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ec06aaj · 01-18-2024, 07:10 AM

1: Trivia completed, verification word - Entablature
(min 1.5 TPE)

11.

It'd be cheating to suggest that Simo was the star I was most excited about and, honestly, probably nonsense as well - who really gets excited about lockdown defensive play? There are a lot of players on Team Norden that I think are going to eventually make big splashes, because I am of course biased, but outside Scandinavia I'll be interested to see if Langston Hardison-Laurent can bring his monstrous goalscoring form from junior league play onto the international scene. He's going to have some excellent set-up players with him and without influencing the selection, if he's not positioned as one of THE guys that the USA Blue offense flows through the management must be mad. Team World is going to be interesting as well because it'll be a chance to see how Song Ju-gong plays outside of the Quebec City bubble - not to slight the World defensive unit, but the Citadelles blueline was disgustingly good and this means Song gets an opportunity to prove he's not just a product of his environment.

(3 TPE)

12:
Despite their obvious eventual loss, my favourite moment of the series was Winnipeg's 6 - 5 overtime win. After two losses, including one where the Wolfpack piled up shots and chased Rebecca Montagne from the game after two periods, it would have been so easy to get disheartened and let things slip away completely, doubly so considering Winnipeg gave up four unanswered goals in ten minutes to go from being 3 - 1 up to 5 - 3 down and genuinely staring down the barrel of elimination. But the old adage is that the harder you work, the luckier you get, and that was completely proven: Winnipeg gritted their collective teeth, gutted it out and got the two goals to send the game into overtime. It was a proper gutsy performance and speaks to how mentally strong the squad was, even if the bounces went against them in the long run. I have faith they'll be back in title contendership next season.
(2 TPE)

FuzzSHL · 01-18-2024, 12:09 PM

GM Pass

Aleksi Kettu

Vulfzilla · 01-18-2024, 12:21 PM

Trivia: Izzy

12. Written, 2 TPE - The Procrastinator Special! (100 words min.)

Looks like [TEAM] won Season 74! Who won and why? What could the other team have done differently to change the result? What was your favorite part of the series?

My old team, the New England Wolfpack won the league again! I think this is their.. 3rd time in the last few seasons? Maybe? I'm not totally sure what they did that made it work out for them, but I do know luke is a great gm that has the ability to see the future and how his team should be set up which is a special skill that only certain gms have. I don't know too much about the actual tactical side of the game, but I'm assuming that his tactics made the most of the team and where its roster deficiencies were. I have to admit, I didn't see them still being competitive for this long after I thought their window had closed, so props to Luke and the pack for another outstanding cup run!

8. Graphic, 3 TPE, Upon Further Review

Draw how your team's season went! As long as I can tell which team you play for and it conveys some kind of sentiment about your team's season, you'll get credit.
[Image: anccrash.png?ex=65bbeb16&is=65a97616&hm=...y=lossless]

[Image: anccrash.png?ex=65bbeb16&is=65a97616&hm=...y=lossless]

MMFLEX · 01-18-2024, 12:27 PM

HO Intern Pass

ibuprofenaddict · 01-18-2024, 12:38 PM

Code:
1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1.5 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is completed through a Google form linked below. Make sure to spell your answers correctly or you will not get credit. Post your verification word in your CW post.

trust

+1.5-3.0 TPE

Code:
Code:

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

a. Two old faces are back in the ring, proving reports of the dynasty’s demise were greatly exaggerated! Pick either of our finalists, and tell me what about them impresses you the most!

b. Upsets were a theme this year - which of our finalists had the more difficult road to the promised land and why?

c. Which of the finalists had the more impressive conference finals victory, and why?

d. If it ain't broke don't fix it: Who you got? Who wins? Why?

a. To me, the Petr Svoboda trade in the weeks leading up to S74 were an indication that maybe New England would be starting a rebuild. Coupled with the regression of Ivan Lacksamus, I wasn’t sure they had the firepower to compete at this level. A heroic playoffs from Bruno Tooyo was a major factor in them reaching and eventually winning the finals vs. Winnipeg. While their regular season matched up pretty closely with my expectations, the way they stepped up in the playoffs really surprised me.

