Login

KlusteR · 04-04-2021, 08:13 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?

There were a few elements that were "surprises" this season. First of all, we cannot put to silence the stellar (don't pardon my pun) performance of the Toronto North Stars as a whole, and the earthquake their rise to power has provoked in the Great Lakes division. The ripple effect was felt, as last season's Challenge Cup winners, the Chicago Syndicate, could not secure a playoff berth after battling with the eventual runner-ups of this season, the Buffalo Stampede.

Second was the tightly contested playoff battles throughout the league. While they might have been fighting with less point totals than the aforementioned Syndicate, teams in the Atlantic and Northwest divisions were contesting the final spot in each division until the very last sim day of the season. Good on the Baltimore Platoon and Winnipeg Aurora for securing their berth, but both teams were only a few points from falling out of these spots, as Baltimore finished 5 points clear of both Tampa Bay and New England, while Winnipeg was only 2 points clear of Minnesota, and 3 points clear of Seattle. It really was anyone's game, and it shows how tightly the top of both divisions will be contested in the near future.

(203 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?

I think this question hurts more than I'd like to admit. My player has been in the league for 7 seasons now, and I have yet to experience the SHL playoffs in my own locker room, save for some check-ins here and there as we make sure Calgary or Edmonton don't get another cup. Through a series of circumstances, I was tasked to hold the fort while a rebuild was happening with the franchise, as we needed to adjust to the new realities of FHM. But as the goalie and coach of a rebuilding team... Pain is an oft-repeated word.

I wish I could carry the Monarchs even more. I wish I could give my young defensemen even more confidence as they make their first steps in the SHL. I've had some good seasons, from a statistical standpoint, but the sheer volume of shots we surrender means that without McBride caliber numbers, we can kiss the playoffs goodbye. I know this defensive corps will get better, I see their potential, but in the meantime... I need to give my absolute best. This franchise needs it more than any other in this league.

(192 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. Seems easy enough in my mind, but it's much tougher to do it on the ice. Basically, the Stampede have to score first, and score early, if they want to have any ascendant over the Steelhawks. Hamilton's offense has shown that it's greatest strength is its relentlessness, so you need to destabilize it as soon as you can. (58 words)

b. The old saying is "defense wins championships". Doyle and the Buffalo defense have proved that they can win a Challenge Cup with it - but Hamilton has also shown, a few seasons ago, that an offensive power house can also break even the thickest wall. If I had to choose one or the other, I'd go for a repeat for Theo Morgan and his band of merry men. (67 words)

c. I mean no offense to the team, but the Hamilton Steelhawks' branding has always seemed a bit "bland" to me. I understand the reference to steel in a city that is known for such industry, but I'm not a huge fan of grey in sports. Whereas the Buffalo Stampede's moniker just works perfectly off the city name, and its logo is intriguing to look at (plus, I'm probably biased, but green and gold just works really well together!) (78 words)

d. Only four? Okay... Well, I would unite a pairing up top from the Steelhawks, Michael Scarn and Theo Morgan. They've shown how incisive each of them could be in critical situations all season long. As for the defense, I would simply turn to the Stampede's first defensive unit of Augustus Wang and Alexander Selich. These two have been asked to monitor the toughest opposition together for a while now, and I'd trust them with a do-or-die defensive assignment any night. (80 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 16 for up to 3 TPE towards your 16 total.

https://simulationhockey.com/showthread....pid3007385

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.

@JNH @SDCore it's still amazing to me how big of a contrast it has been in the locker room you built, since my first steps as a UDFA in Lethbridge, to now in Newfoundland. It's a totally different place, always buzzing with activity and camaraderie, and it's all thanks to your incessant efforts and dedication to this league. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

@Nhamlet @juke there couldn't have been better candidates to take over the helm of the Drakkar. You will forever be my S53 darlings. And now you're building another amazing generation of Berserkers, and your implication and helpfulness has been noted several time by newer members of this league. Keep on being lovely, you two.

@Carpy48 you were really close this season, my astral twin. Go get that Challenge Cup, you deserve it more than anyone else I know on this site... Except maybe us Wink

@SpartanGibbles @Segi @Mutedfaith @BadWolf @Shmurph Thanks for always having my back when I'm going nuts over this hobby. Your positivity and council has been a blessing, and I thank my stars to have crossed your paths, and have shared an advisory staff with all of you for over a year now. Long may the Monarchs reign <3

Kylrad · 04-04-2021, 08:26 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 New Orleans Specters season was the most surprising part for me. I think most expected them to have a rough season and be at the bottom, but I thought they'd be a bit closer to SFP than they actually were. The Atlantic playoff race was also surprising with how close all the teams were even at times keeping up with Manhattan. The 3rd seed race in the Northwest was also quite interesting but I think most expected that so it wasn't that surprising, I guess I thought Minnesota would be a bit more far back from Winnipeg and Seattle than they actually were even finishing ahead of Seattle in the end. Finally I think while most knew Toronto would be good and have a good season, the comfortable lead pointwise they maintained over both Buffalo and Chicago all season was surprising. Other than that not much was that surprising since FHM is pretty consistent.

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 answers pretty easy, being immune from penalties offsides and icings is easily the choice. The icing and offsides part doesn't even really matter it's just the being immune from penalties part. First off it doesn't matter if the opponent has 6 skaters on the ice since you could put even more skaters out on the ice and since you're immune to penalties you won't even get a too many men or any kind of penalty. Next even if for some reason that loophole wasn't allowed I don't think an extra skater would help you from all the illegal hits, trips, hooks, throwing of the stick, tackling etc that the other team could freely do, although I guess the NHL playoff is already like that anyways.

