in as the underdogs while Hamilton would respond to any Buffalo changes if needed.

c. These two teams hail from the Great Lakes Division. Which of the Great Lakes (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior) do you think is the Greatest and why?
I forgot like everything I ever learned about any of the Great Lakes, also not sure if i've ever been in the area of any of the Great Lakes or seen them, maybe when I was super young, so as with most things i know know nothing about i'll judge them on their names and Superior, Huron, Erie sound cool

d. If, once it is safe to do so, you had to go hang out in person with one of the users on Buffalo/Hamilton, who would you hang out with and what would you do? (if you pick gabe you get -1 tpe)
I'd pick @Renomitsu to hang out with obviously the guys a genius and if i ever had any health issues he could instantly save me and make me healthier, plus he'll protect me from knife wielding spiders and teach me how to play vayne. When I grow up I want to be Renomitsu

16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.

past

Slappydoodle · 11-15-2020, 04:34 PM

1. Otis B. Driftwood had a good year by many different standards this past season. His role at this point in his career is largely that of a defensive specialist for the otherwise offensively stacked Calgary Dragons. Otis has never cared that much for his own individual stats, especially as concerns goals and assists. He takes a lot more pride in his plus minus and on off numbers as indicators of defensive responsibility. He does take an almost perverse joy in racking up hits, but it’s understandable given his commitment to physical play.

Otis did manage to rack up some extremely impressive numbers this year off the ice. He averaged 8.7 martinis a day for the entirety of the season. He also managed to smoke a minimum of four El Cheapo stogies a day. He bedded thirty seven women, three guys and one manatee that he remembers.

Overall it’s been another solid season for the defensive stalwart, raconteur and indefatigable cocksman. Life is good and so is Otis.

6. When presented with a query such as, “Which SHL or SMJHL team was the best team to not make the finals this season and why” the answer is glaringly obvious. The Calgary Dragons are by definition the best team in the SHL. Therefore any year that they fail to make the finals they are the best team in that situation. Calgary has the best GM in SHL history by every metric in Esa Anrikkanen. We have the best goalie in the league in the incomparable Kata Vilde. We have the coolest player in the league by far in the form of that groovy cat that always knows where his towel is at, Otis B. Driftwood . We have the Parm Pigeon, that fat and lovable parm eating, tangentially cannibilistic avian. Add to that illustrious list the talents of Maxine Bouchard, Barry Batsbak, Brendan Kennedy Jr et al and there can be no debate. The Calgary Dragons rule and everyone else are stinky poop heads

***SDCore*** · 11-15-2020, 04:44 PM

Code:
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?

Corey Kennedy had a career year this year. He was 2nd in Defensive Points, 1st in Defensive Goals, top 5 in hits, top 5 in Powerplay Points, he was top on his team in ice time and really drove the play from the back end. He way surpassed my expectations, controlling the game every time he was on the ice. Kennedy was 2nd in overall fantasy points as a Defensemen. This is insane to think about, but blocked shots, hits, and points went a long way to define his season. Going into the season, I had aspirations of having a better season than the previous, but this was really solid. I think the biggest thing that I can attribute to the rise in Kennedy's play would be playing a more all around game. I hope that next season he can excel in much of the same way, thought regression is going to hit me a bit. Hopefully Kennedy has another career year.

Code:
4. Written/Graphic, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

If the SHL needed to set up a playoff bubble (like the NHL did in Edmonton/Toronto or the NBA in Orlando), which city would be the best candidate to host as the hub city? What would the players do during their time in a playoff bubble? (For graphic option, make an advertisement [like a pamphlet/brochure] in support of a specific city as the hub city and highlighting the reasons why.)

Hub city, the hub-hub city. I think that is the Simulation Hockey League were to set up a Hub city, it would have to take a page out of the National Hockey Leagues book and choose Toronto. You have 3 playoff teams that already very close, with Chicago, Hamilton, and Buffalo. So this limits the amount of travel for a good portion of the league. Then you could also take the idea of Edmonton, for the same reasons. You already have Calgary, Edmonton, and Winnipeg all very close, so you would limit the travel for them. Plus you are already in hockey towns, with the infrastructure to hold this type of bubble or hub atmosphere. I think the National Hockey League did it really right, with their selection of the hub cities and would emulate a lot of what they did. I think that the Sim Hockey League, would be able to pull of the same kind of thing, it's lucky we have a lot of team close together.

Code:
8. Written/Graphic, 3 TPE (150 words min. if written)

The arenas in Buffalo and Hamilton want to make sure they're pulling out all the stops on the big stage. Help the concessions department of one of these two teams develop a new product, with marketing specifically pertaining to this finals series, to be sold at the arena during the finals. Describe the product and the marketing in 150 words or create a promotional poster showing the product, its name, the price, etc.

Hamilton is going to have a special drink and food at the concessions. They are going to feature a couple items, that they can use to "take-down" their opponent. They are serving Buffalo Burgers and Bison Milkshakes. This is all part of their plan to get the fans involved, in the beating of Buffalo, by eating their opponent. Yes, I said that right, Hamilton's Public Relations and Marketing team are saying to go out there and literally eat your opponent. What a world we live in. In response to this Buffalo has decided to make shirts that say, we are so good, Hamilton has decided to eat us. I don't know why they also thought this was a good idea, but we reached out for comment. They were not interested in commenting at this time. This is a bold new marketing strategy that we will have to see if it works. Eat your opponent might be the next "black-out" event.

