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bbp · 03-27-2021, 09:45 AM

1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
While these two teams are no strangers to the Cup finals, we did see some very interesting things this season. Looking back, what do you feel was the most surprising part of the season?

The most suprising part of this season for me is that Dick Clapper did not get more hits than Niccolo Livius. Clapper had almost 100 fewer hits than Livius despite almost playing 10 more minutes a game! If Buffalo is going to win a championship they will need Dick Clapper to step up and be a major physical force. Generally the surprise for me is that the team was not more physical. They have a reputation for being an abrasive bunch but having Dick Clapper leading the team in hits with only 150 is shockingly low. Where are the hitting defensemen? Why has Aumy JR and Emilia Bergman been so passive when it comes to taking the body? Very surprising stuff. This leaves us with a second major surprise… they could have signed Livius for free! He was a free agent just waiting for a call and could have been a beastly addition to the team’s fourth line. 158

2. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
Oh no, the head honchos of the league are worried that there aren't enough story lines for the finals! Therefore they're changing the rules for the finals. The home team will get to choose to either a) play the whole game with 6 skaters on the ice at a time or b) be immune from penalties/offsides/icing. Whatever the home team chooses, the visitors get the other perk. Which one are you choosing, given the choice and why?

Oh I take Hamilton in a no penalty game. They have real hockey players on their team. Michael Scarn alone would destroy the entire Buffalo team with his physical play. Add the defensive core of Michaud, Jazz, Lazer and Bork and you easily see how no penalties would result in Hamilton running train over the pathetically weak Buffalo side. Yes losing the ability to score PPGs would hurt Hamilton. Considering Scarn scores over half his goals on the power play I can understand that argument but what people don’t realize is that no penalties will result in an intensely physical game which Hamilton will dominate. 105

4. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
If you're sitting at home watching the Finals: What do you plan on doing differently next season to help your team reach the promised land? If you're playing in the Finals: Is there anything different you plan on doing next season to continue your team's success?

This last season was my first in the SHL so I really had no idea what to expect. After a year I’ve seen that my conditioning needs to improve. I’m not able to truly be efficient on the ice because I’m gassed by the third period. This area of my game is what I’m focusing on this offseason. I need to be able to skate with these guys before I can think about what I’m doing when I catch them. Obviously I hit a lot of folks last season but I only generated a handful of turnovers. I think if I can get faster, stronger and in better shape generally I’ll see that improve as well. Plus I only had two fights last season! Pathetic. I’m at my best with my gloves off so if I’m faster I’ll likely be able to get into more fights and help my team get revved up so the stars can go out and produce! 161

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

Easily the San Francisco Pride. They are the only team that values real traditional hockey. No other team reached out to me to give me a chance to play in the big leagues after five seasons of junior. Therefore this team deserves to get to the finals. Sure they may not be the best on the ice but as an organization they are pure class and deserve to be on top once more. Considering they bought in a great talent like myself for free I believe smart roster moves like this will result in us becoming a team to be feared in the future! 104 (10 tpe so far)
12. 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. Hamilton finished 13 points above Buffalo in the standings this season. What is one thing that Buffalo can do to give themselves a leg up despite this?

Buffalo needs to get their nerves together. The only way they can level the playing field is by leveling their opponent. They don’t play physical enough. If they can get their bodies on Hamilton than Hamilton won’t have the time and space to create offense. Get them looking for incoming hits not looking for passes. 55

b. Hamilton was 3rd in the league in GF this season. Buffalo was 2nd in GA. This begs the age old question: what will win out, a great defense or a great offense? Why?

Great defense always wins. Offense is contingent on defense making mistakes. In playoffs mistakes are harder and harder to come by. When teams dial in they shut down the cheeky plays that teams like Hamilton use in the regular season. Also its a matter of confidence. If your team identity is built on scoring you’re a more fragile side. If you are built on shutting people down you are succeeding from the moment you step on the ice. 78

c. Which of these two teams' brandings do you prefer? Take into account colors, logo, name, location, and anything else you consider relevant.

Buffalo. The Blue and grey of Hamilton is boring and played out. The yellow and green is fresh and fun. That is the simple truth of it. Yes as a kit Hamilton’s looks more polished but they could be a handful of teams around the league. When Buffalo steps out on the ice you KNOW it is Buffalo. No room for confusion. 62

3 TPE from this

https://simulationhockey.com/showthread....pid3006771

3 TPE milestones

16 Total i believe.

KC15 · 03-27-2021, 09:56 AM

PBE Affiliate PT +3 TPE

Milestones +2 TPE

2. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)

Oh no, the head honchos of the league are worried that there aren't enough story lines for the finals! Therefore they're changing the rules for the finals. The home team will get to choose to either a) play the whole game with 6 skaters on the ice at a time or b) be immune from penalties/offsides/icing. Whatever the home team chooses, the visitors get the other perk. Which one are you choosing, given the choice and why?

Ok, so the choice here is obvious – to be immune from penalties/offsides/icing. An extra skater is absolutely wonderful, but that extra skater can easily be beaten on offense by abusing the free pass on offsides. Just send your sniper down to part near the net and “clear” the puck to him. Instant one on ones on the goalie all night. And if he misses the pass and it goes the length of the ice? No icing. It’s just a pass that went wide. On defense it would be a joke. Extra skater is breaking away? Trip or hook him. Someone setting up in front of the net? Cross check him. Nope. Given the immunity granted, the games would be no contest.

Code:
121 words

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

If you're sitting at home watching the Finals: What do you plan on doing differently next season to help your team reach the promised land? If you're playing in the Finals: Is there anything different you plan on doing next season to continue your team's success?

To be honest, we here in Seattle are probably not that near to competing. It’s a shame really. Great group of guys. Great GM, but in the SHL, the progression system is no glacially slow that it takes more than seasons – it seems to take actual real life years – for a team to get better simply through hard work of consistent updating. I blame the shift to FHM and the incredibly expensive updating scale that then gets spread over so many more stats than we had when we ran STHS.

So, in the end, there is probably nothing we can each individually do to make the playoffs a realistic possibility. I guess I could wax on and on about working on my game and learning to skate better, handle the puck more deftly, but that is all just RP stuff and won’t make one wit of difference because when that gets translated to the sim it’s all just one point of difference in one attribute among so many.

So, how do we get better in the off season? Lure as many FAs as we have budget for. Bummer.

Code:
188 words

12. 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. Hamilton finished 13 points above Buffalo in the standings this season. What is one thing that Buffalo can do to give themselves a leg up despite this?
b. Hamilton was 3rd in the league in GF this season. Buffalo was 2nd in GA. This begs the age old question: what will win out, a great defense or a great offense? Why?
c. Which of these two teams' brandings do you prefer? Take into account colors, logo, name, location, and anything else you consider relevant.

Submitting for 3 of the 4 potential TPE:
a. The one primary thing that Buffalo can do to stay in the series with Hamilton is to crank those defensive strats up and make Hamilton work for every single goal. Keep the series a lower scoring one and they likely come away with the victory. They remind me of the 1995 Devils in this regard. They got some bad press as a “boring” team for their stifling defensive play, but as a fan I can tell you there is nothing boring about winning and especially winning the Stanley Cup in a 4-0 sweep of the powerhouse Red Wings.
Look. Hamilton may have been 13 points up on Buffalo, but over 66 games they only managed to score 8 more goals than Buffalo (261-253) and yet allowed a whopping 35 more goals (169-134). It’s conceivable that Buffalo can keep up with Hamilton’s offense, but less so that Hamilton can keep up with Buffalo’s defense.

Code:
153 words

b. Huh, I should have read b. before answering a. maybe, but at least in a case of a situation like the one we have in Hamilton vs. Buffalo, I think it's defense. Mainly because it's so lopsided. Hamilton and Buffalo both have pretty high-powered offenses. Eight goals is a really slim lead for Ham. But 35 fewer goals allowed is a real difference maker. And another thing - powerful offensive teams that are used to scoring lots of goals can get VERY frustrated when they suddenly stop. Then your defense carries your offense. If you have one.