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?

Realistically I think the answer is the Chicago Syndicate, but since Chicago didn't make the playoffs and I don't want to just be a homer picking my own team. I'll go with the Texas Renegades. They dominated the western conference easily, and while the west is pretty weak and I think they aren't quite yet at the level of the top Great Lakes teams, they're getting pretty close and will keep improving and I wouldn't be surprised if they were the favorites pretty soon. Toronto also has an argument but I think they're a bit weaker than Texas right now but just like Texas they're still improving.

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. (4 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?
Buffalo made a big addition towards the end of the season in Dick Clapper, so I think that helps make up the point differential, some points could also be affected by back to backs and scheduling as well as hot goalies and bad luck, so the point differential isn't as bad as it seems.

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 a great defense is better and traditionally wins out especially in FHM if you suffocate the other team and don't let them get any shots on you, both these teams have great offenses and defenses though and even if Buffalos is a bit weaker they have Elizabeth Doyle in net to make up for any difference

c. Which of these two teams' brandings do you prefer? Take into account colors, logo, name, location, and anything else you consider relevant.
I prefer Buffalos branding when it comes to logo, color and name over Hamilton in almost every way. Location wise i've never been to either of the cities personally so can't comment in that way, but I guess traditionally you'd think of Buffalo having a hockey team more likely than Hamilton having one.

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.
Aren't game 7 overtimes usually 5 on 5 with a goalie so 6 players, I guess this is a fantasy though. It doesn't specify which positions I have to use but I think a goalie is pretty important so I'd take Elizabeth Doyle from Buffalo. I'd also take Aaron Wilson and Monkey D Luffy for my forwards which should be a lethal duo and then Samuel Michaud to round out the 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.
milestones claim +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.
@O4L is cute

Sabremike · 04-04-2021, 08:32 PM

ISFL - 3TPE
2. If I were the home team in the finals and got to pick one of these perks knowing the other team gets the other I would pick being immune to penalties, offsides, and icing. Being immune to those calls is going to give my team such a huge buff despite the other team essentially having a permanent powerplay. You can play as dirty as you want, trip anybody, slash anyone, fight anyone etc and never be called. Meanwhile the other team will be called for all of those and my team can lineup offsides, dump the puck down the ice whenever and basically cheat with no consequences. - 2TPE
4. Next season I am going to work on banking as much training as I can to help my team get over the hurdle. By working as hard as I can my player can lead by example and help the younger players on the roster hit their max potential for the year. I will 100% reach the offensive potential I see myself hitting. Focusing more on offensive production while keeping my defensive base can hopefully lead Kelowna to a well deserved championship run. Kelowna's season went amazing until the postseason and every player focusing on individual improvements will help the team flourish since we already have a solid team foundation. My player is reaching the end of his career in the juniors and being a leader and leading by example may be the only things he can do to truly help Kelowna over the postseason hump we hit this past season. Kelowna will be a top SMJHL competitor next season I'm sure of it! - 3TPE
5. In the SMJHL Kelowna was the best team not in the finals by far. No bias on my part being a member of the team but Kelowna simply had the best team and the best team record and not making the finals was a huge disappointment. We had a top three offense in the league and had the best defense and goalie tandems in the league I would say and combined gave us the best odds for winning the championship. Falling short in the playoffs will hopefully be a learning experience for us all and not a big setback for our development. I do believe in the coaching and my teammates to lead us back on top next year and win a championship! - 2TPE
6. The IIHF will feature some of the best games I think we have yet to see. USA will be a powerhouse as always as they have the largest player base to choose from, they have stars in all positions. The same goes for Canada as well. I personally think Japan and Great Britain will surprise a lot of people and topple a lot of the top competitors in the tournament. I believe that Latvia will also qualify for the round robin as the Latvian team is increasing its skill level tremendously and I am really excited to see them in action this tournament! I say that with no bias of course. I believe the top three will be USA, Canada, Japan with Russia having a strong showing as well. No matter who comes out on top this should be a highly entertaining tournament and everyone in the SHL community should plan on tuning in this tourney! -3TPE
16. My SHL GM Hotdog is an amazing GM and has made me feel welcome even when I couldn't be as active as I wish I was. I thank them for always being available, being friendly, understanding, and all in all a great member of the community! -3TPE

***ProjectSaint*** · 04-04-2021, 08:34 PM

1.
Oh Buffalo and Hamilton. If you were to ask me who could be considered the Lakers and Celtics in the SHL, I would say that it would be these two teams. I just seem to see them as perennial contenders. I think the biggest surprise is how Buffalo just bossed their way into the finals. Heading in, it looked like Buffalo were the #2 seed, not Hamilton. Although both teams beat their respective teams in the conference finals as the lower seed 3-1, Hamilton had to grind to 7 games in the conference semi finals against the #7 seeded Edmonton, #5 seeded Buffalo took number #4 seeded Manhatten to town, absolutly bullying them in 5 games. Now that they made it to the Challenge Cup Finals, I have high hopes for Buffalo management to pull a few cards out of their deck. And even if they win or not, they sure made a major run that they should be proud of.

4.
I will be referring to RESO in terms of his and the Raptors' goal of reaching and winning the Four Star Cup.
RESO: Me personally, I am still improving my craft in the J, trying to get myself refined for when I do come up to, what my cousin would call the SHL, The Show. At this point, the main growth won't come from just me, but also from aiding my teammates growth. I will help the recent draftees improve their craft. Fedor will be looking to absolutely prove that he is a 1st round talent. Jack is confident in gaining a scoring touch, and as for Angus, well his flame is definitely on…..must have been at the Highland games. Either way, the goal for the Raptors is the Four Star Cup, and with our team as it is, with lots of our players hitting their peaks, we have reached our zenith of this window.

