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*leviadan* · 03-28-2021, 11:41 AM

Quote:1. Surprising Parts - 3 TPE

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 am 100% biased, but I really think that the emergence of a new guard in Texas and Toronto was one of the biggest stories this season. To me it feels like we're right on the edge of this tipping point where the reign of Buffalo and Hamilton won't be a forgone conclusion any more. Despite Texas and Toronto still having the TPE disadvantage in their matchups, they both took the old powerhouses to 7 games.

The key difference being that both Texas and Toronto are on the TPE upswing and are still a little way off peaking, while Hamilton and Buffalo are on slow downward slopes. I think the next few seasons are going to be formative for establishing the next era of key contenders. I also have my eye on Baltimore and San Francisco as teams that showed something special this season. San Francisco for taking Toronto to 7 games in round one, and Baltimore for having a breakout year for so many of their younger players. Really exciting times!

Quote:4. Success Next Season - 3 TPE

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 us I really think that it's just a matter staying the course. For me that means keep earning at a high level, and trying to be active and fun in the locker room. Whatever helps guys stay engaged and excited to keep earning and keep up this positive trajectory. We showed the league what we can do this year, but the scary thing is that this was just the first season of a potentially 6+ season window for us. We aren't even close to how strong we could be in a couple of years if everyone keeps working at the level they have been.

It's crazy, but I think we're on pace for six or more 2k TPE players at once? Obviously we'll need some cap wizardry to keep that compliant-- but even if everyone can't stay that's a really impressive crop of earners. It would be really cool to be a part of something like that. I think my part is to just keep at doing what I'm doing on the site, and to try to build a culture of having fun earning.

Quote:6. IIHF - 3 TPE

What's your prediction for this season's IIHF tournament? Which teams do you expect to do well (or not well)? Which players?

Canada and the USA are always top contenders. Hard to ever count them out, as much as I might like to. I imagine that's the benefit of having most of the site's users come from those two countries-- you get to run pretty stacked teams.

I don't know too much about Britains roster makeup, but I believe they got the silver last season. It would be nice to see them take the next step and unseat the next of the major players, having pushed USA down to the bronze medal game already. For me it's just exciting to see new faces and new teams find success.

Germany had a really solid tournament beating USA for the bronze. Similar to Britain I'd love to see Germany take another step forward. We have some strong young players that are only getting better- but we also have our fair share of regressing legends. Hopefully our upswing is stronger than our downswing and we're able to at least get into that gold medal game this season. Maybe we could even take it all!

Quote:12. Challenge Cup Topics - 1 TPE

a) I think if Hamilton sleep walks into this series they're going to be in for a rude awakening. It seemed like strong defensive tactics helped both us and Edmonton take advantage of Hamilton on the counterattack, so I'd suggest something similar for Buffalo. Don't be afraid to let them control the game a little bit, keep them frustrated on the perimeter and shooting from the outside. Eventually they'll get careless, leave a lane open, and give you room to strike. I think it's a patience game with Hamilton. They're so used to scoring and winning that you can get in their heads and fluster them a bit by really limiting their quality chances and stonewalling them on 40+ low quality shots. Especially when you have a goalie as strong as Buffalo's.

Quote:15. Milestones - 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.

I earned three milestones this season! Link here!

Quote:16. Say Something Nice - 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.

This offseason I would like to give a special shoutout to @puolivalmiste and @RedCapeDiver. They've both done an amazing job with the Renegades, and I feel like they've put a ton of work into creating a winning culture in Texas. I know there were some really tough seasons for the team prior to the arrival of a lot of the S53 guys when we made the playoffs again for the first time-- so for them to stick with it through all of that, then take over the team to help us get to the next level is really cool. I appreciate that a lot, and I'm really enjoying my time in Texas.

CW TPE: 16/16

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*CementHands* · 03-28-2021, 12:53 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 felt that the most surprising part of this last season was the playoff races. 3 out of the 4 divisions had races going down to the final day and I strongly believe this generated a huge amount of interest throughout the league. While it was unfortunate to see a team like Chicago miss the playoffs with as many points as they got, there was a race for that division, it was no longer a pre determined outcome and this was fascinating to watch.
The goal scoring race not only flipped in the last sim, but it took until the very last sim of the season to determine the winner. Being in this race kept me on the edge of my seat for any of these games that impacted playoff races, or had one of these league leading players involved.
I'm looking forward to some continued increased parity next season, and to follow along the races all the way to the end, it's very good for interest and driving up viewership.