Code:
97 words

c. This is a tough one as it really is a toss up. I prefer the Buffalo branding when I think back to a more traditional time. Sure, the yellow and green is hardly old school, but that buffalo head and just going again with a buffalo for the city of Buffalo who hasn't had any buffalo anywhere near the city limits for at least a century is definitely a throw-back.

On the other hand, my preference would be Hamilton if I'm in the mood for a more modern look. The angular lines and teal coloring just speak to a more modern vibe.

Both great branding for different reasons.

Code:
108 word

16. Written, 3 TPE

I loved this as a mPT when hotdog did it last season, so I'd like to bring it back as a permanent fixture. After all, we could all use a little positivity every now and then. Say something nice about another member or members, no word limit.

Got to shout out my current GM, @notorioustig. Super positive outlook to keep the morale up on a losing team. Prompt responses to pleas for help. Hard at work to make sure the team improves year after year. Just a really solid guy.

***Gwdjohnson*** · 03-27-2021, 11:22 AM

PT PASS PT PASS 16 TPE LETS FUCKING GOOOOOOOOOOOO

*Otrebor13* · 03-27-2021, 11:42 AM

Task 1

While Hamilton and Buffalo both appear in the Challenge Cup Finals to face off against one another again, I think we saw a season which is starting to push these dynasties out and making way for new blood. I think the two main surprises were probably Toronto making the playoffs over the Chicago Syndicate and the Texas Renegades finishing at the top of the league and winning the President’s Trophy. I don’t mean this in any negative way, it’s just always been assumed that someone like Hamilton or Buffalo would finish at the top of the league, and we’re seeing some changes.

On top of that, we had both Toronto and Texas go to the semi finals of the playoffs and push their respective series to 7 games, coming up just one game short of playing for the Challenge Cup. It’s going to pose some issues moving forward for teams like Hamilton and Buffalo to try and hold on to the reigns as the top teams in the league.

Task 2

I’m taking the immunity to penalties/offsides/icings. While it would be great to have an extra guy out there, I think it gets too crowded and you might do more harm than good. Having that sort of immunity would let players navigate around 6 men freely, making any passes they wanted and even trying to hit them out of the way. Eventually you might get under your opponent’s skin and they’ll start taking penalties, so having that extra man won’t make too much of a difference. While I’d love to always have a powerplay, I think the no rules would allow you to play the game a way that would make it difficult to defend, even if your opponent has an extra skater on the ice.

Task 3

There are probably a few players around the league who would be great candidates for the Hall of Fame, but I think the one guy that sticks out to me is Tony Pepperoni @"TommySalami". He has been around the SHL for quite some time and he still continues to produce at over a point per game every season. On top of this unbelievably consistent production, he has won countless awards and been nominated for even more.

2x Challenge Cup winner
1x IIHF Gold Medal winner
1x IIHF Silver Medal winner
1x IIHF Bronze Medal winner
1x Sarmad Khan trophy winner
1x Ron Mexico trophy winner
1x Sergei Karpotsov trophy winner
1x Jeff Dar trophy winner
2x Joe McKeil trophy winner
3x 1st Team All Star (1 Unanimous decision)
And many more nominations

When I look at a list like that I can’t argue that Tony Pepperoni is going to be a lock for the Hall of Fame. I don’t think there’s any arguing against those accomplishments. And as someone who was also his teammate for a season, he’s a tremendous guy and will definitely deserve that Hall of Fame induction when he gets it.

Task 12

a. I think Buffalo’s main focus will be shutting down Hamilton’s offense. While it’s easier said than done, I think playoffs leads to tighter systems and a more sound defensive game. If they can do this, coupled with Doyle playing great hockey, Buffalo could see themselves raise the Challenge Cup.
d.
Hamilton:
Michael Scarn
Theo Morgan
Aaron Wilson
Samuel Michaud

Buffalo:
Monkey D. Luffy
Aron Hernadivic
Bobby Sharp
Augustus Wang

I think this would be insanely exciting. I think Hamilton’s group provides all the offense they could need, while also being solid defensively. Wilson has been a two-way monster for the majority of his career and he could be the ace that can help at both ends of the ice. Buffalo’s group is a little more offensive minded, but I felt you couldn’t leave Hernadivic off the group after the playoffs he’s having. If they want a slightly more defensive look, you could swap him out for Kholin, but either one would be tough to play against.

Task 15

https://simulationhockey.com/showthread....pid3006845

Task 16

There’s a ton of people that I could say nice things about, but I’ll keep this one short and stick to one person. It’s gotta go out to GA @golden_apricot. This guy has had the patience of constantly dealing with my questions about my build, fantasy, and just overall putting up with me in the HAM LR. Definitely one of the best guys out there and an absolute pleasure to speak to.

Tylar · 03-27-2021, 11:56 AM

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

While these two teams are no strangers to the Cup finals, we did see some very interesting things this season. Looking back, what do you feel was the most surprising part of the season?

The most surprising part of the season to me is easily the quick rise of the Toronto Northstars. Everyone knew they were going to be better than seasons past, but maybe in a season or two. The fact they were third in the entire Simulation Hockey League, second in the Great Lakes Division and ended up taking the Buffalo Stampede to game seven in the semifinals is most definitely a surprise. As a member of the Toronto Northstars I was expecting a solid season with maybe a round or two playoff experience. This season was certainly a pleasant surprise and goes to show how good the Toronto Northstars will be in the next few seasons. I think this season was a wake-up call for the Simulation Hockey League that the Toronto Northstars are going to be a force to be reckoned with sooner rather than later. It is very possible we see the Toronto Northstars once again near the top of the league, and very likely battling for top of the Great Lakes again next season.
(176 Words - 3 TPE)

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

Oh no, the head honchos of the league are worried that there aren't enough story lines for the finals! Therefore they're changing the rules for the finals. The home team will get to choose to either a) play the whole game with 6 skaters on the ice at a time or b) be immune from penalties/offsides/icing. Whatever the home team chooses, the visitors get the other perk. Which one are you choosing, given the choice and why?

I would easily pick the being immune from penalties offsides and icings I think. Mostly because you can just yeet the puck from your own zone while the other team has no goalie. If the team with 6 skaters messes up at all, it can easily end up in their net. Just play aggressive and the team with 5 easily wins over 6 due to being able to yeet the puck down the ice by any means. While having 6 on 5 seems enticing it just would not make sense if the other team can just take ur legs off an ice the puck all game. This is an easy no-brain decision for me.
(110 Words - 2 TPE)

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

If you're sitting at home watching the Finals: What do you plan on doing differently next season to help your team reach the promised land? If you're playing in the Finals: Is there anything different you plan on doing next season to continue your team's success?

