2. (2)
I'd prefer to see Tampa Bay win the challenge cup than Calgary. Calgary has won a lot of cups, Tampa Bay has not. Finally winning one would be a huge way to cement the franchise in their new home of Tampa, as well as truly turn the corner on their disastrous time about 10 seasons ago underneath GMs who simply weren't up to the job and who caused a lot of embarrassment for the team. Plus, JSS was a Buffalo stud prospect and only left because he was offered the GM job, so there's a connection to my own team there. Go get it, JSS.

3. (3)
There's all sorts of ways to mess with the playoff format, but having 5 teams makes it all fundamentally awkward. The system of the top team from each division automatically getting a spot with 3 conference wildcards is probably the fairest option without simply dissolving the divisions in favour of conferences, and we want those divisions- they promote rivalries. However, if I was going to mess with the playoffs, I'd introduce the disgusting monstrosity that is the SANFL playoff format. It goes like this,

Week One,
Game A: 2 v 3.
Game B: 4 v 5.
Loser of Game B is eliminated.

Week Two,
Game C: 1 v Winner of Game A
Game D: Loser of Game A v Winner of Game B
Loser of Game D is eliminated.

Week Three,
Game E: Loser of Game C v Winner of Game D
Loser of Game E is eliminated.

Week Four (Final),
Game F: Winner of Game C v Winner of Game E.
Winner of Game F is Champion.

This would help to ensure that absolutely nobody understands the SHL finals format. These series would remain 7 games and the Winners of "Game F" in each Conference would play for the Challenge Cup. To save time and ensure it all happened quickly, we'd either figure out how to introduce variable series start times, eliminate breaks between rounds, and bin play by plays, which stink.

4. (3)
It's kind of hard to top the reality that actually happened- a reverse sweep is the most ridiculous and unlikely possible result. Any alternative reality, therefore, will simply be a more boring version of what actually happened. In my alternative reality, therefore, everything happens the same way it already happened through games 1 and 3, and then in game 4, Flacko Lagerfield scores a hat trick, including a game winning overtime goal. Benjamin Blue is pulled after the last goal he lets in and is replaced by Emiko Spector (who I have never heard of), who stops 25 shots in 12 minutes and gives Tampa Bay the chance to win. Alternatively, these things could happen in game 5, in which Tampa Bay would therefore still win. Or perhaps game 6. Even game 7 would have been acceptable. Why did Tampa blow it? We're going to have to rib them about this forever. Literally forever.

6. (3)
The best player in my memory that never made the Challenge Cup finals (or at least, never won a cup) would be Ben Dover. Recently retired, Ben Dover was a long term fixture of a Hamilton team that sometimes had it, and sometimes didn't, but never managed to put it all together. Dover sat through multiple failed rebuilds, giving his all at all times, and apparently never once considered asking for a trade for a chance at personal glory. While not always specifically playing as a defenceman, at 700 points, he's got the 4th most points of all time of any defenceman, and the worst that could happen to that number in the next season is to be bumped down to 5th. Most other people who made it as high as 700 points won cups, or at least made it to a cup final or two- but Ben Dover never got there once.

13. (2)
A. Mike Izzy will almost certainly have the better series than Gunnar Soderberg. Izzy has been there before and won't have any of the nerves or pressure that Soderberg has. In addition, Izzy is also widely regarded as the better player anyway. This comparison would have been more fair if it was Izzy vs Lagerfield, but even then, I'd probably still pick Izzy.
E. I'd probably pick the chicken parm sandwich. That's not how I usually enjoy my parmigiana- down here, they're just a big old schnitzel with parmigiana toppings served on a bed of hot chips. Only place where you can get a chicken parm "sandwich" in Australia is at Subway, and Subway is rubbish.

15. (3)
PM'd to PT Director.