171 Words
3 TPE

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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 Baltimore it is more of a trust the process thing than specifically doing things differently. We are a young team that is growing. The projected lineup for next season boasts only 1 player in regression and that is none other than legendary Nat Emerson. He has been fighting off regression extremely hard and has been quite successful at it so far. Including a positional switch to forward he is going to be a solid addition to the forward core this upcoming season and the rest of the team is improving at a rapid pace.
This next season is going to be an exciting one, where Baltimore morphs from a team fighting to make the playoffs to a team who could be able to fight for first in the division. Chemistry between top line players Duncan and Krashwagen made it to a new level last season and looking forward to continue that connection could see the modern goals or points record broken. It will be very interesting to follow along.

170 Words
3 TPE

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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?

So at this point I don't really think the regular season points matters that much. The real question is how do these two teams match and counter each other. Do they play to their own strengths until they lose, and then try to counter the other team? Do they try to play 4d chess and make the other team counter something they wont do? Buffalo evens this series by luck and good counter strats.
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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?

Defense wins championships. You can say this is the age old question, but I don't think it should be. Every time the two clash if they are roughly even defense wins. In this instance good defense with a counter attack will drive enough offense to win the series. I'll repeat myself: offense wins games, defense wins championships.
57 Words

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

Hmm I like aspects of both. I like the metallic blue, and I like the bird, where buffalo's green and yellow is kind of ugly, but it is iconic, and the buffalo head logo is dated and could use a refresh. Cities Buffalo for sure, Hamilton as a city? yuck. I don't see that being a destination city for any athlete to live, At least Buffalo is right near Niagra.
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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.

4 Players? Not sure why we are both killing extended penalties heading into overtime, but sure. I'm sending out Hammarberg, his youth and stamina will be my best chance to hold up some needed energy, Scarn because there is no reason to keep the point leader on the bench, Morgan because he has the hunger to finish, and lastly none other than recent game 7 clutch hero, Matt Kholin. He displayed the calm composure needed to save his team's playoff hopes, and you know he can do it again.
89 Words

4 TPE

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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

Milestone Claim
3 TPE

PBE PT Claim
3 TPE

16/16 TPE

rum_ham · 03-28-2021, 12:54 PM

1. I was surprised to see Toronto take off as quickly as they did this season. From speaking with people on that team before the season, it seemed like it may have come as a bit of a surprise to them as well. They have a really good roster and have killed it in the draft pretty much every season that I’ve been back. I knew they were due for a good season really soon, but I didn’t think they would be this good already. I didn’t really watch much of the ploofs this season, but I was really hoping to see Toronto push to the final. I really like a lot of users on Toronto’s roster… and I’m getting kind of sick of writing about Buffalo and Hamilton every season to be honest. I liked what they were able to accomplish this season, and look forward to seeing how they progress in the next few seasons.
(156 Words)

6. This season’s iihf tourney is going to be insane!!1! I built a time machine last week, and was able to jump a few weeks into the future. Of course the first thing I did was check to see what the results of the IIHF tournament. This is how it played out: Injuries were accidentally turned on. Canada and US players were dropping left and right. Just when it looked like team Great Britain might win it all, they’re players went down as well. The sim workers tried to fix the injury issue, but they just made it worse. Every single SHL player in the file was injured. Instead of cancelling the whole final, AI generated teams were created to face off against each other. The users on the site were not happy about it, but HO told them to fuck right off. The AI-generated teams of “Team Serbia” and “Team Papua New Guinea” met each other in the final and both lost. When I returned to the present-day I tried to warn HO about this issue, but they didn’t believe me. Sadchomp
(182 Words)

8.
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9.

12. a) If Buffalo just fills the HAM water bottles with laxatives, the team would be spending so much time crushing the john that they wouldn’t be able to play the game and win the coveted Challenge Cup. If they would have done this, there is not way they would have lost. We need more sabotage in this league
(57 Words)

16. @Capt_Blitzkrieg u r cool and so is @Jackers41

16/16

***Ohtaay*** · 03-28-2021, 01:29 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?

This may be a homer or bias pick so I will extend it into two parts. Firstly, I think the biggest surprise is Texas - Texas had very little respect heading into the season, and even when they started to win they were still be disrespected and saying it was only due to their strength of schedule. After being down 3-0 to Hamilton in the playoffs, and pushing a game 7 you hope they will receive a little more respect next season. The second big surprise is Toronto, similar to Texas they did receive any respect, however by the end of the season people knew they wrong. Toronto put together a very strong season, and a good post season push. However they fell short just like Texas before making it to the finals. Going into next season look for Toronto to dethrone more of the great lakes teams. These two teams have a very bright future, and I don't think anyone will be surprised to see them string together wins next season.

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171 words

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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?

This one is fitting to be writing today after yesterdays announcement by the legend. Now, I know the question asked about a skater, but I am slightly going to pivot and focus on Esa as the General Manager. What is there to say about Esa that hasnt already been said in the thread? Well I can tell you the little direct information I know. I was drafted by Calgary with my second player, the player I created on the verge of inactive / burnout. Every time I started drifting off, Esa connected with me. He was always there to help make things easier, to send you a motivating post or even just to shoot the shit. Ive won 3 challenge cups through my long career, all 3 of those cups came while I was on Calgary. I ultimately went inactive, and sometimes only wonder how good of career of Maksimov would have had if I stayed active. Esa made a good player out of ghost, and he did that for so many people.