Well, the Toronto Northstars as previously mentioned were extremely close to winning a game seven in the semifinals against the Buffalo Stampede. The Northstars were not expected to get that far. For myself, to help my team to the finals would be to keep updating and getting slightly better defensively but adding to my offensive abilities. I would say one of my major priorities offensively will be to get passing and offensive read up for sure. In terms of defense it will be defensive read and checking. Cardio will also be a focus this offseason to prepare for the long haul next season as well. As a team, the Toronto Northstars just need to continue doing what they have been. The roster is relatively young and has a lot of room to grow. The Northstars just need to stay the course and just keep growing as a group, just like me. Hopefully next season the Toronto Northstars can make their first finals appearance in many seasons with their young core.
(157 words - 3 TPE)

Code:
5. 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 obvious answer here is the Texas Renegades of the Simulation Hockey League. The Texas Renegades were the top team based on points in the Simulation Hockey League regular season standings with a 54-11-1 record. The Texas Renegades appeared to score goals for fun as they scored a whopping 283 goals in the regular season. The Renegades destroyed their Western Conference by a total of 18 points which is a significant margin. The Texas Renegades were in tough having a final four of the playoffs being themselves and three of the Great Lakes Division teams. Overall, the Texas Renegades might feel pretty bad about not being in the finals as they were seen as the best team in the league. Some might argue an awful Western Conference made them the best team in the league but on paper they are the best team to not make it.
(147 Words - 2 TPE)

Code:
12. 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. Hamilton finished 13 points above Buffalo in the standings this season. What is one thing that Buffalo can do to give themselves a leg up despite this?
Well, I would say Buffalo should just play their game. The Buffalo Stampede made a massive trade acquiring Dick Clapper from the New England Wolfpack midseason which has seen their game just skyrocket. With their acquisition they have shown their tough start to the season has been forgotten. The Stampede just need their depth to show up and they should battle it out and would not surprise me if they won. (70 Words)

b. Hamilton was 3rd in the league in GF this season. Buffalo was 2nd in GA. This begs the age old question: what will win out, a great defense or a great offense? Why?
I think in this case, the great defense will win because in this case, the Buffalo Stampede have depth that can both score and defend. For example look at the current playoff scoring. Some might say “who” as to who is on top of scoring for the Buffalo Stampede. I think the Buffalo defense can potentially be too much fro the firepower of the Hamilton Steelhawks. (60 Words)

c. Which of these two teams' brandings do you prefer? Take into account colors, logo, name, location, and anything else you consider relevant.
I would say the Buffalo Stampede easily. First of all, I like the city of Buffalo, they bring good hockey to Buffalo since the current one sucks. The green and gold/yellow combination is wonderful I think. Their logo is also more dynamic in my opinion, the Hamilton Steelhawks logo is just boring to me. Honestly, the Buffalo Stampede is just overall better as a brand to me. Everything about Hamilton Steelhawks is just boring. I just feel like the Buffalo part is just so much better than Hamilton but also who would want to live in either of these cities right? (56 Words)

d. It's all come down to this: game seven overtime. Which four players are you sending out to win the game for you. This is in a fantasy sense, so feel free to mix and match from both teams.
I am going to answer this in context of current playoffs. I would want forwards Aron Hernadivic from the Buffalo Stampede and Michael Scarn from the Hamilton Steelhawks. On defense I would want Buffalo Stampede’s Nicholas Owens and Hamilton Steelhawks Samuel Michaud. I feel like this combination of four in the current playoff context based on performance would be who I would want right now to win me a game seven overtime game. (73 Words)
(4x 50 words - 4 TPE)

Code:
15. Milestones,

2 TPE
https://simulationhockey.com/showthread....pid3006559

16/16 Tasks Done

*Toast* · 03-27-2021, 12:02 PM

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

While these two teams are no strangers to the Cup finals, we did see some very interesting things this season. Looking back, what do you feel was the most surprising part of the season?

I'm extremely tired of seeing Hamilton and Buffalo in the finals. Hopefully this will be the last time. The biggest surprise of the season for me was the Great Lakes and the rise of Toronto. Toronto had a fantastic run and is going to be a force for seasons to come. I think because of this serious discussion about realignment needs to happen as Chicago should not have missed the playoffs with the success they had and things are definitely in the works after the state of the league update. Toronto is set to be the next titan team after the success that they had this season and the luck in the draft lottery as well with getting the top two picks in a draft that has a few gems in it. This season is probably starting a new era in terms of the powerhouse teams and it's going to be fun seeing a team like Toronto making a good run instead of the same ol same ol.

168

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

If you're sitting at home watching the Finals: What do you plan on doing differently next season to help your team reach the promised land? If you're playing in the Finals: Is there anything different you plan on doing next season to continue your team's success?

The St. Paul boy has left Minnesota. Despite my player being from Minnesota and having a good spot as the defenseman of the future, I decided it was time to go. Now in Manhattan, I have the opportunity to really be someone that can lead this team to a new chapter. I think Klompus is going to be a massive boost to the defense in Manhattan and as a member I know that I'm someone who can work hard to find something that works in Manhattan to make it so they can defeat the Great Lakes teams. Toronto is going to be tough to beat and there will be time to grow as a team but I'm excited to see where this goes and to get to the point where we aren't looking from the outside when it comes to the Finals. For now it's going to be a matter of doing as much as I can to earn and grow as a player.

164

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

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

Kelowna not making it to the Four Star Finals was awfully surprising to me. While Newfoundland is another surprise, I really think the Knights were on another level in terms of skill overall. Going up against Quebec in the semi-final is probably a series that some would've liked to see in the Finals instead but with the weird formatting of FHM playoffs, we're seeing a lot of these big matchups in the earlier rounds. With how everything changes in the J level it's especially a disappointment because the Knights will have to do some work if they want to make sure they're playing at the same level next season.

109

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

Oh no, the head honchos of the league are worried that there aren't enough story lines for the finals! Therefore they're changing the rules for the finals. The home team will get to choose to either a) play the whole game with 6 skaters on the ice at a time or b) be immune from penalties/offsides/icing. Whatever the home team chooses, the visitors get the other perk. Which one are you choosing, given the choice and why?

If I was given this opportunity I would take being immune to any of the stoppages for penalties/offsides/icing. This allows you to get away with some garbage hockey plays but some that will likely end up with goals. Assuming the players don't take things too far, an extra player is not going to matter when we are allowed to trip and check players from behind. Being able to cheat offsides and dump the puck from wherever is just going to have the other team scrambling. Both of these things would really take away from the game though so maybe we would protest any changes from the head honchos instead.

111

Code:
15. Milestones, up to 3 TPE

New this season, Milestones are folded in with CW. So just link your Milestone claim as task 16 for up to 3 TPE towards your 16 total.

SHL Milestones: https://simulationhockey.com/showthread.php?tid=114645

SMJHL Milestones (for senddowns): TBD

3TPE

Code:
16. Written, 3 TPE

I loved this as a mPT when hotdog did it last season, so I'd like to bring it back as a permanent fixture. After all, we could all use a little positivity every now and then. Say something nice about another member or members, no word limit.

@JayWhy for being the true best friend in Fall Guys and @Buster for being there for Maestro.

16TPE total.

***Bayley*** · 03-27-2021, 12:26 PM

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

Oh no, the head honchos of the league are worried that there aren't enough story lines for the finals! Therefore they're changing the rules for the finals. The home team will get to choose to either a) play the whole game with 6 skaters on the ice at a time or b) be immune from penalties/offsides/icing. Whatever the home team chooses, the visitors get the other perk. Which one are you choosing, given the choice and why?

This is a really tough question. I think I am going to be immune from penalties, offsides, and icing. Think about all of the fun that you could do if you did not have to worry about those constraints. Literally, you could be hurting everyone on the team and having someone parked right in front of the goalie if you wanted to. Those long stretch passes galore is what I would do as well. I mean, that sounds fun does it not? This would be such an interesting game for the fans too, I feel like. That is what I would do if I had the choice.
Words: 107

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

If you're sitting at home watching the Finals: What do you plan on doing differently next season to help your team reach the promised land? If you're playing in the Finals: Is there anything different you plan on doing next season to continue your team's success?

I think I really just need to build off what I did in my rookie year. I played on the second line this season, so I need to just keep getting better in order to hit that top line. I am not going to stop, I am just going to keep rolling. I definitely think we need to be better in front of Arik Eller, I just think we were not good enough this season in front of him to keep the puck of the net. That is really where we need to start to get better if we are going to make the playoffs next season. I think it's definitely possible with the amount of youth and growing that we did this season, but it's going to take all of us in order to do that. We all need to keep moving and get better to make it happen. This is what we need to do to make playoffs.
Words: 160

Code:
7. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.) or Graphic, 3 TPE

These are two very storied franchises, what is each team's all-time top 3 forwards, top 2 defensemen, and top goalie? Why did you choose them? For graphics people, make a graphic showing both team's starting lineups and some key stats.