Code:
13. Written, up to 4 TPE - Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.

[code]a. Both of these teams have an impressive set of skaters - without factoring in any coaching or tactical strategies, which team do you think has the better roster of skaters on paper?

Hamilton in my opinion has the better set of skaters, though it is very close. I think the mix of Skao and Phelps on a third line is crazy to think. Theo Morgan and Aaron Wilson could easily carry a line by themselves, but they tend to get paired up. That is insane amounts of depth.

Code:
b. Do you foresee the teams making any strategic adjustments during the course of the series? Should the teams be quick to switch tactics or stick with what they've been using?

They should stick to what they are doing and do best. They have been successful for that reason. You saw Buffalo pull off the epic reverse sweep and the momentum is in their favor. I think Hamilton will have an answer, but status quo it should be a good series, with Hamilton getting the edge.

Code:
c. These two teams hail from the Great Lakes Division. Which of the Great Lakes (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior) do you think is the Greatest and why?

Michigan is the best great lake. It is the biggest, I think, and it's also where the best team resides, in Chicago. My player also has a house on Lake Michigan, so I am defintely partial to that lake. You will not be able to sway me in saying any of the others are better.

Code:
d. If, once it is safe to do so, you had to go hang out in person with one of the users on Buffalo/Hamilton, who would you hang out with and what would you do? (if you pick gabe you get -1 tpe)

If I had to hang out with one of the users, it would probably be DrunkenTeddy. Teddy and I have gotten to know eachother a ton over the last year plus and I would like to buy him a beer. So that is what we would do, go get a beer and chill. Probably not talk about SHL at all.[/code]

Code:
Code:

16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.

oranges

Henrik · 11-15-2020, 04:47 PM

1. It was a rough season for all of the San Francisco Pride players, including Henrik Lekberg Osterman. Although, for all the failings of the rebuilding team this season HLO still put up some decent numbers and ice time. He was really hoping to up his goals total to at least 10 but he finished just short at 9. He played big minutes on both the powerplay and the PK and averaged just over 24 minutes of ice time per game, good for 5th most amongst forwards in the league this season. He played a much more defensively responsible game this season with 73 hits and 188 blocked shots while also moving over from the wing to play center this season. Next season he will look to improve his points totals while continuing to play his defensively responsible brand of hockey. Two-way hockey has come to be the core of HLOs playstyle and look to see him continue honing this brand of hockey in future seasons, all the while doing his best to improve from season to season as SFP continues their rebuild.

2. For me, its got to be S52 for entirely personal reasons. The finals of S52 were the first games that Henrik Lekberg Osterman played in the SHL and although in retrospect I obviously wish that we would have done a lot better and won, you can’t get everything you wish for. Ultimately, one might say that that run to the finals is what instigated SFP’s collapse and rebuild. I think it really inflated what the team was capable of and gave the team and management the proof needed to buy instead of build, leading to where we are today! After selling of the core, blowing up the team and starting the rebuild, San Francisco finished this last season at the bottom of the standings, I do believe that the team has a bright future. And although it is rough now it can all be traced back to this run to the finals in S52.

7. Being the shameless homer that I am, I would have to say Team Sweden is going to go far. Although the veteran core is slowly regressing, the younger parts of the team really are coming together. I really think that the team will finish on the podium this year and is capable of an upset and even a gold medal if all things go well. I would have to say that Canada or Great Britain are the favourites for the tournament however, with loaded rosters. I think Russia will likely fold early and get knocked out early. They have a fairly good roster they never seem to get things together for these international tournaments. I also wouldnt at all be surprised if Norway end up doing much better than expected. As for breakouts, I think Sven Svenson is due a real great tournament. His playstyle does well for these short stint tournaments and he will likely put up some impressive totals.

13. Written, up to 4 TPE - Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.
a. Both of these teams have an impressive set of skaters - without factoring in any coaching or tactical strategies, which team do you think has the better roster of skaters on paper?
For me, it’s got to be Hamilton. The steelhawks put together such an amazing roster, even with all the trades they made. Being able to add both Theo Morgan and Michael Scarn in free agency proved to be a move that really put them over the top. Morgan put up the season of a lifetime, with over 40 goals and leading the league and both goals and points. Scarn on the other hand played a fantastic two way game all season and Ray Bork who traded for in the off-season put up some fantastic point totals in what would end up being his last season in the league.
b. Do you foresee the teams making any strategic adjustments during the course of the series? Should the teams be quick to switch tactics or stick with what they've been using?
I’m generally of the idea that playing to your strength and sticking to what has worked so far is how you end up winning. I do however think that matching tactics is something that can be a deciding factor in a 7 game series, making sure you are not on the receiving end of counter tactics.
c. These two teams hail from the Great Lakes Division. Which of the Great Lakes (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior) do you think is the Greatest and why?
As someone who has never been to North America, I have no choice but to rate them by size and shape. Take Eerie and Lake Ontario are the smallest two and also don’t really resemble anything at a first glance, and therefore cannot be the best. Lake Huron, while having the best name, doesn’t really look like anything either and therefore is also out. Lake Michigan looks like a penis. Or Scandinavia. Or an aubergine. All these things I appreciate. But only one can win and lake Superior has to take the cake. Its in the name. Plus it kinda looks like Mr Burns.
d. If, once it is safe to do so, you had to go hang out in person with one of the users on Buffalo/Hamilton, who would you hang out with and what would you do? (if you pick gabe you get -1 tpe)
Not really knowing any of the other guys on either of the rosters, I would have to say Tweeds.
Tweeds is a legend in the SFP Locker room, a constant source of positivity and Borks ever since I was drafted by the pride a year ago. An easy choice for me!