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172 words

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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 think this one is pretty easy to be honest. I would chose perk A, to play the game with 6 players. This would have your team playing on the man advantage for most of the game, and even if you took a penalty it would still be five on five. It would allow you to cover any player the other team tried to cherry pick with using the offside rule to their advantage, however it would only leave a man less in the defensive zone for them. The only way I see perk B being better is the no penalties, and using it to intentionally hurt players or run the goalie. Although I would hope the league has more integrity then that, but I won't hold my breath.

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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?

Well I briefly already talked about this in my other Championship week post, it has to be Texas or Toronto. Although being a home I give the slight edge to Texas. Texas had a dominant season, with the team clicking on levels. Although maybe it was a lack of playoff experience, you could definitely see the nerves of the roster going into the series versus Hamilton. Texas went down 3-0 in the series, and ultimately pushed a game 7 on the back on strong goaltending. The game seven did not go the way Texas wanted, but it was a strong sign of what is to come for this roster.

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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

https://simulationhockey.com/showthread....pid3007382 --> 3 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 have to give a shoutout to @puolivalmiste - Puoli you put in a lot of work for this Texas squad and it does not go unnoticed. From all the late nights, and test sims. When we finally win the cup, it'll be the moment you deserve. Cheers my friend.

16/16 Tpe earned

ddrector · 03-28-2021, 02:10 PM

PBE PT +3 TPE

Milestones +3 TPE

16. First I want to give a huge shoutout to @boom for being an awesome GM during my time in the Junior league with the Vancouver Whalers. I had such a fun time with the Whalers and I'm geniunely sad that I've played my last game as a Whaler with Kobo. Next I want to shoutout @slothfacekilla@JuOSuand @TomHanks who were all apart of me joining the SHL in the first place. I've not been here for long, but I've enjoyed my time here so far. Lastly I want to give the entire Tampa Bay Barracudas team a huge shoutout for being a great Locker Room to hang out in even when the team is not very good. (+3 TPE)

1. One of the interesting storylines I took away from just looking over the SHL standings is that there were four teams in the Western Conference with less points than the lowest two teams in the Eastern Conference. Both the New England Wolfpack and the Tampa Bay Barracudas finished with 54 points on the season while the Minnesota Monarchs, Seattle Argonauts, San Francisco Pride, and New Orleans Specters all finished below that. That's a 17 point increase from last season for the Barracudas, but that's not even the biggest increase from last season to this season. That honor goes to the Baltimore Platoon who went from 31 points last season to 59 points this season. If they keep that up they will be at the top of the Eastern Conference in no time. It is kind of interesting that one Conference is clearly above the other right now. I wonder if that will continue to be the case or if things will shift. Also, is that a good way to predict the winner of the Challenge Cup? Maybe leaning towards the Eastern Conference team will make it easier to pick a winner. (+3 TPE)

4. This one is kind of funny because I just got to that awkward part of my career where I am no longer eligible to play in the Junior league for the Vancouver Whalers, but I also don't have quite enough TPE to not be a weakness for my SHL team the Tampa Bay Barracudas. Rough estimates put me around 850 TPE or so heading into the beginning of next season, which isn't great even for a third line winger. This is why I wish that something would change with the way things work right now. Either there should be four lines per team instead of 3 or the limit for playing in Juniors should be increased until you hit something like 1000 TPE or so. This is just a thought as no matter how I build my player I'm going to be a weakness on the team. I guess to answer the question what I plan to do differently is instead of just updating once a season I'm going to start updating every week in order to have a chance for even slight improvement from week to week. (+3 TPE)

12c. While I really like both teams overall branding I have to give the nod to the Steelhawks here. First off, Steelhawks is a really cool name and a really unique sports team name. Also, I really love the blue color they use as their main color. It just pops so well. I also really like that yellow that is used as an accent color on their uniforms as it really helps that blue stand out. (+1 TPE)

soulja · 03-28-2021, 02:19 PM

1.
Seeing Hamilton and Buffalo in the finals is no surprise at all. Hamilton lead their conference in the east and Buffalo was third. Both of these team have the depth needed to make it far in the playoffs and hence this is why we see them in the finals. What is surprising is that Chicago Syndicate who were last season's cup winner did not even qualify to make the playoffs. This is very sad because although they were 4th in the east, they did not make it since they were in the same division as the top teams of the east which are Hamilton, Buffalo, and Toronto. Teams that had less points like Atlanta and Manhattan were fortunate to make it just because they were in a different division. Toronto is essentially the difference maker from last season since they rose to the top so exponentially. No one expected this from them. From the West, although Texas is a good team, no one expected them to lead their conference and even win the president's trophy ahead of the powerhouse Hamilton Steelhawks. Unfortunately for the Renegades, they were eliminated in a tough game 7 match against the Steelhawks.
3 tpe