All time is really hard to say, so how about I just do what my team would be if it was this season's team? I feel like that would make more sense for me and something that is relevant to this specific task.

Hippo Passamus - Bobby Sharp - Aaron Wilson
Samuel Michaud - Alexander Selich
Elizabeth Doyle

This would be my lineup if I had to combine the two teams into one. I think this would be an incredible lineup considering the firepower on offense and defense. I still think there are people like Monkey Luffy and Michael Scarn that really could be in the lineup and you could make a case for them, but this would be my personal lineup. These lineups are both really stacked which is why they are both in the finals, so it was really hard to make the decisions as I look through a few more people, I really am second-guessing my people that I chose, but too late, this is what I am playing.
Words: 169

Code:
12. 3 TPE

a. Hamilton finished 13 points above Buffalo in the standings this season. What is one thing that Buffalo can do to give themselves a leg up despite this?

b. Hamilton was 3rd in the league in GF this season. Buffalo was 2nd in GA. This begs the age old question: what will win out, a great defense or a great offense? Why?

c. Which of these two teams' brandings do you prefer? Take into account colors, logo, name, location, and anything else you consider relevant.

a. The regular season just does not matter, so it's important to keep that in mind as you are going. I think the underdog mentality is something that is really helpful for any team that wants to overcome that. Keep in mind that everyone expects you to lose. That chip is what will make you better. [Words 56]
b. Defense will always win Championships. I think that is the case in every sport and hockey is no different. I think goaltending wins and the defense in front of the goalie will make a huge difference. They both can score, there's no question about that, so it will come down to the people who can stop those scorers. Defense wins, it will always win. [Words 64]
c. I think I have to go with Hamilton. I love Buffalo, I have played there for a while, I like that team better in terms of people, but in no life will I say that Buffalo is a good location. It is such a crap hole of a place in the USA, so there's no question that I will never be choosing that. I think Hamilton has a better logo too. It's close, but I just hate Buffalo as a place so much. [Words 83]

Code:
15. Milestones, up to 3 TPE

New this season, Milestones are folded in with CW. So just link your Milestone claim as task 16 for up to 3 TPE towards your 16 total.

SHL Milestones: https://simulationhockey.com/showthread.php?tid=114645

SMJHL Milestones (for senddowns): TBD

Milestones - 2 TPE

Code:
16. Written, 3 TPE

I loved this as a mPT when hotdog did it last season, so I'd like to bring it back as a permanent fixture. After all, we could all use a little positivity every now and then. Say something nice about another member or members, no word limit.

I would first like to thank the General Managers of the New England Wolfpack @kenvald and @Zema they took a chance on me a little bit higher than people expected me to go. I want to hope that I have really paid them back and more to why they took me considering they took someone else higher than me. @krazko @Fluw @Zema @BloomeyGB @Zomp @Ace have all been really good teammates that I have interacted with quite a bit. They have been such a great mentor and a great member of the community. They are really great, so I look forward to growing and getting better with these people. I have nothing but really nice things to say about the team even though we struggled a bit this year, we were all really enjoying each other and positive. I really like the environment that we have in the locker room because it's a great place to be, without question.
Words: 160

**JamesT** · 03-27-2021, 01:13 PM

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

While these two teams are no strangers to the Cup finals, we did see some very interesting things this season. Looking back, what do you feel was the most surprising part of the season?

The most surprising part of the S58 season for me would have to be the Texas Renegades

being the best team in the regular season. They managed to win 54 out of a possible 66 games which is super impressive. I don't believe many people pegged Texas as a powerhouse of a team but they proved everyone wrong with their dominant play this season. Kaarlo Kekkonen, Andreas Kvalheim, Edward Williams were their top 3 scorers and while we expected Kvalheim to bounce back the other two were names not many people would see as premier scorers. We have been used to a team in the East (mainly a Great Lakes divison team) to be the best during the regular season, but Texas showed that they're a team to reckon with. Unfortunately, Texas' success could not continue in the playoffs as they ultimately lost in game 7 against Hamilton, but game 7's can go either way and I believe Texas will be back hungrier next season building off the success they had this year.

(173 words)

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

If you're sitting at home watching the Finals: What do you plan on doing differently next season to help your team reach the promised land? If you're playing in the Finals: Is there anything different you plan on doing next season to continue your team's success?

For the Edmonton Blizzard

we were one game and one goal away from completing the comeback against Hamilton from being down 3-1 in the series. This is the second time in recent history where we have clawed our way back against the Steelhawks

but ultimately fell short in game 7. The Hamilton mountain has to be our biggest obstacle to overcome if we want to capture a cup again since S49. For next season I am not sure how much I can do to improve as I am hitting regression again (only got a few more seasons left in me before 15% regression kicks in as well). I hope to be a consistent player next season as this year I managed to produce at a steady pace towards the end of the regular season whereas in the first half I was pretty ice cold.

Also in the playoffs I need to work on my two-way game as I struggled offensively and defensively by being a -6 and only producing 6 points in 12 games. I am super glad that Edmonton has a deep forward group to help with the offense.

(190 words)

Code:
12. 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. Hamilton finished 13 points above Buffalo in the standings this season. What is one thing that Buffalo can do to give themselves a leg up despite this?

b. Hamilton was 3rd in the league in GF this season. Buffalo was 2nd in GA. This begs the age old question: what will win out, a great defense or a great offense? Why?

c. Which of these two teams' brandings do you prefer? Take into account colors, logo, name, location, and anything else you consider relevant.

d. It's all come down to this: game seven overtime. Which four players are you sending out to win the game for you. This is in a fantasy sense, so feel free to mix and match from both teams.

a. As we've seen in the playoffs so far, regular season standings mean virtually nothing as Hamilton bested the best team in the regular season Texas. One thing that Buffalo has for them has to be their goalie of Elizabeth Doyle who has consistently been one of the top goalies in the SHL. Compared to Jobin who has around 600 less TPE to Doyle. Buffalo will rely on Doyle if they want to have a shot at defeating Hamilton.

(78 words)

b. The saying goes that offense wins games, but defense wins championships so I hope that comes true for the S58 finals between Hamilton and Buffalo. Being able to keep the puck out of your net is much more easier to accomplish than burying goals and with Doyle in net Hamilton should not be able to score at will. But we have seen what the Hamilton offense can do for years now but I think many people don't want to see Hamilton lift another challenge cup.

(85 words)

c. Between the brandings of the Hamilton Steelhawks

and Buffalo Stampede

I prefer the Steelhawks

more because I personally like blue more, Hamilton is a Canadian town and I am Canadian as well. One of my good friends Theo Morgan plays in Hamilton and the fact that at a glance it is easier to distinguish the Steelhawks

logo compared to the Stampede

logo.

(62 words)

d. I always thought playoff overtime as 5v5 so I will be sending out 5 skaters (3 F and 2 D). My team would be:

F - Theo Morgan Steelhawks

F - Aaron Wilson Steelhawks

F - Bobby Sharp Stampede

D - Samuel Michaud Steelhawks

D - Augustus Wang Stampede

G - Elizabeth Doyle Stampede

Theo Morgan because he's always a threat on the ice and one of the top producers in the game, Aaron Wilson consistently a top producer as well, Bobby Sharp led the league in scoring this season, Samuel Michaud Hamilton's top scoring Defensemen, Augustus Wang one of the top TPE defensemen and Doyle in net as she has over 600 compared to Jobin of Hamilton.

(112 words)

Code:
15. Milestones, up to 3 TPE

New this season, Milestones are folded in with CW. So just link your Milestone claim as task 15 for up to 3 TPE towards your 16 total.