16. Word: Hi

Gooney · 11-15-2020, 04:56 PM

1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?

Jason desrouelx had what only can be described as a phenomenal simulation junior major hockey league season. He played so great and it was just such a joy and pleasure to watch this man lace up his skates and go onto the rink to play some hockey for the Vancouver Whalers. He scored so many goals and points this season. Beating all of his personal bests from previous seasons. really encouraging stuff. I would say this for sure excelled my individual goals that i set for him in this season of hockey. I can attribute that to a hard work ethic! and for having such a great gm that put desrouirelx into a successful situation to thrive upon in which he did so greatly. And to top off this already amazing season for jason desrouelex, his team, the vancouver whalers, won the 4 star cup! it was a miraculous run led by the great jason desrouelx. One of the best seasons in the history of the whalers.

2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Of the 10 most recent finals series, which do you think is the most memorable and why? Which will be remembered in history as the best/most important/most memorable series or victory? S46: BUF over NOLA, S47: WKP over CGY, S48: BUF over WPG, S49: EDM over NEW, S50: CGY over TBB, S51: HAM over EDM, S52: MAN over SFP, S53: HAM over EDM, S54: NOLA over HAM, S55: BUF over NOLA.

Ahh now this is my expertise! SHL Lore history is something I think about quite fondly and often during my waking hours. While there is many exciting and certainly entertaining SHL Finals over the last 10 seasons of hockey play, there is a few that stand out from the others and I will talk about some of them here. S51 Hamilton Steelhawks versus the Edmonton Blizzard. What a fun and entertaining this series was. This is the finals where the Hamilton Steelhawks cheated their way into a challenge cup! Despite many members of the team asking to not resort to cheating to win, Gabriel Johnson ignored them and employed the cheating tactics all the way into a challenge cup victory. Very cool of you gabe! This was of course my first ever challenge cup victory so it still stands out as a good memory in my mind despite all of Gabe's horrific cheating practices. Hopefully we can win a few more without any cheating involved.

6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
Which SHL or SMJHL team was the best team to not make the finals this season and why?

Man it really bums me out that sometimes some truly great teams in my mind end up missing the finals. And it SUCKS because I Want to see great teams succeed in this league. I think the Dragons were the best team in the SHL this year PERIOD. They are absolutely stacked at all positions including a great goalie. Would have been so nice to see them in the finals. When I look at their roster I just do not see any holes. They are well gm'd machine of oil. Every year the put on competing rosters and it really makes me sad that they missed out on a finals appearance. Hopefully next season they can get back there.

7. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
What's your prediction for this season's IIHF tournament? Which teams do you expect to do well (or not well)? Which players?

Ahhh iihf season. Everyones favourite time of the season. We all get to play fictional simulation hockey for our Nations! So exciting and I can't wait to tune in. This year should surely be an exciting and fierce competition. There is a couple of teams that I personally think you should be keeping your eyes on. These teams stand out from the pack with skill and puck movement fast from every position. I do believe myself that Team Canada is perhaps the best team in this season. And I do think they will be walking away with a nice shiny gold medal. They have sooo much talent at all postions of the ice. Theo morgan! that guy broke the single season point record this season! They also have famed and great defenseman Gabriel Johnson leading their blue line. I just do not think a team exists right now that could dethrone this group on Canadian people. That is why I think they will come away with yet another gold.

14. Written, 2 TPE - The Procrastinator Special! (100 words min)
Welp, you waited until the last day to grind out your CW and the CC finals are longggggggg over by now. congrats to [TEAM], woo! Reflecting back on the series, who gets your vote for series MVP? Make the case why this player deserves it over any other.

Yay congrats to the Hamilton Steelhawks on winning yet another Challenge Cup. Well desreved! There are many players on the team who in my mind played well enough to win the finals MVP. But as we all know, only one person can end up winning such a prestigious award. My pick would have to be Hamilton Steelhawks winner Theo Morgan. Sheeeesh this guy had a nasty playoff run out there on the ice in Hamilton. He had 14 goals in 18 games! Wow this guy was a sniper. Not to mention he also added 9 ASSists good for 23 points. Yeah, this guy is my mvp no doubt about that one.

16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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: gooneygoooney

Navigation

Extra Menu

About us