2.
Given the choice between having 6 skaters on the ice at a time and being immune from penalties,offsides, and icing, I would definitely choose the latter for my team. Why? The answer is very easy. What is the point of having 6 skaters when you can deal the biggest damage through penalties. You can designate one man from your team to do all the dirty work and you wont have any penalty called against you. Although this is ruthless, i guess you got to do what you got to do to make that mula by winning the challenge cup. Imagine dealing an illegal check to your opponent leaving them injured and walking away without penalty. This is too overpowered and will definitely award you the win. In addition if offsides are not going to get called against you, you can designate one player to just sit in front of the goalie and wait for the long pass to easily cherry pick and score a goal. The benefits of this far outweighs having 6 skaters ata a time.
2tpe

4.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Jr was signed as a free agent on a 1 year term with the Hamilton Steelhawks. He made it clear during the free agency that he only wants to go to a playoff team and Hamilton moved in quickly to acquire him. The season before he played for Buffalo Stampede. Although they had a great season in S57, they failed to make it far in the playoffs. They also were unable to sign Ibra jr for a consecutive season so he went with the Steelhawks. Zlatan jr is very excited to play for such an organization like Hamilton due to their repeated success and great coaching. As a result, Zlatan Ibrahimovic jr is able to enjoy the finals for the first time in his career. He is hoping to win the Challenge cup this season and firmly believes the organization has all the right tools to make it happen. If the team had any weakness it can only be their goaltending since Jobin has much fewer TPE than future hall of famer Elizabeth Doyle. But this does not stop Jobin from over performing like he has been doing. If we do fail to get the cup and Zlatan is given another chance with hamilton, we will continue to train and become a more fully fledged two way defender. He is already at a great build and with regression still 2 seasons away, he has much room to grow. He will continue to put some offensive work and become more physical by heightening his hitting abilities.
3 tpe

5. The best SHL team to not make the playoffs is the Chicago Syndicate, last season's challenge cup winner. This team actually played very well and it is really unfortunate that they weren't able to qualify just because they were stuck in the strongest division in the entire league with Hamilton, Buffalo and Toronto. Chicago was the 4th best team in the league with 88 points and would have been the third best team in the west. Some may even call it unfair for the former champs that although they had a successful run in the regular season, they still were unable to qualify. The team has the depth needed to strive and they have a great core in players like Martin Westbroek and Daniel Smeb who have already proved they are top tier players and can turn any game in a matter of seconds. Both finished with a respectable 77 and 68 points respectively. Another reason Chicago failed to make the playoffs is that no one expected Toronto to rise like they did compared to season 57. This threw everyone off and they were like the sleeper dogs.
2 tpe

15.
https://simulationhockey.com/showthread....pid3007407
3 tpe

16.
One member from the Steelhawks that has helped me was @golden_apricot. He built a very impressive player in Samuel Michaud and is continuing to be a menace for many around the league. He is always there to help people. He helped me with my build and also offers fantasy advise.
3 tpe

Snuffalupagus · 03-28-2021, 04:00 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?

Code:
Karl Krashwagen's dominance was the most surprising part of S58.

For the Baltimore Platoon, the SHL's hottest young team, S58 was filled with lessons. The team is young and shows much promise, but inexperience can only be snuffed out by the flame of adversity. After finishing last in the eastern conference and second last overall in S57, expectations were low in Baltimore. Coming in to S58, Karl Krashwagen, the biggest butt on the Platoon, had low expectations for himself. S57 saw him score 12-22-34. Smash cut to the end of the S58 season and surprise, surprise, Karl Krashwagen's butt lead the league in scoring with a whopping 42 goals. Krashwagen's rear was surely bruised, but also praised. 

"Yeah, honestly, I was surprised that many went in. We had a team of scientists study the curve of my derriere and it's something like the perfect angle? Yeah." says Krashwagen reflecting on his goal total.

A surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one. Good luck to Karl Krashwagen and the Baltimore Platoon in S59.

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?

Code:
Rob Wright, future elite grinder center for the Baltimore Platoon, is only starting his young career in the SMJHL right now. He hopes to bring his size and bravery to the Platoon shortly. All Wright can do to help the Platoon is continue grinding his time away with the Nevada Battleborn (currently eliminated from the S58 playoffs) and earn as much TPE as possible. Wright was among the top TPE earners in his S57 draft class over this past season and he looks to continue that hard work to give the Baltimore Platoon as much of a chance at the championship - whenever he's called up of course. Until then, the Nevada Battleborn will use Wright to block pucks and his own team's shots (accidentally, obviously). 