5.
Easy Answer: SMJHL, Colorado Raptors. Sure they had the struggle hard against Anaheim Outlaws, getting forced to go to 7 games against them, but as heavy underdogs against Quebec City Citadelles, they pushed them all the to, ironically, 7 games, only this time on the wrong end of this result. No other team got close to what the Raptors did that playoffs against Quebec. In the semi finals against the #1 seeded Kelowna Knights, Quebec comfortably dispatched the Knights in 5 games. In the Finals against Anchorage Armada, Quebec again gave another 5 piece Popeyes meal to win the Four Star Cup. The only issue they had was against the Raptors, and with how hot they were entering the playoffs, Colorado looked like the best team not to make the finals.

6.
I think that the 50s in the IIHF has been summarized by the dominance of the current big 3 nations. The old powers of the US and Canada still vie for medals on a constant basis, but the duopoly they held has been shattered by the emergence of Team GB.

Currently on a 6 season medal streak, with 2 golds included in that haul, Team GB are eyeing up yet another run for the IIHF gold medal this tournament. However, compared to the early days where the pride came from the defense, team GB's strength is now their forwards. Look out for Jon Forty-One, as he looks to be the man in charge of this rambunctious bunch.

Reigning gold medalists team Canada will also look to be defending their crown this season. Easily the most stacked team in the tournament, Team Canada will be looking to defend their throne from all intruders.

Those are my two teams to win the IIHF, but watch out for USA, Germany, Sweden and Japan to cause some surprises.

12.
c.
Oh, I much prefer the Buffalo branding. The circular log fits with the minimalist yellow in that sea of green. It looks so tidy and clean, and yet it makes such a simple logo look stunning. It matches well with the Stampede branding, taking great inspiration from the NHL Buffaslug logo for the Sabers.

d.
The four players I'd have… Monkey D. Luffy is a surefire pick, as is Michael Scarn. Both of them are vets that know what they do. As for defense, I'll go for a combo of Samuel Michaud and Augustus Wang to lock up the pain. This is the team I feel confident playing in a 4v4 mash up.

16.
Hey @st4rface, how are you doing in Buffalo. I hope you found a home that truely cares for you in the SHL, I think we're learning how ruthless things can be. You have truely set yourself right, and I think that you have a great track ahead of you. I wish the best, and keep pound away, man. You're shining bright, star face.

teztify · 04-04-2021, 08:39 PM

Code:
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?

The player I see as the biggest lock for the SHL Hall of Fame out of everyone currently active in the league would have to be Chicago Syndicate rookie goaltender @Matteo Mat Smith. "Matteo" as he is affectionately known around the locker room and league as a whole is the real deal, and has pretty much done it all. I'm pretty sure he just won a Four Star Cup and I believe he's going to bring that championship pedigree to the Syndicate next season to help us get back on track and winning Challenge Cups. The biggest reason I think Matteo is such a sure-fire Hall of Famer is that he has really revolutionized the game through his love for lava lamps. He has really brought lava lamps back into the spotlight and they're currently sweeping the country, with Americans everywhere reaching levels of relaxation before unheard of. He is also a brilliant goalie who has never lost a Challenge Cup Finals game, which speaks for 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?

I have a few plans for things the Chicago Syndicate could do better next season in order to reach the Finals and win the Challenge Cup for a second time. After missing playoffs this season, a lot of soul searching has been done over the off-season and I think I have come up with some really achievable goals that will help bring glory back to Chicago. The first idea I have is moving to Las Vegas to become the Las Vegas Syndicate, spreading our organized crime roots to Nevada in order to get out of the Great Lakes Division cuz that shit sucks. Another idea I have is for Lassi Suhonen to step up and be a better player because even though he was a rookie he was kinda poop and really let down the one person who picked him in fantasy. I think the relocation is more likely between the two.

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 Chicago Syndicate was the best team not to make the SHL finals, which might come as a surprise to you because they actually didn't even make the playoffs. Let me assure you, that was the result of an enormous fluke, and there's little doubt the Syndicate are actually the best team in the league. With elite talent throughout the lineup, fans were shocked that the defending Challenge Cup champions did not even qualify for the post-season. An amazingly productive season for star forward Martijn Westbroek was not enough to will the team into the playoffs. Had it been, it seemed Chicago would be a tough matchup for anyone and we expect them to return next season.

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?

So the problem here is I am not actually sure if Lassi Suhonen is playing in the tournament. Not in like a "oh it's still a pandemic and he isn't sure if he wants to risk his health" sort of way, but in a "am I among the 12 best forwards on Japan" sort of way. I think I probably am 'cuz they seemed to really need me and convinced me to defect from Finland so like, probably good, but who can say for sure. In the event that I am playing though, it's almost a given that Japan number one. It is a great country with a rich history of hockey talent, a truly dominant nation and one that enters every tournament as favourites especially since the rise of the Smebs and Ryuuji Minamino. Minamino might actually be the best player in the world so he will probably be the MVP of the tournament but when he retires, Lassi might have a shot. Also Ireland will probably do well.

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.

I definitely like the Buffalo Stampede branding better. It looked very good on Fredrich Koenig. Maybe not as good as the Syndicate uniform did, but Stampede pretty cool. Green and yellow is a great colour combination and one that we should see more in pro sports. I also think it's cool that the Stampede (and a lot of Buffalo sports in general) plays off the city name.

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.

