I strongly reject the notion that there is some sort of Anti-SMJHL bias at work here. We didn't overlook Kalakar because we think the SMJHL isn't important, but because the mechanisms we put into place to make sure that all areas of the league are accounted for equally failed this season in part due to a botched transition. At the very least we will make sure that these procedures are followed again from now on, but maybe we will go a step further and change/expand this part of the system as well based on some suggestions that have already been made. And I mean, Kal wasn't overlooked and completely snubbed either, he got nominated as part of a very deserving group of people after all and I think some of you are a bit quick to discount the things the two other nominees have done. You talk so much about the quality of the SMJHL simming but barely mention that of the SHL simming, maybe just maybe because of the very thing that you are accusing us of, because you are more invested in the tier of this league that concerns you directly? And Luke barely gets any credit for what I think is a very cool project that could have a massive impact on this league as a whole, more so than any well-simmed season ever could, where he has already put in a lot of work with much more already scheduled to come. It's kinda ironic that on the one hand, some people in here don't like "simmers always being the frontrunner for this award by default", but then they are mad that someone doesn't get this Award for, well... his simming.

With that being said, these are still the SHL Awards and 90% of the things we vote on are exclusively SHL-related. There is only one Award where non-SHL contributions are even a factor and due to that, I think it is completely fair that "being super knowledgable about all things SMJHL" is not part of the job-description for the SHL Awards Committee. After all, there also are the SMJHL Awards specifically for all things SMJHL, with people who dedicate most of their time on the site to this aspect of it do their best to come to the best possible decisions in their are of expertise. Every SMJHL contribution be it player or member wise is already eligible for that so you essentially get to double-dip for your SMJHL contributions which, yes, might make it a bit harder to get recognition in the SHL Awards for something that you already got an SMJHL Award for. This hasn't factored into my personal decision but I know that it did for some other people who thought very highly of Kalakar.