What the Baltimore Platoon do with their centre depth remains to be seen; Platoon have 6 centres with over 800 TPE (their lowest TPE earner retiring this season) and 4 more centres generating worth in the Junior league. The future is bright for the Platoon if their team maintains dedication. OR IF WE CHEAT MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Nah, we don't do that. I hope!

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.

Code:
    A. It's going to be tough to sequester the Hamilton offence, especially with big guns Michael Scarn, Theo Morgan, and Aaron Wilson. The top line of Hamilton combined for 236 points in S58. Buffalo will have to keep that top line pinned in their own zone to survive their line times. Nicolas Owens and Aumy Jr. will have to really play their best physical defense to hold the line.

    B. In a real life example: in the 2019 NHL playoffs, the Columbus Blue Jackets, a physical defensive team lead by head Coach John Torterella, shocked the sporting world when they swept the Presdients' Trophy, high-scoring Tampa Bay Lightning. Defense beat offense in that scenario. Flashforward a season later and the Lightning got their revenge and beat the Blue Jackets in the 2020 playoffs. The Lightning fixed this inability to get past large defensemen and a tight neutral zone by building a lineup with depth. Hamilton has depth. For this reason, they will win. MAYBE?? I don't actually know. Just gimme TPE.

    C. It is tough to compare Hamilton's and Buffalo's qualities, of which there are many. I believe, overall, I prefer Buffalo. I'm basing that decision primarily on the colour scheme of Buffalo. When I was a youngster, I played football and one of the teams I played against - the Nomads - used the Green and Gold colour-scheme (much like the Edmonton Eskimos, the CFL teams). I like that colour scheme, especially on ice.

    D. Elizabeth Doyle leads this fantasy do-or-die line-up out onto the ice. The Buffalo goalie has an AGR of 77, slightly edging out the Hamilton counterpart. For center, we look to Buffalo's Bobby Sharp. Sharp was tied for goals on his team with 34 and that's the goal scorer. Monky D. Luffy for Sharp's RW partner. Luffy is a veteran and great presence anytime on the ice. Sam Michaud will be the overtime blueline quarterback. Michaud was a stat-generating machine in Hamilton.

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.

SMJHL Milestones (for senddowns): +3
Link

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.

Code:
Good ol' JR. The GM-godfather of the Platoon. JR started around the same time as me and he was one of the friendliest fellas I'd ever interacted with. Now, years later, when I'm back on the site, JR is still here! It's so nice to have a good prescence here. He is a good LR personality, a great hockey fan, and an all-around amazing person. Cheers to JR!

gordieboom · 03-28-2021, 04:04 PM

15. Milestones, up to 3 TPE
https://simulationhockey.com/showthread....pid3007474

*CptSquall* · 03-28-2021, 04:52 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?

While this season has been great and some may feel like it's a bit of status quo with the finals being yet another BUF VS HAM attraction i have no less than three, yes THREE, massive changes few saw coming.
1: The bottom dropping out on the New Orleans Specters was actually a large shock to many around the league who have spoke about it. Not because the league and its fans felt like NOLA would be good. No i feel most felt they would be third in their division behind a powerhouse Texas and solid Los Angeles. But to not only be challenged by but passed by the San Francisco Pride? I question how many saw that one coming and i am confident that the Season Predictions will mirror this.
2: Toronto's triumphant entrance to the playoffs shocked a decent group of people as well. Like NOLA, Toronto was slated to sit low in a fixed spot. Only this time it was dead last in the Great Lakes. But the North Stars exploded onto the scene and made a strong run to the Final Four in the playoffs too.
3: The absolute rampage that the Texas Renegades went on was amazing. Sure the west is weaker than the east as Edmonton, Calgary, and Los Angeles don't really stack up amazingly vs say Chicago, Buffalo, or Hamilton on paper. But for as good as Texas has been as they rebuilt from the start of the FHM era, nobody was expecting a President's Trophy season out of them out side of likely the team itself.

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?

Honestly i dont really know where to go from here? Ruslan Zaporozhets has proven to finally become an elite goal scoring threat with his 37 goals this season. Now barring this being a fluke, him coming into his own should help propel the Toronto North Stars to another playoff berth in S59 in spite of the Division of Doom that is the Great Lakes. Playoff performance is another story all together as in 19 games he only managed 4 goals....I get that the playoffs are a hard beast to tame. You run out of space on the ice faster, the time you had during the season drops off big time. But that is no excuse and, honestly, from the bottom of my heart, if he put out even a 10% better performance, Stargang would be in the Cup Finals right now. But it didnt swing that way. Maybe next year.

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?