@Keenan you did a great job in your first season running PTs, thanks for stepping up <3
@bdu754 makes me so proud I could cry, they grow up so fast. We have truly all gotten the beeg yoshi.
@Zombiewolf so nice and supportive always <3
Zerks in general <3
@Lime is best Valheim builder even if he hates Ice Age. @Patty not so much but at least he prob likes Ice Age.
@Nhamlet and @juke doing such a lovely job rebuilding the Zerks i love them and they teach me how to cook without yelling at me like @SDCore
@RenoJacksonHS is the best girlfriend I could've ever asked for, ily baby
@JNH the real homie bringing me back and doin so much for me ily
@Rindiee gets shoutout for taking 11 months of twitch sub money for 0 content
@Tylar most influential LR member ainec
@sköldpaddor best linemate <3

*thedangazone* · 04-04-2021, 08:47 PM

Milestone Claim for 2 +2

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 there were definitely a few surprising parts of the season for me though obviously the cup finals matchup was the least surprising thing ever. Obviously having New Orleans play so terribly that they were dead last was a big surprise as while everyone knew they'd probably not make playoffs they would maybe be better than they played for sure. I think overall the biggest surprise though is looking back and seeing Toronto fall into the top 2 of the draft order after making playoffs because of some monumental trades done from ML and the franchise. He has put that team in a great place to succeed for a long time but having a team that good pick 1 and 2 is just so unheard of. On top of which having 2 of the worst teams in the league not even have their 1st round picks during seasons that they played that terribly is pretty few and far between.
160 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?

For me as a player there is a lot I could do to definitely help the success of the Los Angeles Panthers in their pursuit to making the finals. First of all I will continue to train into my prime as I am on the cusp of reaching 1700 TPE and still have a good amount of time left before regression. I am coming into my prime during the right time to help lead the team to that next level and help push our depth at positions to multiple lines of star power instead of being driven by 1 super line. Overall we are on the right track and with a little help in free agency mixed with our super stars and elite prospects continuing to do their thing we will be in the finals before long competing with the other best teams in the league for a shot at that cup. It's only a matter of time.
158 words

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?

I think the Toronto Northstars were the best team to not make the finals this season because of their dominance in the best division for a lot of the year. While yes they ultimately came up short of Hamilton in the Great Lakes they were only 5 points back when no one saw them doing that. Mixed in with how young they are and how good they played and Toronto is looking mighty scary for the future as they're already this damn good. I expect they could make up that 5 point difference on HAM going forward and probably break 100 points very soon if not next season in the standings.
111 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.
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. Buffalo can definitely easily make up a 13 point difference in the finals. (they did not but hypothetically) Buffalo's defense was a much better unit than Hamilton's this season so taking advantage of that and slowing down the slightly better Hamilton offense would be the key thing to focus on if you were going to pull anything off. 58 words

B. Great offense is going to win out in the end when it is this close from both teams. Now if Buffalo's offense was mediocre and Hamilton's defense was subpar to mix in with those stats it would be a different story maybe but when both teams are just that good all around having them be 2nd and 3rd makes little to no difference. 63 words

C. I think Hamilton has the better branding overall and definitely the better logo and name to me. However, Buffalo's colors are better and more unique to me so I would give them the edge there as well as Buffalo just being a big time sports city and while Hamilton is on the outskirts of Toronto, not many people would know that outside of Canada without google. 66 words

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.

There are so many people in this league I could never thank enough for everything they do for me and have done in the past. It really is an amazing place with so many amazing people from all over the world. I don't even know where to start and I know I will inevitably miss people so I apologize so much because honestly CW is long and I'm doing it last minute.

@slothfacekilla@FuzzSHL you 2 have been my ride or dies on here for a good little bit now (sorry Badwolf) and I couldn't think of 2 people I would rather have for that role. You guys have been so wonderful and make me love coming back every day and have been through it all with me as I ramble and rant about everything.

@JKortesi81@Steelhead77 you 2 are my mentors and I could never thank either of you enough for the things you taught me. A lot of good and some bad (looking at you Joe Wink

) and have also been 2 of my closest friends on here since I joined the site almost 4 years ago.

@Gumbaman@overdoo@ACapitalChicago@sve7en You each make Carolina such a wonderful place to be a part of and I love seeing how y'all are able to succeed in this league and continue to grow into the leaders this site deserves. So proud of all of you and can't wait to see what each of you accomplish in your different paths.

@Festinator@canes2112@GCool@Count Chocula@RomanesEuntDomus@SewingWithNancy@Inf1d3l@ThisSeemsFishy

There are many others in LAP as well I'd love to tag but I want these tags to actually work. You all make being a GM so wonderful and I love having you all on the team. You each are like family and I am so happy every day logging into discord knowing I am going to get to talk to y'all and no matter what my day will get better because of it each and every time. <3

SpartanGibbles · 04-04-2021, 08:52 PM

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

2 TPE From 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.

There are so many amazing people in the SHL that it is a hard task to just write about a few. Obviously I think everyone on my team is amazing in their own right but I have a few I want to highlight that make my life easier as a GM.

First up is @KlusteR. My Co-GM and partner in crime. Even when my life gets hectic, I can count on them to keep the ship sailing and pushing us towards the future. They are going to have a lot of goalie records in Minny by the time Tege is done and I hope they stand for a while.

Next up is @Segi. My SHL twin, we've been through it all together from being drafted in Anaheim in it's first draft, winning a Four Star, making the jump to Minny together, and they have been a part of my war room for a long time. It's hard for me to separate my SHL experience from my friendship with them.

Third is @BadWolf. We started out as linemates when I first made the jump the SHL and even after a brief stint in NOLA I was beyond thrilled to bring you back home to Minny. We had 6 seasons in J HO together and I know I can always reach out if I have a problem.