+1 TPE

Code:
5. Written, 3 TPE, Upset City (150 words min)

An impressive string of upsets took place this season, especially in the West with San Francisco’s Cinderella run. Which upset series impressed you most, why, and what in that series sticks out most in your memory? For the purposes of this task, any series won by the lower seed is an upset.

Without a doubt, San Francisco Pride’s upset over the reigning champion Edmonton Blizzard is the biggest surprise for me following the S74 SHL playoffs. The Pride went 0-6-1 against the Blizzard in seven matchups over the course of regular season play, being outscored by more than double at 40-19. The pride were outshot in each of those matchups, typically by a significant amount (>20 in 5 of 7 games). When game one of the playoff matchup rolled around, SFP promptly outshot the Blizzard enroute to an OT win, as if they had it in them all along, setting the tone for the whole series. Edmonton was able to regain their shooting advantage in the remaining games, but only in a one-goal game five victory did they barrage SFP the way that did in the regular season. In the end, SFP held on, winning in six games in an upset that nobody could have seen coming before running out of steam in the conference finals vs Winnipeg.

+3 TPE

Code:
11. Written, 3 TPE, Juniors’ Juniors (150 words min.)

Are there any new promotions to your org that you’re excited to see make your IIHF squad? Who’s a good rookie on your squad this offseason? Alternatively, who’s a current World Juniors star you’re excited to see in the IIHF soon?

I’m excited to be a part of the revamped Czechia roster for IIHF this season, which will be my second season pulling double duty with the WJC. This year, I have a new teammate who is following in my footsteps by rostering for IIHF Czechia after their SMJHL rookie campaign (ironically, without being on any WJC rosters) and that is goaltender Roman Cechmanek II. The GM office for Czechia has been busy revamping the roster this season heading into the tournament, but the goaltending position will be manned by two SMJHL players in Five-Hole Sieve and Cechmanek – neither of whom are playing for UCORCAL in the WJC (though FHS is with the ICE team). I’m particularly interested in Roman after wrestling the starting job for the Elk in the playoffs, to see if he can keep building momentum and gobbling up pucks at a senior level. It will be interesting to see if the rest of the squad can help shield the inexperienced duo. Regardless of their performance this time around, this could be the tandem for Czechia for the next 10-15 seasons of international play.

+3 TPE

8.5-10.0 of 8 possible TPE Total

***SDCore*** · 01-18-2024, 01:04 PM

CW Simmer Pass

**esilverm** · 01-18-2024, 01:18 PM

1. bananas

2a. The fact that these teams aren’t old and tired is impressive, however I feel that there is nothing more impressive than the performance of the goaltending by the Wolfpack. They keep going and they won’t fall which is scary, save some trophies for the rest of us. This is really insane that we gotta go against them

2b. The wolfpack fought real hard to get where they are. They had a close call versus Hamilton which is just getting better, as well as some fight from Philly. Buffalo proved easy for the team as they only got one win versus the Wolfpack. I think that given these results we could see Hamilton shaping to be a force to reckon with in seasons to come.

2d. Obviously I’ll have to go with the Wolfpack, they are just the better team. Am I writing this after the finals are over, perhaps. But that doesn't change the fact that I didn't look at the scores until just now to make sure I'm not crazy. There is something in the air in that locker room.

12. Well yeah as I said before, the Wolfpack won. This is not so much a surprise to me as they were the better team. They have a great defensive core and their goaltending is great too. Winnipeg is nearing the end of their time as a league leader, players are aging and the western conference is getting more and more competitive. That isn't to say that they won't win again immediately, I think they just need some time to figure out their future before trying for another cup. Regardless I think they have maybe 1 season left to get another cup (though I won't be rooting for them)

Pass Forfeit (D) ● Player Profile
Kraken

Special thanks to Blitz, jhockey, Ragnarr, and sulo for the gorgeous sigs <3

[Image: DG0jZcS.png]

***Patty*** · 01-18-2024, 01:57 PM

J GM Pass

jlutz14 · 01-18-2024, 02:46 PM

Trivia word: cool

*slothfacekilla* · 01-18-2024, 03:24 PM

Code:
6. Graphic, 3 TPE, The Climax

Draw the final battle! You can show me the players going head-to-head, you can draw the mascots duking it out, or you can make any kind of hype poster of your choosing.