SHL Milestones: https://simulationhockey.com/showthread.php?tid=114645

SMJHL Milestones (for senddowns): TBD

S58 Milestones Claim

Code:
16. Written, 3 TPE

I loved this as a mPT when hotdog did it last season, so I'd like to bring it back as a permanent fixture. After all, we could all use a little positivity every now and then. Say something nice about another member or members, no word limit.

The whole organization over at the Edmonton Blizzard

who took drafted me way back in S46 and the team that I have ever played for during my SHL career. Big shoutouts to my GM's Keygan and TommySalami who have helped me with my player build and re-signing me to contract extensions! Also I want to praise all my teammates who I have gotten to play with over the years and who have helped me produce. There is not much hockey left in my career for this player (plan on retiring this player soon) but I am excited for the new stars on our team to rise up and be players we know they can be (William Hartmann, Kyle Sutton, Daniel Laforest, Axel Foley, Peter Ramsey) just to name a few of the kids I know will be the core of the team for years to come.

Total: +16 TPE

kenvald · 03-27-2021, 01:41 PM

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

While these two teams are no strangers to the Cup finals, we did see some very interesting things this season. Looking back, what do you feel was the most surprising part of the season?

When I first started typing this I was thinking about Toronto being so much better than many expected. No one expected them to fall over in 4th once again. But the dominance they showed was a huge leap from the prior seasons.

But then I thought about it some more. And the actually most surprising thing that happened this season was Baltimore making the playoffs. I'm pretty sure most teams and players had written them of for another 5th placement in the Atlantic. Been thinking that the 3rd playoff spot out of our division would this time go to Tampa as they had advanced quite well during the off-season while we in New England were only getting younger by calling up prospects. But Baltimore came out of seemingly nowhere at the end of the season. Slowly climbing with a win here and there. And thanks to what I can only attribute as a bad luck streak for Tampa. Baltimore was able to sneak into that 3rd spot.

Code:
6. 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?

This CW answer is becoming a tradition of mine and I'll be damned one day it'll come true.

Since I starting writing this CW task I've always said. Sweden is getting better. Sweden will medal. And Sven Yxskaft will have a great tournament. Sometimes part of it comes true, but we always seem to fall a bit short. But this time. Oh boy, this time we'll for sure make a dent! We even have too many players in Sweden now to field everyone. Which I think might be the first time this has happened in Sweden's existence in this league.

A lot of players reaching our peaks, including Yxskaft. I'm sure we're making it to the finals this time around. Unless some FHM randomness decides to screw us over with the elimination games being best of 1.

But if I have to talk about another team that will do well, I can't leave out Canada. The perpetual contenders with multiple golds in recent years.

Code:
12. 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. Hamilton finished 13 points above Buffalo in the standings this season. What is one thing that Buffalo can do to give themselves a leg up despite this?

Buffalo had a trade deadline acquisition that will help them greatly in Dick Clapper. 13 points is nothing to scoff at. And Hamilton has been a scary team for a long time now. But this is probably the best move Buffalo could've done to at least get into the finals series. Now if it's good enough to beat Hamilton, only time will tell.

Code:
b. Hamilton was 3rd in the league in GF this season. Buffalo was 2nd in GA. This begs the age old question: what will win out, a great defense or a great offense? Why?

I believe in offense. The more offensive chances you get and the more shots on net you shoot, the bigger is your chance to score. No matter how great your defensive positioning or goalie is, if your opponent sends 40+ shots at you every game the pucks are gonna start trickling in. And if you can't match that, then it might be a low scoring game. But you'll still lose.

Code:
c. Which of these two teams' brandings do you prefer? Take into account colors, logo, name, location, and anything else you consider relevant.

My favorite branding between the two is Hamilton's. Mostly because of the colors of the teams. Green and yellow just isn't my favorite combination. While blue and gray/silver(?) is a vey simple and neutral combination that you can't go wrong with. A little boring perhaps, but a combo I'd rather wear when comparing to Buffalo's.

Code:
d. It's all come down to this: game seven overtime. Which four players are you sending out to win the game for you. This is in a fantasy sense, so feel free to mix and match from both teams.

If I were to choose any four players to win the cup for me, these would be my golden guns.

F - Bobby Sharp, BUF
Top scorer in S58. Obvious choice that also does well defensively.

F - Michael Scarn, HAM
An offensive machine who no one seems to be able to stop.

D - Samuel Michaud, HAM
A takeaway and shot block machine that at the same time produces highly offensively.

G - Elizabeth Doyle, BUF
Every team needs a superstar goalie. And Doyle is the best there is right now.

Code:
15. Milestones, up to 3 TPE

New this season, Milestones are folded in with CW. So just link your Milestone claim as task 16 for up to 3 TPE towards your 16 total.

SHL Milestones: https://simulationhockey.com/showthread.php?tid=114645

+3 https://simulationhockey.com/showthread....pid3006965

Code:
16. Written, 3 TPE

I loved this as a mPT when hotdog did it last season, so I'd like to bring it back as a permanent fixture. After all, we could all use a little positivity every now and then. Say something nice about another member or members, no word limit.

I think I shared the same thing last time this came up, but it's not any less true now than it was back then.
@Zema, of course, has done an amazing job as co-GM. Taken on a lot of duties to allow us to build an amazing squad without either of us stressing out too much.
@Ace, even though he's taken over GM duties in ANA he's still both the devil and the angel on my shoulders and helps out a ton in our war room.
@Bayley is doing a wonderful job running the NEW twitter account.
@bbjygm, our in-house master of sheets and bots. Gives us amazingly helpful spreadsheets for scouting. And bots for both entertaining us and keeping us all in line.
+ everyone else in New England. Prospects and rostered players alike, making the locker room as amazing as it is.

d0lph1nb0y · 03-27-2021, 01:51 PM

Task 2 - TPE 2

I am choosing perk B. A does sound better in theory by basically being on the powerplay the whole game but perk B is kinda overpowered. What makes it overpowered? Its being immune from penalties. Now i dont condone going out of your way to injury someone but...... if your not going to get punished for anything then why not? specially when its the finals and the other team has six skaters on the ice. You play hard, physical and make them not want to go anywhere near the puck. You also get the added bonus of no offsides and icings which can help.

(104 words)

Task 5 - TPE 2

This season I believe the best team to not make the finals in the SMJHL are the Kelowna Knights. Kelowna finished with a record of 53 wins, 10 loses and 3 overtime loses for a massive 109 points. They had the most wins in the league and the combined 13 loses was least amount of loses in the league. The knights was second in scoring with 252 goals, just 3 short of finalists Quebec and had the least amount of goals against with 134. On the Knights roster, Kynwyl Pearce topped the goal leaders with 43 goals and finished secound in the league with 65 points. In net Kelowna had one of the best goalies in Damien Vertigo. Vertigo had a save percentage of 0.923% and a 1.88 goals against average. He also lead the league in shutouts with 11.

(140 words)

Task 13 - TPE 2

My pick for the Challenge Cup final series MVP is Hamilton Steelhawks goalie A Jobin. In the 5 game series Jobin put up at least a .900 save percentage or more in every game and an average save percentage of 0.931. Hamilton was not only being out shot in three of the five games but Buffalo also shot 30+ shots in 4 of the 5 games. Jobin made 165 saves out of 177 shots. For comparison at the other end of the ice Doyle put up a 0.876 save percentage. This is where i believe Jobin was the difference maker as with him in net the games and series would have been a lot closer.

(115 words)

Task 15 - TPE 3
[/url]
[url=https://simulationhockey.com/showthread.php?tid=114690&pid=3008528#pid3008528]https://simulationhockey.com/showthread.php?tid=114690&pid=3008528#pid3008528

Total = 9 TPE

Muerto · 03-27-2021, 02:43 PM

2. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
Oh no, the head honchos of the league are worried that there aren't enough story lines for the finals! Therefore they're changing the rules for the finals. The home team will get to choose to either a) play the whole game with 6 skaters on the ice at a time or b) be immune from penalties/offsides/icing. Whatever the home team chooses, the visitors get the other perk. Which one are you choosing, given the choice and why?