Quote: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 for me personally was how close the race for the playoffs were in the NW division. Between the Minnesota Monarchs, Seattle Argonauts, and Winnipeg Aurora; the final playoff spot wasn't decided until the last day. Despite my Monarchs falling just short of the post season after holding the spot all season, I am immensely proud of the strides we made as most people expected us to be at the bottom. I respect the hell out of Tig and Kez and we have a great friendly rivalry as we are all trying to start opening a cup window in relatively the same time. I know the future holds many playoff series against those teams and I am excited to see how things shape up. I think this season was a preview of what is to come in the future for the NW division as we all reach our peaks.

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?

I would be taking the immunity from penalties 100 percent of the time. While having a 6th man on the ice seems nice, all it takes are a few dirty elbows, cross checks, high sticks, and boarding penalties ignored in order to wipe out the opposing team. Then they will be fielding an SMJHL team at best or they will be forced to forfeit due to not being able to put enough players on the ice. Since we are immune to penalties we could also run 6 or more players on the ice as well since we can't suffer from a too many men penalty.

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?

There are plenty of future Hall of Famers playing in the league right now that have nothing left to prove. One big example that immediately comes to mind is Edmonton's Tony Pepperoni. They have an impressive resume and the question on if the make the hall of fame is not an if, it is a when. They also hold or are on the cusp of holding many EDM records with their longevity.

Another fantastic player I think is a lock for the Hall of Fame is Andreas Kvalheim. The Texas forward has won the Dar 4 times and shows no sign of slowing down. They are among an elite crop of defensive forwards and personify the dream of any Power Forward. I wouldn't be shocked to see them racking up more hardware as they still have plenty of gas in the tank and are likely going to be a big part of the league for a long time.

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?

I think playoff success is something that the Minnesota Monarchs are in desperate need of. We haven't made the post season since Season 46 and we are hungry to return with all of our young talent coming into their own in the SHL. I think we are knocking on the door of a good post season push after last season's performance. The biggest step forward is to keep everyone earning TPE and developing their players as we grow stronger and stronger. It also wouldn't hurt to pick up a Free Agent or two in the off-season as we look to shore up holes in our current game. Now making the finals is a bit of a different story. I would love to see Minnesota there next season but that does seem unlikely outside of a Cinderella story run. But never say never and sometimes the prayers to simon and the puck gods may pay off.

16/16

TomHanks · 04-04-2021, 08:57 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?

Looking back, the most surprising thing to me probably wasn’t a super paid attention to thing, which is the rise in number of hits in the league. Specifically, the fact that Demarcus Smythe was able to break 400 hits in the season. Last season we had someone make it to 398, but that was seemingly unbelievably high then. Previous season highs since we switch sims are: S52: 312, S54: 337, S55: 256, S56: 316, S57: 398, S58: 411. That is an insane number of hits. The next closest person had only 271 hits. That is relatively common for the person in second place. Jakob tends to hover around the 200 hit mark which ends up varying quite a bit in placement, ranging from top 3 to top 10 across that time period. Meanwhile, the highest number has been steadily rising for the last 4 seasons. Why is one person getting more and more hits. It’s not like it’s the same person breaking their own hit record. It’s just someone who ends up taking the reigns and dominating the number of hits that season. Anyways, that surprised me.

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?

Be immune to penalties. I know that there’s obviously a huge advantage to being on power play all the time, but people successfully penalty kill. You know what people don’t successfully do? Defend against a team that isn’t beholden to the rules. Having more players doesn’t mean a whole lot if your entire team is knocked down the whole game. And if they try to retaliate, they end up in the box. Now you have the same number of skaters on the ice AND you don’t have to obey any of the rules. Have someone hang out by the opposition goal and fire puck back there while you muck the opposing team. Even if you miss it’s fine since icing doesn’t matter either.

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 was relatively happy with my season with Tampa this year. We’ve been building for a while and we’re still a way away from being a playoff team let alone a real cup contender, but everyone is going to keep putting in the work. I think next team with the growth we’ve had we’ll be in a spot to compete for a playoff berth. Personally, I’ll just be doing my thing. Continue to work out wherever I can. I can’t afford some of the additional coaching like some of my teammates, but when it comes to training week in and week out I do what I can, and for tasks that come every week I’ve been as committed as everyone else. And I think that’s what’s going to get Tampa Bay to the cup finals in a few seasons. The whole team has been getting better together consistently since the perfect season just a few seasons ago. Everyone has bought into the system. And everyone is going to keep training until eventually that hard work pays off. We don’t need to change much, we just need to keep grinding and stick to our plan.

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?

You can really make a case for either Calgary or Toronto as the best non-finals team this season. They had a similar number of wins with Toronto at two higher, and they had the exact same goal difference, Toronto scoring once more and Calgary allowing one fewer. However, with those two extra games, plus more OTLs, I have to give the edge to Toronto. The real reason for that is that they compete in the tougher conference in my opinion and managed to perform either the same or better than Calgary throughout the season. I also think Toronto would have faired better in the finals than Calgary would have if they had made it.

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?

As I do every year, I will be predicting a huge gold medal win from the great nation of Czechia. As we know, Czechia is bestia, so the why should be self-explanatory. If the gold isn’t won by Czechia, I would guess first Canada, then the United States, and finally, Great Britain. My podium is Czechia, Canada, and then the states. However, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see the Brits make it to the podium. Everyone else I anticipate doing poorly, since if you aren’t shooting for the podium, what are you even doing. Michael Scarn, as always, will dominate on the first line. With Hernadivic and Zaporozhets at his side, that first line should be absolutely lethal. Defence is in a position to potentially be shaken up in the coming seasons, but for now, we have Tanner and McCarthy rocking it on that first line, and I expect good things from them. Defence is a potential weak point, but who needs the top defence in the tournament with Knox freakin Booth at goalie.