Code:
1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1.5 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is completed through a Google form linked below. Make sure to spell your answers correctly or you will not get credit. Post your verification word in your CW post.

slothin

Code:
8. Graphic, 3 TPE, Upon Further Review

Draw how your team's season went! As long as I can tell which team you play for and it conveys some kind of sentiment about your team's season, you'll get credit.

chetib · 01-18-2024, 03:39 PM

1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1.5 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is completed through a Google form linked below. Make sure to spell your answers correctly or you will not get credit. Post your verification word in your CW post.

Verification: Taco

2. Written, up to 4 TPE - Grab Bag: Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.
a. Two old faces are back in the ring, proving reports of the dynasty’s demise were greatly exaggerated! Pick either of our finalists, and tell me what about them impresses you the most!
I think I am most impressed with Winnipeg. I had honestly thought they had taken a step back and were going to be elite but maybe not contending at the end of the playoff here. But hot damn was I wrong! They continue to impress and it feels like a group you never count out.

b. Upsets were a theme this year - which of our finalists had the more difficult road to the promised land and why?
Simply from a numbers game I think New England had the tougher road. I can't imagine that they were not sweating a bit in the first round when Hamilton took them to 7 games. They did have a bit of an easier time with Buffalo but having a semi final round with Philadelphia compared to SFP shows they had more to overcome compared to Winnipeg

4. Written, 3 TPE, The Char B1 bis In The Room (150 words min.)
This league was until quite recently dominated by a cabal of four teams. Two of them, Winnipeg and New England, are our finalists. A third, Philadelphia, was a finalist last year. The fourth... was Montreal. Does the success of Winnipeg and New England prove that Montreal pulled the plug too soon and should’ve kept the gang around? Or did at least one of the others just get lucky and Montreal made the better decision, without hindsight? What team-building lessons can we learn from this?

Poor Montreal it was a fast drop for them. Hindsight is always 20/20 and I don't think you can fault a team for taking a different direction that those that they are competing with. Did Montreal think they could sustainably remain in that high echelon on play? Maybe, but I think the definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over and expecting different results might be a fitting statement here as well. Sometimes if you think you just don't quite have what it takes to push over that hump then ya blowing it up and starting over knowing what you know might be the right course of action here. Winnipeg, New England, and Philadelphia have enjoyed a good long run at the top of the standings and at some point they will have to admit that they are going to have to step down in hopes of having another strong window to win later on.

8/8 TPE

Hungy Fella · 01-18-2024, 07:16 PM

1. CW Trivia: Verification word- Tacos

10. One upset i can see happening in this years IIHF tournament will be from the emerging team from the United States of America against every team they play. Although the Americans finished last seasons IIHF tournament in a disappointing tenth place with only four wins their goals agains differential was only minus four which shows a lot of potential. The Americans also have a new young core emerging through their program who have helped the American WJC team win back to back to back Gold medals in the past three WJC tournaments. This young group hopes to bring their winning tradition with them as they enter the IIHF and hopefully some championship medals along the way. In addition to the young players coming up through the ranks the Americans have no lack of veteran talent, they will be led by forwards such as Benson Fiorentini who led the team last tournament with seven goals six assists and 13 points. i am expecting a good game against their long time rival team Canada (172 Words)[url=https://index.simulationhockey.com/iihf/player/378][/url]

12. The SHL final was recently decided in a series between the New England Wolfpack and the Winnipeg Aurora. The Wolfpack proved to be the superior team by defeating the Aurora in six games. This should not be a shock to many as the Wolfpack has proven to be one of the most dominant teams in the SHL over the past few seasons. The path to winning the SHL championship definitely was not an easy one however the team was led by great coaching and a group of players that were no match for the Aurora. In the end the combination of five different players for New England who tallied thirty or more points proved to be too much to handle for any of the teams that stepped in their way. (132 Words)

8 TPE total

*kenvald* · 01-18-2024, 09:35 PM

Quote:1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1.5 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is completed through a Google form linked below. Make sure to spell your answers correctly or you will not get credit. Post your verification word in your CW post.