I would choose option B, being immune from all penalties on its own is reason enough. Sure you give the other team a perpetual 'power play' but it means you could hack and slash and trip and punch the other players all you wanted and if they retaliated you wouldn't be penalized for it and it would eliminate their advantage immediately if they get called for doing anything. Plus, with no offsides or icing, you could put a man in their end the whole game and they'd have to keep someone back to defend it, so again it's not that minor. But back to the no penalties thing - you could even deliberately injure their players until they only had 5 left, and then they wouldn't have any advantage at all. It would be a shocking display of violence and brutality given that sort of pass!

4. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
If you're sitting at home watching the Finals: What do you plan on doing differently next season to help your team reach the promised land? If you're playing in the Finals: Is there anything different you plan on doing next season to continue your team's success?

This season the Aurora were not able to match the excitement of S57's playoff run to the semifinals, bowing out in the first round to Buffalo. Throughout my career I have largely been an offense-first player, and for Winnipeg I have been one of the more consistent point producers over the FHM era. However, with regression setting in hard for me personally, and also the team going through more of a youth movement, I have been transitioning my build from a speedy forward type into a more defensive two-way forward. As a veteran player, my focus has to be on helping the young defenders in our own zone, and sheltering the young wingers as well. No more cheating for breakaways or always looking to make a play. Like so many veteran players the speed and the acceleration go away as you get older but you have to learn how to play smarter, and for the greater good of the team the smart thing to do is keep working on improving my defensive play and be more of a checking forward. (180 words)

15. Milestones, up to 3 TPE
New this season, Milestones are folded in with CW. So just link your Milestone claim as task 16 for up to 3 TPE towards your 16 total.

LINK +3

16. Written, 3 TPE
I loved this as a mPT when hotdog did it last season, so I'd like to bring it back as a permanent fixture. After all, we could all use a little positivity every now and then. Say something nice about another member or members, no word limit.

@sköldpaddor I've never had the opportunity to share a Discord with you really so we don't interact much but I really enjoy your presence and attitude on things like twitter, media, livestreams etc. You are always positive and welcoming and inclusive and have a way of creating a very immersive experience with your player's stories and social media. You are one of many awesome people who make this place better for everyone!

**leafsftw1967** · 03-27-2021, 03:39 PM

1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.) While these two teams are no strangers to the Cup finals, we did see some very interesting things this season. Looking back, what do you feel was the most surprising part of the season?

I think the most interesting thing about season fifty eight was the coming out party for the Toronto North Stars. The North Stars have been in rebuild mode for quite a few seasons now and also play in the toughest division in the SHL in the Great Lakes with having to go up against and compete for playoff spots with teams like the Hamilton Steelhawks, Chicago Syndicate, Buffalo Stampede who have all won cups in the last five seasons. However, the North Stars defied all odds and finished second in the Great Lakes out doling teams like the Buffalo Stampede in the regular season who are currently in the Challenge Cup Finals and the reigning Challenge Cup champs Chicago Syndicate with a 46 win season. In the playoffs they made it all the way to the eastern conference finals where they lost a tough series to the Stampede. My hat goes off to @ml002 @UrsinZ for Toronto’s impressive season.

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

Hands down the Newfoundland Berserkers should be in the SMJHL Four Star cup finals right now. Newfoundland general managers @Nhamlet and @juke have done an incredible job rebuilding the team after losing the core of Newfoundland’s previous championship team to SHL call ups. As a young team they finished in third place in the entire SMJHL for the regular season and then had an exciting post season run that saw them knock out the Maine Timber and the Nevada Battle born before coming up short to the Anchorage Armada in the conference finals. This team has so much promise and skill and unfortunately just ran into a hot Armada team which I believe could have beaten to get into the SMJHL finals.

6. 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?

Season fifty seven was another disappointing tournament for team Latvia. However it is fair to say the rebuild of team Latvia is pretty much done with a lot of their young players now having unbanked builds. While there is still a little more growing left for this pretty young team, this will be the first time many season that there is an actual chance for this nation to be competitive and maybe make it out of mthe round robin. I think this will be team Latvia will be the best since the switch to FHM so it will be interesting to see how the management team deploys this group of young taloned players. They got a lot of young talent like Mack Daddy, Mats Marner, Chimkin Tendy, Krišs Dārziņš., Asclepius Perseus Flitterwind, Cyanide Balzams, Fleetway and Chris Goodname. The start of the new Latvia dynasty is just beginning so it will be interesting to see how things play out.

12. 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. Hamilton finished 13 points above Buffalo in the standings this season. What is one thing that Buffalo can do to give themselves a leg up despite this?

What the Buffalo Stampede can do to give themselves a leg up in the Challenge Cup finals despite the fact that the Hamilton Steelhawks finished 13 points above Buffalo in the regular season standings is having lights out goaltending from Doyle. She has been one of if not the best goalie in the SHL over the past couple of seasons and has the ability to steal the series.

b. Hamilton was 3rd in the league in GF this season. Buffalo was 2nd in GA. This begs the age old question: what will win out, a great defense or a great offense? Why?

As shown through out many post season best of seven hockey playoff series the game gets a lot tighter checking and a great defense is required to win a hockey championship nine times out of ten. If you are able to have a shut down defense that smothers your opponents they can single handily take out the other teams top offensive producers and if you cannot score you cannot win the game plain and simple.

c. Which of these two teams' brandings do you prefer? Take into account colors, logo, name, location, and anything else you consider relevant.

I would prefer the Buffalo Stampede’s branding over the Hamilton Steelhawks for many reasons. First I really like the yellow and green colour scheme, it is very unique for the SHL and out of the box from most other hockey teams. Also the logo is pretty slick and better then the Steelhawks. Finally, being from the greater Toronto area I do not think Hamilton is a nice place to live or visit.

d. It's all come down to this: game seven overtime. Which four players are you sending out to win the game for you. This is in a fantasy sense, so feel free to mix and match from both teams.

If the Challenge Cup Finals all came down to game seven overtime the four players I would send out to win the game for me in terms of fantasy scenario mixing players from each team would include the following stars: forward- Michael Scarn, forward- Monkey D. Luffy, defenseman- Hugh Jazz and two way forward- Aaron Wilson.

15. Milestones, up to 3 TPE: +2 TPE: https://simulationhockey.com/showthread....pid3006572

16. Written, 3 TPE I loved this as a mPT when hotdog did it last season, so I'd like to bring it back as a permanent fixture. After all, we could all use a little positivity every now and then. Say something nice about another member or members, no word limit.

I appreciate @JNH for reaching out to me off the site and brining me back to the SHL around about a year ago now to play for the Newfoundland Berserkers. The atmosphere he helped create in Newfoundland reinvigorated my enjoyment for the SHL and overall should be recognized as a solid dude. What’s there not to love about JNH he’s a leafs fan, got a great sense of humour, always willing to help you out and is an overall positive influence in the locker room.

Total TPE: 16

***Aephino*** · 03-27-2021, 04:22 PM

4. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
If you're sitting at home watching the Finals: What do you plan on doing differently next season to help your team reach the promised land? If you're playing in the Finals: Is there anything different you plan on doing next season to continue your team's success?

Yes, I am sitting at home watching the finals. I have to be honest, I did a lot to help the team this season. During the regular season, I feel as though I did take my foot off the gas during the end, but I brought it right back for the playoffs. I managed 12 points in 12 post season games, including some points against Hamilton to cause a dramatic finish to the series. That being said, I definitely have more work to do. Hockey is truly a team sport and maybe there were times I made it too much about myself, about getting points... The team does not just need goals, we need good play all around. That means stepping up defensive efforts, faceoffs, looking for the right pass. As a whole, Texas is rebuilding the right way. We have fought tooth and nail to get where we are and we certainly won't give up. Our players keep improving and the coaching staff makes that possible. See you next season in the finals.