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.

4 milestones achieved, 3 TPE

cahtah haht · 04-04-2021, 09:07 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?

Personally, I am picking option B. This is because if you can commit as many ice crimes as you want and therefore you can’t be sent to hockey jail for, say, intentionally boarding an opposing player. Also, whoever fights you for it has to accept that while they chill in the box for 5 minutes, while you can do whatever you want. It won’t matter how many skaters they are technically allowed to have if you have to forfeit because you have 1 healthy player. The head honchos will probably be mad at me for abusing their hypothetical scenario but it won’t matter because I’ll have something new to put in my trophy case. (114 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?

My team kind of sucked this season, but it wasn’t my fault. This is because I didn’t play for my team. I instead played in the J for the Kelowna Knights. I did gamble on my team, though, and I expect that was the issue. I probably cursed my team by gambling on them. I’m not going to change that because I like gambling but it is something to consider. Next season I will change nothing and still not play for my team, but I will probably wager less money on them. Hopefully by the time I am ready to play for my team, they will be just about ready for a nice championship run, and in the meantime Kelowna had a disappointing end to this season but we will be back next season and hopefully we can bring home the 4-star. We are looking pretty strong heading into next season although there is no doubt that this was our golden opportunity. (162 words)

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 Kelowna Knights didn’t make the finals, and they were the #1 overall seed this season. Unfortunately a coin-flip series did not go their way, although they could blame this loss on whoever made the bracket have the #1 seed play the #2 seed in the 3rd round. Honestly, any number of factors can be blamed but in the end, Kelowna did not win, which they can’t pin on anything but themselves. Kelowna has had a lot of talent and they deserved to get a championship, but they just couldn’t get it done. They were the only team not to lose a single regular season series against any other team, and they nearly set the all time SMJHL record for pt%, meaning they had all the pieces in place. A bad few games is all it takes to lose a playoff series though, and that is what happened to Kelowna. (150)

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?

Goalie play and defense is all it takes to get the edge up on a defense. If you can shut down an offense, you take a lot of pressure off of your own offense. For this reason, Buffalo should focus on tightening up on defense and keeping the puck out of their own net. Once they have achieved that, they can work on getting it into the enemy net. (69 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?

People say defense wins championships, and they are wrong. Buffalo’s defense will need to be perfect to give them a chance, and it is far more likely that against such a strong offense they will just be okay. Okay won’t cut it against a top offense, and it will be very hard for Buffalo’s offense to keep up with Hamilton. (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.

The Buffalo Stampede logo and kit is reminiscent of the Green Bay Packers logo/kit. Unfortunately I happen to strongly dislike the Packers. They are incredibly annoying and they can’t seem to give their few cool players the championship they deserve. For that reason, I think Hamilton’s colors are better just because of how much I dislike Buffalo’s. (58 words)

15. Milestones, up to 3 TPE
https://simulationhockey.com/showthread....pid3007529
(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.

@leafs1997 is a legend. He is honestly the reason I am still updating today. When I first joined, he was the first person to help me figure out how to make my player and really understand what I was doing. He also was the first to let me know that I was drafted to the Kelowna Knights, and I have a sneaking suspicion that he was the one who made the call. He also helped me figure out what was going on, along with the extremely nice and supportive Kelowna locker room. Not only that, when I pretty much left my player abandoned while I prepared for midterms, they weren’t mad at all and were completely understanding. I am extremely lucky and grateful to have met Leafs and I am so glad he decided to pick me for Kelowna.

***luke*** · 04-04-2021, 09:17 PM

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 I would say is the Toronto North Stars. They were really a cinderella story this season. From not making the playoffs for a couple seasons, to come back this season and almost get the 1st division spot away from Hamilton, shows their strength. They had great goaltending as well(but not in the SFP series though, we dont talk about that). But almost pushing back to a game 7 win against buffalo, 1 game away from the finals shows how close they were. I think going into the finals the Toronto North Stars could be the winner, on defense and goaltending alone.

Code:
11. Podcast, 3 or 4 TPE

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

- Highlights of the S58 season (on or off the ice)

- S58 playoff round-up

- S58 Challenge Cup/Four Star Cup finals Breakdown

- S59 predictions

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

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

Post the direct link to your podcast.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/32c2I1T...7FSY2Yedwg

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. What Buffalo had to do in order to beat hamilton steelhawks is to just outscore them, its that simple. Score more than they do, and save more shots than them. thats what hockey really comes down to is just outscoring your opponent. If Buffalo just outscores hamilton then they will simply win the cup. I dont know how other teams didnt figure this out.

b. I think great defense will win, just like in the minor leagues, a team called the new jersey devils won with defense. Just dont let the other team shoot or score and you will do will. you see teams falter when they have defensive breakdowns, and without a great goalie then they will let in some easy goals. But with strong defense and decent forward strengths they will win it out

c. I prefer the Buffalo Stampede a lot. Green is a weird color to put onto a team branding, but brandon did a great job with the logo and it shows. After 20+ seasons they havent changed it, so it must be a great logo. The The stampede is a good name for a team as well, its just a classic good team name. Because you want something that goes with the city and is just a good hockey name

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

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

Congrats to Hamilton Steelhawks on their 3rd Cup in the FHM Era. It is something that we will see in 20 or 30 seaosns from now if other teams can replicate it. in STHS we kinda saw what the modern NHL, where with parity comes a variety of cup winners through the leagues. Now we kinda turned back time where you saw dynasties more prevelent, with the oilers, red wings, etc. We will see if we can help with Parity a bit, so that we dont see them in the finals every season, but its one step at a time.