Okay, so i am going to go with the SHL here as i have followed it much more closely. Now i would LOVE to go with the homer option and state that the Toronto North Stars but realistically they were the massive underdog against Buffalo going into it, never mind facing down either Texas or Hamilton should they have won game 7. I have to give it to the Texas Renegades here. On paper they can go toe to toe with the best of the Great Lakes and, ironically the one on paper who won that division was the Hamilton Steelhawks who bested them in a 7 game series of their own. I would not be surprised to see the Renes back in the Final Four or even having a few finals appearances as the S60s begin.

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: Now i am sure i covered this already in my Playoff Preview media previously but i'll touch on it here. The Buffalo Stampede have a solid scoring ability of their own as well as their staunch defence. The thing that Buffalo can exploit about the Hamilton Steelhawks is special teams. Particularly their dreadful, last place in the league penalty kill. Get Hammy cutting a route to the sin bin and the Stamps will be hoisting yet another Challenge Cup.

b: Well the old adage goes, "Offence wins games, Defence wins Championships." It is far easier to drag a high flying offence down than to crack a tough defensive nut. That said neither team are much worse than the other in the opposites. Hamilton has a 6th in the league defence but Buffalo beat the Toronto North Stars who were rated 5th in that category. Look for this series to be tight, tough, and of course close.

c: This one is relatively even in most ways so lets dive in. First of all neither Hamilton, Ontario nor Buffalo, New York are big, bright light cities that have the kind of vibrant night life that seems to be high on the list of hockey stars both real and fictional alike. The names are both original yet make sense thematically for their respective cities. Buffalo is all about their Bison and Hamilton is a Steel working town. It comes down to colours and weather or not they stand out to me. In this way there is only one, Buffalo. The Stamps are bold with the combo of green and gold which make the dull grey and steel blue of Hamilton feel muted at best.

d: Aron Hernadivic is showing that he is an expert dish master. Capable of getting the puck to any of his team mates on the ice and setting up golden opportunities which pay off in spades. Particularly in the playoffs. For shooters, i need one who is hot right now and capable. I can pick from both teams? Give me Theo Morgan to tickle the twine after each feed from Fish. Now i need some solid two way defencemen who can do the job for me because i need to stifle opposing chances. Alexander Selich on the right side paired with Hugh Jazz on the left work solidly at shutting down opponents even when there is more space to preform out there. Jazz is more physical but neither men give up the puck too badly. Better yet Selich is more offensivly gifted and both are solid passers. Bonus points for goalies even though nobody asked. I'd take Elizabeth Doyle to backstop my fantasy Buffalo Steelhawks in an OT situation.

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.

S58 Milestones

Code:
16. Written, 1 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 could use this to shout out all of the Toronto North Stars who make for a fantastic locker room to come into day after day. @ml002 and @UrsinZ are joys to work with. @Blastmeaway is fun as hell to be around in any locker room i share with him. @Iamshiny is fun to chat with and spar with in a ribbing match whilst recognizing that it is for fun. There are so many more that i should say positive things about too but you are all amazing.

*Vandy* · 03-28-2021, 05:12 PM

Quote: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?

It's a shame that the league doesn't induct entire teams into the Hall of Fame because both Hamilton and Buffalo could be considered the team of the decade. Michael Scarn, who played for both teams is a sure fire Hall of Famer as is Monkey D. Luffy. Their the workhorses of the team and having either one of these players on your team is a strong nucleus to build around. Then you have your defensive core, a Hall of Fame that doesn't call Alexander Selich or Samuel Michaud to it would be hard to stomach. Lastly you have Elizabeth Doyle who like Alistar Cain before her has come to redefine the goaltender role and could be inducted today, right now, if a vote were to be held. Even in picking out just these 5 players, there are so many others on both sides which could, would and should be inducted but time will tell.

Quote: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?

While I am not playing in the SHL finals I am proud to be playing in the SMJHL finals for the first time in my career. I've been thankful to play along side some of the best and brightest in our league and I know that next season that some of them will be heading to the show while I, more than likely, stay back and season for another season. What would I do differently is hard to say, I don't determine where I go. By that I mean I can't place myself on the first line or insist on extra shifts. So what will I do? I'll continue to listen to my excellent coaches and teammates, to build myself up into a powerhouse player and put myself in the best position to get Quebec City back into the finals for a second consecutive season. Also, I don't know, maybe ill insist I be captain or something. Probably won't happen though.

Quote: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?

Leave it to the honchos to come up with something so odd. In any case, if it were me I'd go with no penalties/icing/offsides. The reason being that both Hamilton and Buffalo field some fast guys and gals. If the game continues to move, no matter how many players you have on the ice you can count on your fastest player getting to the puck first and being able to set up plays much faster. No stoppage of play other than goaltender holding the puck or being shot over the glass means better chance for breakaways, 2 or 3 on 1 and better chances to score.