6. 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 always end looking at the previous IIHF tournament to see how things panned out, particularly in the round robin stage. Last season, we saw a dominant Canadian team, alongside the Great Britain and the USA have standout performances in much of the tournament. These are three teams to immediately highlight as they have had strong talent pools the last number of seasons. Then we have some of the "best of the rest," including Germany, Japan, and Norway, who all did very well. While the best teams always have a strong squad, some of the smaller nations have to rely on just a few players to carry them. We have seen this with Martijn Westbroek and Monkey D Luffy for Japan, as well as Michael Scarn for the Czech Republic. There are always a few teams that struggle, such as Latvia, Ireland, and Austria last year, but you have to remember that any team can perform well in just enough games to make a cinderella run in the later stages of the tournament.

12. 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. Hamilton finished 13 points above Buffalo in the standings this season. What is one thing that Buffalo can do to give themselves a leg up despite this?

On paper, I really like Buffalo's forwards. While Hamilton do have some standouts in Scarn, Morgan, Wilson, Jones... you have to remember that Buffalo have Bobby Sharp (the most points in the SHL) and Monkey D Luffy, who can cause a great deal of damage to any defense. Hamilton may have more depth, but Buffalo's first line is unbelievable.

b. Hamilton was 3rd in the league in GF this season. Buffalo was 2nd in GA. This begs the age old question: what will win out, a great defense or a great offense? Why?

Everyone always says the best defense is a good offense, but I don't exactly believe this. I think a great defense can beat even the most capable offenses. Defense is key in hockey; while any team can score a goal or two on a given night, it's imperative not to let the heads drop and let in 3, 4, 5 goals after. Hamilton has the better offense and strong defense that is underrated.

c. Which of these two teams' brandings do you prefer? Take into account colors, logo, name, location, and anything else you consider relevant.

Maybe it's just because blue is an incredibly common color as far as SHL teams, but Buffalo's yellow and green is far more iconic to me. For logos, I personally don't believe either logo is truly amazing, but both are very solid. For location, it's Buffalo > Hamilton by a long shot. As for the name, I think Steelhawks is miles better than Stampede. Overall, the edge goes to Hamilton, but the colors especially makes it very close.

d. It's all come down to this: game seven overtime. Which four players are you sending out to win the game for you. This is in a fantasy sense, so feel free to mix and match from both teams.

Monkey D Luffy, for his unreal goal-scoring and point-scoring ability, even though he doesn't offer much defensively. Theo Morgan, who offers a bit more defensively, as well as some extremely capable offense, alongside some physical play. Augustus Wang for his pure defensive ability. A great shot blocker and can score and pass very well. Lastly, I have Hugh Jazz, who can provide assists, as well as bring solid defense.

15. Milestones, up to 3 TPE
New this season, Milestones are folded in with CW. So just link your Milestone claim as task 16 for up to 3 TPE towards your 16 total.

Claim 3 TPE

16. Written, 3 TPE
I loved this as a mPT when hotdog did it last season, so I'd like to bring it back as a permanent fixture. After all, we could all use a little positivity every now and then. Say something nice about another member or members, no word limit.

I have now been on the site for well over a year, which is crazy to me. I have met so many great people. But, I have to give a massive shoutout to @puolivalmiste and @RedCapeDiver for all their work in Texas. I feel very lucky to be on a team with them in charge, and I feel confident in the direction the team as a whole is headed. They are awesome people who I know work their ass off for the team, so I want to make sure they know how much we care! Plus, we have a great LR and that is certainly thanks to them (and @dankoa for all his great efforts from the past) TEX TEX TEX

***hhh81*** · 03-27-2021, 06:14 PM

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

While these two teams are no strangers to the Cup finals, we did see some very interesting things this season. Looking back, what do you feel was the most surprising part of the season?

Well, I have to say Seattle discovering we had a parasitic worm sabotaging us for three seasons certainly was shocking. May Marcus Meyer be forgotten by history as a cheat and a scandal. Beyond that, I thought Toronto would take a step forward, but I never expected them to make as huge an improvement as they did. ML's slowly been building up that team from total garbage, so it's good to see them being successful. I don't harbor ill will toward that team anymore. I also fully expected to see Baltimore remain embarrassingly bad. I've made it no secret I don't think their management has done a good job over the last 10 seasons, and figured they're remain irrelevant in perpetuity. Evidently I was wrong, at least for this season. They found a way to pull off a playoff position on the back of an MVP and MOP caliber-season from winger Karl Krashwagen. I don't think anyone expected him to win the goal scoring title, but there he goes!

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

Oh no, the head honchos of the league are worried that there aren't enough story lines for the finals! Therefore they're changing the rules for the finals. The home team will get to choose to either a) play the whole game with 6 skaters on the ice at a time or b) be immune from penalties/offsides/icing. Whatever the home team chooses, the visitors get the other perk. Which one are you choosing, given the choice and why?

Oh gosh, that's a hard one! The natural idea if you are immune from the rules of the game would be to just have one forward pull an Ola Wagstrom and hang out by the other team's goalie while their teammates would try to dump the puck all the way down the ice. I'd combat that by leaving one dman back at all times to shadow the cherry picker and keep them from hurting my goalie, have one player play midfield in the neutral zone, and then use whatever edge I can in the rest of the game. Unfortunately, I think the immunity to penalties is too strong an edge. Doesn't matter if the other team has an extra man if you can break kneecaps, steal sticks, trip, etc and goon up the game. If they retaliate, THEY get a penalty and you can keep chopping away. For that reason, strategically I'd probably take the no penalties/rules powers, though I don't want to play dirty. It's not like me, even if it's the better choice.

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

Which players, if any, do you see as locks for the Hall of Fame? As in, if they're career ended today they're in. Anyone on the cusp? Anyone on the right track, but still needs to put up a few more great seasons?

I'm not sure if there's anyone I think that 100% is a lock at this point and time. There's some great players who likely are in the mix--Michael Scarn, Monkey D. Luffy, Martijn Westbroek all have been top scorers for a long time. Nick Brain, Aaron Wilson, Tony Pepperoni are also right there as big time scorers. I think from that group, Luffy and Pepperoni probably have the strongest cases right now with some solid hardware, but I wouldn't count any of them out.

I take it back; I would honestly be shocked if Andreas Kvalheim doesn't make the Hall of Fame. Dude has quietly been one of the greatest two-way forwards in league history, even if he hasn't been an MVP. If he can get a Challenge Cup win with Texas and even 1-2 more Dar noms plus make an all league team or two, I would feel good about him getting in.

Among defensemen, DeMaricus Smyth has been around forever playing F and D, so he's an interesting case. Rex Kirkby has been steadily good, but rarely jumps out of the background as the BEST. He could be in the mix when all is said and done. We forget Brady McIntyre was a force of nature as he's aged, and Tor Tuck was a great physical dman for Edmonton as well. I wouldn't count either out. Players like Corey Kennedy and FR Finn-Rhys definitely have a shot, but need a bit more to get there. Brennan Kennedy Jr keeps simming well; more Bojo/Stevens noms are likely for him, whether or not he wins. He's probably another safe bet. I also tend to think Cassius Darrow could be in the mix with 3 Challenge Cups, a Bojo win, a few All-League teams, and possibly the first player in league history to break 2000 blocked shots. If he can reach 500 career points and pick up another Bojo nom or two, I'd feel better about it.

For goalies, with Toronto good, Harry Carpet has a very good shot someday. Here's a hot take: Elizabeth Doyle could retire in S60 and be a lock to the HoF on the first two ballots. Her numbers are just that good. Despite the ugliness that has been the end of Geezus Kryyst's career, I think he's probably a lock at some point, but probably not first ballot.