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....pid3012241

+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.

Ill go classic and I will go with @JayWhy . There is a lot to say, but he really is one of the smartest GM's in the league, and when I was his Co-GM I learned a ton of things that I wouldnt learn at most places. the way he views the league is something thats great, he is an OG OG, so he has a ton of information on the league, what worked on and what doesnt work. He just has a great insight onto the league.

[/quote]

JSS · 04-04-2021, 09:27 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 don't really pay attention to the rest of the league like that so this PT will only really talk about the Hamilton Steelhawks so if anyone is reading you can get some insight into the worst team in the league. Starting off my boy and fellow stlh/lung killing enthusiast zympathies decided he want to test fa after this next contract (smh fake love) so that hurt cause he is great lr person and has tpe that helps with winning but our gm hallsy of regina managed to pull off a great trade where we managed to get a great player and user to the lr with bloosfan. So that move was very surprising to see this off season tbh. Outside of that, I am shocked Tampa didn't make the playoffs over the Baltimore Platoon but I expect to see them in come next playoffs. Also seeing detroit not win a playoff series this year sucked.

Code:
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?

Good question Keenan, probably the best one out of this whole Championship Week since HOF part of this site is GOATed. There are a few players that come to mind who are likely first ballot locks when they do decide to retire. Older players in the league like Tommy Salami, Andreas Kvalheim and maybe Poopity Scoop should see a good amount of votes head their way when the time does come. There are also plenty of other players like Monkey D Luffy, Elizabeth Doyle are both from Buffalo who are pretty close to locks if they have a lengthy career at this point. Tor Tuck is a huge one as well, him and Brady McIntyre should get some serious looks when it's their turn. Rex Kirby is another player who is probably a lock as well at this point but also you never know since HOF keeps on getting harder to get into each season.

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. Well the finals are over now so I'll talk about what they could've done. The most obvious issue they should've done to destroy the Hamilton Cheathawks is to sign Cameron Carter II in free agency and give him first line minutes. He is a valuable asset to any cup contender in my eyes.
b. I personally strongly believe that making sure you can score as many goals as possible in a game without giving a fuck about defense and your goalie's feelings is the best way to go about it. Just look at the Brooklyn Nets this season. All offense no defense and they are championship favourites sadly.
c. Having played for both teams at various points of my SHL life/career I consider myself an expert in this field when talking about both of these teams brandings. Out of the 2, Buffalo easily wins from the unique colours, sleek design that doesn't make the Buffalo logo too strong and it looks like it could actually be used in a NHL logo too.
d. For Hamilton Steelhawks, I will be throwing out Evangelos Giannoupolos (Hamilton Edition), Flacko Lagerfield (Hamilton Edition), Yanni Katerankis and Hugo Blanchard in nets. For the Buffalo Stampede I will be sending out Flacko Lagerfield (Buffalo Stampede Edition), Flacko Lagerfield (Tampa Bay Edition), Evangelos Giannoupolos (Toronto Edition) as well as Gabe Johnson and Zach Miller.

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

SMJHL 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.

Big thank you @golden_apricot for reminding me every day that life could be way worse than it is. If I woke up as him I'd stab my eyes so shoutout to GA for keeping me in check. Shoutout @JumpierPegasus too for doing taxes.

SewingWithNancy · 04-04-2021, 09:40 PM

2. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
Option B without an option is what I would choose. Icing and offsides can foil a man advantage every time. Oh you have an extra skater at all times? Guess whos gonna be flipping the puck deep at all times to the guy waiting to cherry pick a one on one goal vs an undefended goalie. With proper tactics and training we will be running a very well oiled PK line up. With proper conditioning and proper coaching I believe that we can play a full 60minutes and it be a fully competitive game. And with penalties not even a factor for us, we can interfere with every play. We can set picks, we can hook, and we can highstick our way to glory

+2 TPE

3. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Puddles O Duck is a lock for the Hall of Fame. How many ducks do you know that can skate? Let alone score 13 goals in his sophomore season as a defenseman on a team in the midst of a full rebuild. This flying fellow has really proved that he is a cornerstone of the Forest up in Maine. When Gatez leaves to go to LA next season he is in a good position to become captain if Dogwood doesn’t take that title. In fact Dogwood is also on his way into the Hall of Fame if he keeps playing the way he is. They are both max earners of TPE and are both in the top 10 of their class. Both of their respective SHL teams should be very happy to have them and Maine is very happy to have them in their forest.

In fact, the team in Maine attracts many friends of the animal kingdom. Dogs, Ducks, potential walruses. And all of them are prime candidates of the HOF

+3TPE

5. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
The Maine Timber were and will always be the best team, regardless of making the finals or not. Our Forest is the home of some of the best players in the league. Puddles O Duck, Dogwood Maple, Sean Gatez, Jonny Tsunami, and Miguel Hefeweizen are all a tightnit core that foster growth in the younger skaters. Sure we are currently a team with many holes and LOTS of rookies. But our locker room is filled with beautiful pups, and cats. Lots of budding chefs and bartenders are making food and drinks on the regular for all of us to ogle at. So are we the “best team”? No. But we are the GREATEST group of humans/dogs/ducks/surfers.