Quote: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 its without a doubt the Kelowna Knights. As much as we meme them or amend the Chicago copypasta to read Kelowna rather than the Blackhawks they were just a great competitor all season long. They were dominate when they needed to be and never seemed to ride on laurels. They fought every game and they were just amazing to watch even when you weren't playing them. Them in the finals would make for great watching, a storyline for the ages. A dominate team in their prime with players who are still getting better each day standing tall against the rest of the league? Makes for good TV.

Quote: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

S58 Milestones

Quote: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.

To the entire Buffalo and QCC LR's, I love you guys. To Cass, I luv you more.

Mavfatha · 03-28-2021, 05:40 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 was most surprised by the complete fall of the New Orleans Specters. I mean sure, they weren't all that great last year, only winning 22 games after falling down from being fairly competitive with 28 wins and 63 points back in S56. But 22 wins ain't nothing to sneeze at, at least compared to their anemic 10 wins this season. You have to work pretty hard to be as bad as the Specters were this season, though I mean no offense to this storied organization that I've rooted for since their creation as well as all of the players and GM's associated with said team. Sometimes things like this happen to the best of us and there's not a damn thing you can do about it. Just very surprising from an outside perspective at least and I hope they can turn things around and lower that goal differential while they're at it for S59.

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?

It's pretty easy for me to give the nod to the Renegades here. After all, they were actually the best team in the league during the regular season, amassing both the most wins and the most points, scoring the most goals in the league while giving up the fewest. I'm sure part of that was due to the skew in overall team strength between the east and the west, but anyone putting up those kinds of numbers has to be the favorite for the cup. Alas, they were knocked out in the semi-finals by the mighty Hamilton Steelhawks, and we'll never get to know if they could've won it all given a free pass to the finals.

15. Milestones, 1 TPE
Milestones | TPE Gained: 1

Affiliate Claim, 3 TPE:
http://probaseballexperience.jcink.net/i...t&p=294310

ViN · 03-28-2021, 06:49 PM

Code:
8. Graphic, 3 TPE 

Design a Challenge Cup championship t-shirt for one of the teams in the finals. (A four-star cup t-shirt for the SMJHL is ok as well.) Hey maybe if your design is good enough it'll make it to the merch store!

Code:
9. Graphic, 3 TPE

Create a magazine cover that highlights either a player in the finals or a standout player from the regular season.

Code:
10. Graphic, 3 TPE

Design a Challenge Cup/Four Star Cup Championship banner for one of the teams in the finals, like those which appear on the side of the site.

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.

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

Between the Buffalo Stampede and the Hamilton Steelhawks, I have to say I prefer the branding of the Buffalo Stampede. I mean, it’s really simple for me. Have you ever even heard of a “Steelhawk” before? I know I haven’t, but I sure as hell know what a Buffalo is.

[50 Words]

Code:
14. Graphic, 3 TPE - The Procrastinator Special!

Welp, you waited until the last day to grind out your CW and you also like doing graphics instead of writing. That's cool, too! Create a Series Recap broadcast graphic - the contents can be whatever you want, but your graphic must list both teams and at least 3 stats for each.

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

https://simulationhockey.com/showthread....pid3007578

16/16 TPE

MN_Moosey · 03-28-2021, 06:52 PM

PBE Affiliate (3TPE)

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?

The easiest answer here is to get to play with no penalties, icing, or offsides. It is literally game breaking. It does not matter that the opposing team has 6 skaters because you can hit them to no end without any consequences. It will be dangerous but you gotta go back to the gritty play style when given such an opportunity. How often do you see empty net, 6 skater plays work out? My guess is not often. It is really cool when it happens but when the team can just clear the puck down the ice from behind the net and not have to come back to their end it means nothing. Having 6 skaters on just means you have to manage the bench more and players get way too tired. (132 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?

There are a lot of things to work on this offseason. The rebuild is going smoothly and we have lots of talent making their way up into the main roster. The biggest improvement that I can make is trying to get more involved in the scoring. I have been a low ice time player for the two seasons I have been up and I need to step up into a bigger role moving forward. I would like to be put on the penalty kill but that requires me to put in a ton of work to get my defensive game to match the offensive of other teams. I do not want to end up being that player that sits on the third or fourth line just getting demolished by the other team. This season I am going to step up and put in my fair share of work on the ice. I hit over 20 points last season. My goal is to get to 30 and see more special teams play. I know I have my team behind me to help me accomplish that goal. (185 words)

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 best team to miss the cup finals was without a doubt, the Texas Renegades. They stormed all over the league taking home the win and points lead handily. They were carried heavily by their star goaltender in White Goodman who will surely be taking home some hardware for his .927 save percentage and 1.85 goals against average performance in the regular season. Where they fell short was their scoring. They have 3 players in the top 25 of points while the two teams in the finals, Hamilton and Buffalo, have 4 each and those eight players have a higher point total than Texas' #2 scorer. Their weakness showed in the playoffs and they fell short of the high expectations set upon them. (123 words)

Code:
8. Graphic, 3 TPE

Design a Challenge Cup championship t-shirt for one of the teams in the finals. (A four-star cup t-shirt for the SMJHL is ok as well.) Hey maybe if your design is good enough it'll make it to the merch store!