NEWPG

Quote:3. Written, 3 TPE, Haven’t I Seen This Before? (150 words min.)
Despite being the 8th and 10th ranked regular season teams in the league, our finalists from Winnipeg and New England represent two of the most dominant teams over the past several seasons. What do you think is the secret to their success? What can other teams learn from them? Which one is more likely to be back again next year?

Having been a player under both teams' GMs, I believe that it ultimately comes down to how the teams are run. The GMs, they're seasoned veterans of the SHL and have led teams for several IRL years. They know their way around the sim, how to build a great roster, and how to create and maintain good player relationships. While I don't have full insight into either team's roster and how it might look for either of them next season, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw them both go far again. These teams don't need the highest TPE average to win; they aren't afraid to make the hard decisions, nor do they ever truly fold when at the trading desks. Consistent results also breed a consistently good locker room culture. Keep that going, and they might be dynasties for a lot longer, establishing themselves as formidable forces in the league.

Quote:2. Written, up to 4 TPE - Grab Bag: Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.
a. Two old faces are back in the ring, proving reports of the dynasty’s demise were greatly exaggerated! Pick either of our finalists, and tell me what about them impresses you the most!

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I'll always be impressed how Luke came in to a struggling rebuild with the New England Wolfpack, cleaned house, and came out on the other end with what's now two cups since he took over. He knows what he's doing and he's doing it well.

Quote:d. If it ain't broke don't fix it: Who you got? Who wins? Why?

I'm writing this after the finals have already been decided. But I initially believed in Winnipeg. They've been to the finals so many times in recent years that statistically speaking they should have at least 2 more cups than they do. They've been consistently great and apparently aren't planning to slow down any time soon.

Jimmysmo27 · 01-18-2024, 09:47 PM

GM Pass

vic03 · 01-18-2024, 10:12 PM

TRIVIA WORD: okaydone

3. The only explanation for both teams being as good as they have been on a consistent basis is the fact they’re bribing the refs. An anonymous player from Winnipeg has gone record to say “yeah dude we give them McDonald’s gift cards every game. Don’t know why all the refs in the league like McDonald’s so much, but it’s a constant. We don’t know yet how New England bribes them, but the leading theory for now is they let them pet “the cubs”. There’s rumors that the cubs of the Wolfpack are just the rookie players forced to dress in a furry suit. These refs are into some weird stuff man idk. I think something should be done about these blatant cheaters, because if you’re not cheating how are you always good? It doesn’t make sense. Connect the dots sheeple. Or maybe we all just start bribing the refs and that’ll make it even? We’ll have to do something though. Maybe fire all the refs and have AI call the games.

4. As a former Montreal player when we were very good, Montreal had to pull the plug. Lots of retirements hit them like a truck with a unfortunate lack of playoff success. The biggest blow to Montreal however the retiring of Patriotes LEGEND, the third line specialist himself, Valters Denisova. That man held down the center of ice on that third line better than anyone else in the history of the sport. After losing him Montreal had nothing! Jokes aside, I think it was the right thing for Montreal to go into their rebuild. Lots of players retired in a couple seasons and they just never clicked in the playoffs, something about the core just wasn’t working and sometimes even with lots of talent you can’t get it done. It was sad never winning a challenge cup with them but that’s just the way it goes. Montreal at least is looking like their rebuild might bear some fruit with a solid amount of good prospects in their pool(and no longer have a bum so called “third line specialist”)

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