+2TPE

12. Written, up to 4 TPE -1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.

C. Both Buffalo and Toronto are so close for me in terms of “which is better” They are both east coast teams that have been dominant for some time now. They both have very similar designs when it comes to their logos as well. Classic insignias that tell you exactly what you are looking at. However if I have to choose, I prefer Buffalos branding. Green and Yellow is a great color scheme especially when its next to just blue and white. It stands out nicely and has good character.

+1TPE

13. Written, 2 TPE - The Procrastinator Special! (100 words min.)
Igor Petrov is the MVP of the series. I have to choose a player from the team that won the whole kit and caboodle. And of course with a team like Quebec, who dominated the whole season, its hard to just choose one player. But since thats the goal of this, it has to be him. Over the course the 17 games played for the playoffs this man was able to put together quite the stat line. 8 Goals, 4 assists, and carrying a +17 for his line. He produced a lot offensively but was also a force to be reckoned with on the defense with 20 Hits and 12 blocked shots.

+2TPE

15. Milestones, up to 3 TPE
https://simulationhockey.com/showthread....pid3008871

+3 TPE

16. Written, 3 TPE
While Nathan Thomas @KaleSalad might have left Maine for San Francisco last season, he has still maintained a presence in the Maine Locker Room and is one of the nicest and encouraging people in the LR. Which is saying something because that LR is filled with incredibly nice, welcoming people. Its hard to choose just one person in that LR but he stands out first and foremost. Maybe its because he was an incredible linemate in S57.

+3TPE

2+3+2+2+1+3+3=16 TPE

W19eaver · 04-04-2021, 09:43 PM

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

+2 TPE - S58 Milestones

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 my current teammates: Thank you all for being you, I love being apart of the Tampa Bay locker room and everyone in it is a top notch person who I have a ton of respect for and love all the daily interactions even if I'm not that talkative myself.
To my former teammates: I am so glad to have spent time in a locker room with you guys (and still do!) and everyone in Nevada from the beginning is a huge reason I fell in love with this league so thank you for that.
To the other random people I've met from this site through the SHL game gang: Thank you so much for the invite into that server, I've enjoyed playing games with many of you (mostly Eu4 but I dabble in the table top games and Sea of Thieves and what not), I've also really enjoyed just hanging out in voice chat with ya'll.

So in conclusion: THANK YOU to everyone whose made this site the great community that it is for me, love you all!

*Scrufdaddy* · 04-04-2021, 09:44 PM

16/16

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 haven't been super in touch with the league in recent seasons, but it's very surprising for me to see the New Orleans Specters riding the bottom of the league. I see the names of players whom I respect dearly having a disasterous season with craterous -50 ratings. It will continue to surprise me every time when good teams are dominant and rebuilding teams are scrubbing the floor. It makes me appreciate how difficult it must be / have been for Kez and Strom to keep our team consistent for so long. We haven't been a dominant force yet, but they keep us out of the basement and trending upward among some rapid movers.

It's also surprising for me to see the West and East kind of switching patterns. For as long as I've been around, it's felt like the East is 2-3 really dominant teams and then a huge drop off, whereas the West had a less dominant top and more competitive bubble. However, this season it seems like Toronto has cracked into the top club and everyone else is really close. In the West, it very quickly drops off after Texas, Calgary, Edmonton. Four teams in the West did worse than all teams in the East.

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 am choosing immunity from penalties, offsides, and icing. I am posting up two skaters by the other team's goalie and I am banking passes to them all game. No offsides means they can stay in place with no concerns. No icing means I don't have to worrry about being off target. No penalties means that I am interfering with that goaltender pretty much non stop.

We'll have to defend 3 on 6 the whole game, but we can also play like total goons. Every time we can draw a "matching" penalty, their advantage evaporates because my guys can't get sent to the box. Even if they are allowed to replace the penalized skater ("play the whole game with 6 skaters"), we can still just hold and trip non stop on the backcheck and mail the puck down to my goal scorers.

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 feel like probably I need to update next season to help my team reach the promised land, but it's hard to tell. I did not do a post regression update and arguably performed better even while we backslid a bit as a team (although the shifting landscape of the West may also have something to do with the team backsliding). I scored a couple more points, took less penalties, blocked a ton more shots, and was consistent in a lot of the other aspects of my game.

I think the key may be, when I update to try and focus on my strengths rather than trying to round out my weaknesses like usual. I am never going to generate a ton of offense, but I serve the team best by shielding young talented defensemen while they grow. I can carry most of the defensive responsibilities on the blue line so any defensive prospects can taste the top minutes and go from there.

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?

I think the most obvious answer to this is the Texas Renegades. Their series against Hamilton went to seven before Hamilton took Buffalo in 5. Games 3 and 7 were wide open, 7-4 and 6-2, but every other game was a 1 goal difference, including an overtime win in game 4 to stay alive in the series.

In the regular season, they absolutely dominated with almost a 150 goal differential and the President's Trophy. If game 7 went differently in that series, I think Texas walks away with the cup instead of Hamilton.

I think the non-obvious answer is the Tampa Bay Barracuda. They've got the most Fitted per game out of all the teams in the league and that makes them the best in some jurisdictions.

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

+3 milestone tpe
https://simulationhockey.com/showthread....pid3012353

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.

@FuzzSHL is the wind beneath my wings, god bless him and god bless team USA
Also cheers to Winnipeg, gonna peg this league until the day I ride off into the sunset. The beautiful bastards running the show are gonna get me that cup any day now.

TheWoZy · 04-04-2021, 09:48 PM

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

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 want to thank Tig and grok for choosing me in the expansion draft. I'm happy to play for Seattle. All of my teammates are amazing and the locker room is fun. I don't know if I would be still active if I was somewhere else.

Navigation

Extra Menu

About us