S58 Milestones (1 TPE)

Mooney · 03-28-2021, 06:53 PM

Code:

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?

6 Skaters on the ice is nice, you’ll always have an advantage equivalent to a power play throughout the game. However, no penalties/offsides/icing is easily the better choice. If you can go up and fight the best players on the opposition team at any time and not get penalised for it, there will be no point having 6 players on the ice when those 6 are random spectators from the crowd as you’ve heavily injured all the starters. Immunity to offsides makes the game completely different as oppositions will be playing against new strategies that they wont have seen before in the season, whereas an extra skater could just make your own team more cramped.

Code:

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 best team to not make the Finals in the SMJHL was definitely the Kelowna Knights. They finished the regular season with the best record and with the least Goals Against and 2nd most Goals For, after only Quebec. Combining their losses and OTL’s still gives them less losses than Quebec had all season as they proved dominant through the 66. Their downfall was a couple of tough playoff series. They had to play 6 games against Vancouver before they met the other toughest team in the playoffs in Quebec. The winner of the QCC v KEL series was likely to win it all and QCC just came out on top.

15. - Milestones - 3 TPE
SMJHL Milestones

Code:

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 want to thank all the great people that have helped me stay involved and enjoy the SHL so far. @Naosu was a great GM in Kelowna and I'm sorry we couldnt get you the W this season but you were always happy to help me out with build advice and thanks for bringind me to Kelowna in the first place. @Thatguy91 and @AgentSmith630 you guys are doing a great job in SFP and I'm really glad to be along for the ride. Everyone in SFP is great and I'm happy to be a part of the team pride

ISFL Affiliate - 3 TPE
Affiliate PT - Username - PMoney

FinnRhys · 03-28-2021, 07:30 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? [b]WORDS = 169[/b]

I think one of the more interesting things this season was seeing how improved the Texas Renegades were. They ran away with the Western Conference and it was impressive to watch. They have been slowly getting better the last few seasons. I think I wrote an article about them a season or two ago and how they were on the upswing as a franchise and I think they have really put together a solid team. I will admit, I was a bit surprised that they did not make the finals but, hey, this sim can be finicky. I would not be surprised at all to see Texas hold their ground and stay a top team in the West for another few seasons. If they play their cards right they could even be one of those teams that is a perennial contender and becomes synonymous with being a top team in the league.

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.

PBE Welfare Claim

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? WORDS = 65

I think one thing Buffalo can do is to start swinging away at people's kneecaps. I am, indeed, advocating that someone take one for the team and earn a major penalty with the hope of taking out one of Hamilton's best players. I think that, ultimately, this is the only way since Hamilton has so many great players, and even then it might not work.

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? WORDS = 63

Great defenses are... well they are great, but against this Hamilton team you are going to give up goals and there is no way around it. I think if a goalie gets hot then there might be a chance to slow Hamilton down but I think Hamilton's offense is just too good to think that you are going to win on defense alone.

Code:
c. Which of these two teams' brandings do you prefer? Take into account colors, logo, name, location, and anything else you consider relevant. WORDS = 73

Honestly, I know the green and gold of Buffalo is not for everyone but I totally love it. I also dig on the play on words with Buffalo stampeding. Like, come on, that is clever. And the logo, it is simple and kind of classic. There is just something about that whole brand that is just really cool to see and I think it is actually one of the best in the league.

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. WORDS = 82

I am going pure fantasy and taking a few players that are not even in the Finals. I would be taking Michael Scarn for obvious reasons, FR Finn-Rhys because I am freaking cool and I would love to give it a go to score the game winner, Monkey D. Luffy because of how solid on both ends of the ice he is and I think my last player would be Augustus Wang because he is literally the best defenseman in the league.

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

S58 Milestones

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 will try to keep this brief, but man the entire Edmonton team is just a great group of people. @Keygan and @"tommysalami" have been fantastic and are just great guys to talk to and hang out with. @James Truong is quite literally one of the unsung heroes of the franchise and the locker room. @Julio Tokolosh, @MrStennett, @C9Van, @CrazyMojito, @Snoopdogg, @Nokazoa and @boom are seriously amazing people and they make being a part of Edmonton fun and worth sticking around in this league (god I hope I didn't forget anyone). And finally, man, I won't lie, I love me some @Muford. We don't talk all the time but when we do it's like we pick up right where we left off. In short, the Edmonton family is just a great group of amazing human beings.

FINN RHYS

[Image: hockey__27674.1518661372.1000.1200.jpg?c=2]

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