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5. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)

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

For me it's between Toronto and Texas. Both were deep, talented squads that just fell short. Texas dominated the league from start to finish and were my Cup pick until the questionable choice to trade for a defensively awful center at the deadline. They draft well, develop well, and have a great FHM mind at GM. I fully expect to see them continue to dominate the Western Conference for the next few seasons (at least until the cap squeeze burns them).

Toronto kept pace and even lead Hamilton in the regular season for a good bit of time. They are also young and mostly homegrown (I think 15 of their playoff roster players were drafted by them? Don't fact check me please). I think they are mabye 2 years back of Texas' development, and play in the hardest division in hockey. I'd love to see a bronze medal series between the two teams to see who is better.

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7. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.) or Graphic, 3 TPE

These are two very storied franchises, what is each team's all-time top 3 forwards, top 2 defensemen, and top goalie? Why did you choose them? For graphics people, make a graphic showing both team's starting lineups and some key stats.

Buffalo
F: Viktor Marius, Hippo Passamus, Monkey D. Luffy -- three of the top scorers in Buffalo franchise history. All three are likely Hall of Famers, though I think Luffy has a little more work to do. Passamus will finish with most relevant records for forwards when he' hangs his skates up.
D: Charles Walker & Alexis Metzler -- this was a no brainer. Both are legends and hold many franchise records. Metzler is one of the greatest blueliners of all time for now
G: Elizabeth Doyle -- already flying up the leaderboards for franchise and league records. When all is said and done, I think she will comfortably be one of the greats of all time and as I said earlier, probably a first two ballot HoF even if she only plays 2 more seasons. HM to Cedric Robinson.

Hamilton
F: Robert Phelps, Aaron Wilson, Joe McKeil - Phelps holds a bevy of franchise records and is Mr. Steelhawk. Wilson is right there as another mainstay for the team. Joe McKeil was Mr. Steelhawk before Phelps and is second to Phelps in a lot of categories.
D: Ben Dover & Tig Murphy - Dover is the greatest blueliner in team history. Tig Murphy is a scrub that showed serious runs of brilliance as a work horse for the Steelhawks.
G: Geezus Kryyst -- holds most franchise records and was a world beater during his time with the team. Screw that guy, Go Stampede!

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15. Milestones, up to 3 TPE

New this season, Milestones are folded in with CW. So just link your Milestone claim as task 16 for up to 3 TPE towards your 16 total.

SHL Milestones: https://simulationhockey.com/showthread.php?tid=114645

SMJHL Milestones (for senddowns): TBD

Claiming 3 from Milestones

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16. Written, 3 TPE

I loved this as a mPT when hotdog did it last season, so I'd like to bring it back as a permanent fixture. After all, we could all use a little positivity every now and then. Say something nice about another member or members, no word limit.

Oh gosh, where to even start. Thanks to @LordBirdman for upholding the legacy I created in Colorado. You do great work, and I'm thrilled to see the Raptors do well. Kudos to @Matteo and @lespoils for doing great stuff with J awards/all star. You do me proud and are good people.

My buds in Seattle are lovely (usually). @notorioustig @grok @reid and even @jeffie43 and @Gwdjohnson. It's great to have some activity as we build something new. Marcus Meyer is gone and dead, and next season is our time! I'm thrilled to be in Seattle building something, and wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now, even if most of your are dirty skree birds.

Shout out to some other cool peeps--@39alaska39, @Jumbobone19 @sköldpaddor @sve7en, @ProjectSaint, @wumaduce, @Evok, @Julio Tokolosh and no doubt plenty of people I'm forgetting right now. You've all been varying degrees of major parts of my experience on the site, and I appreciate y'all.

Matteo · 03-27-2021, 06:53 PM

1. Most surprising part of the season: 3 TPE
I know I'm beating a dead horse here, but the most surprising part of the season is definitely the defending Challenge Cup champions, the Chicago Syndicate, missing the playoffs. I guess it isn't too surprising considering that everyone knew how strong the Great Lakes Division is, hell, this is gonna be the fourth season in a row that a team from the Great Lakes Division wins the Challenge Cup, but it's always surprising to see the defending champs not even make it into the playoffs. Beyond that, I was a little surprised to see the Toronto North Stars with so many points this season, I thought for sure that they would once again be the Great Lakes' sacrifice for more Challenge Cups, but as it turns out they were able to finish 8 and 10 points ahead of the Buffalo Stampede and the Chicago Syndicate respectively. It'll be interesting to see if they become one of the new fixtures in a playoff spot while Buffalo and Chicago have to fight it out for the 3rd spot like they did this season.

2: Rule change: 2 TPE
This one seems pretty easy to me, I'd definitely go no penalties/offsides/icing. The other team can go ahead and have their six players on the ice, but what are they gonna do when we have all 12 forwards, six dmen, and both goalies on the ice and the refs aren't allowed to call us for too many men? Also, they're gonna run out of skaters pretty quickly when they learn that NETMAN is on the loose, with no burden of guarding the net and no threat of penalties, he's free to do all the slashing, slewfooting, crosschecking, and assault he wants. I wish the other team good luck, because they're gonna need it if they want to have enough healthy players to start the next season, let alone to finish this series.

4. Help my team next season: 3 TPE
Being drafted in season 56, I've spent the past three seasons being called up for a few backup games. This offseason I'm expecting to be called up to the Chicago Syndicate for the last time, and stay up this time, to finally begin my SHL career. I'm going to miss my SMJHL teammates and it's definitely going to be weird playing against them, but that's the way she goes boys. Sometimes she goes, sometimes she doesn't, cause that's the fuckin way she goes. As most people might have already heard, the Syndicate missed the playoffs this past season, so no matter if I'm gonna be joining the team as a backup, or as the 1B of a tandem with the amazing Tibuk Soonika, I'm gonna focus on stopping pucks. It's nice being a goalie that way since it's never complicated, no matter what the score is, my top priority is always to stop that puck from going into my net.

5. Most surprising team to miss the finals: 2 TPE
Beyond the defending Challenge Cup champs in the Chicago Syndicate, the regular season champs in the Texas Renegades, and the SMJHL regular season champs in the Kelowna Knights, the team I'm a little bit surprised to see out of the finals is the Toronto North Stars. Coming out of the regular season, they were looking stronger than I've seen them since I joined the league, and I thought for sure once I saw them clinch a playoff spot that they would be fighting tooth and nail for that Challenge Cup, and while I'm sure they were, they unfortunately fell short, giving Buffalo and Hamilton yet another chance at a Cup.

15. (SMJHL) Milestones: 3 TPE
https://simulationhockey.com/showthread....pid3007690

16: Write something nice about somebody: 3 TPE
Want to take a moment to thank all the QCC peeps for the past four seasons, it's gone by so fast and I'm gonna miss sharing a locker room with all of you all the time. When I first created Mat Smith nine short months ago, I was thinking "oh this will be cool, it'll be like NHL's Be A Pro but better." I never expected to join a locker room full of so many amazing people who I am so happy to be able to call my friends. I'm proud of what our scrappy little team of owlets (that upset the Outlaws in our first season) has become, and I want you all to know that no matter the outcome of this week, win or lose, I wouldn't change anything about these past 9 months. Some of you came in a bit later, and some left a little earlier, but from the bottom of my heart, I love you all, @Evok @Faelax @Keven @enigmatic @ztevans @Salming @Bayley @AL GRINGO @LimJahey @iamslm22 @Hordle @storm @TheCC @Allegiant @zeagle1 @siddhus @Vandy @LB3737 @xTri @HabsFan6776 Heart

Also I'm probably gonna edit this post a bunch of times as I do the tasks, which means y'all are getting pinged over and over.

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