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***hotdog*** · 08-31-2020, 12:47 PM

Here are this season's tasks for CW. The maximum, as always, is 16 TPE. Mix and match whatever tasks you desire, but the maximum TPE to be earned from this is 16.

The deadline is Monday, September 7th at 11:59PM ET.

Please copy/paste the prompts (including the # of TPE) into your post; it makes it much easier to grade and track.

Additional Information:

This PT is for SHL players and send-downs only; it is not for SMJHL rookies or SMJHL prospects.

One (1) welfare claim from either PBE or the ISFL will be accepted for 3 TPE! *if you’re claiming welfare and have a different username on the affiliates site then you need to state that in your post to get credit.*

Please feel free to PM me with any questions or concerns.

Note: Posts with malicious intent will not be graded.

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1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?

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2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

This offseason will be extra exciting, as it features the rare expansion draft! Write about how you think the expansion draft will play out, either for one or both of the expansion teams or from an SHL team's perspective.

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3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.) 

It's too late for this go-around of expansion, so hypothetically - should there be SHL franchises in other continents? I saw some interesting European proposals in the PT. Should these - or proposals for any other continent that's not North America - 

become a reality in the SHL?

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4. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)

Which SHL or SMJHL team was the best team to not make the finals this season and why?

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5. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

What are your predictions for the upcoming IIHF or WJC tournament? What team do you think will win/surprise people/be bad/etc.?

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6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.) The world's hottest app is TikTok - which SHL or SMJHL player would have the biggest following on TikTok? What do they post there?

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7. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.) The two finals teams have decided to team up for a fundraising opportunity to benefit both cities. What noble cause will the teams decide to benefit? What sort of fundraiser will the teams hold together? How will the two teams mesh before the finals start?

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8. Graphic, 3 TPE. Think you can do better? Design a new logo for the Buffalo Stampede or the New Orleans Specters or either of the teams in the SMJHL finals.

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9. Graphic, 3 TPE 

Design a Challenge Cup championship ring for one of the teams in the finals. (A four-star cup championship ring for the SMJHL is ok as well.)

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10. Graphic, 3 TPE

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

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11. Graphic, 3 TPE

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

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12. Podcast, 3 or 4 TPE

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

- Highlights of the S55 season (on or off the ice)

- S55 playoff round-up

- S55 Challenge Cup/Four Star Cup finals Breakdown

- S56 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.

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13. 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. Both of these teams have stacked defenses - which team do you think has the defensive advantage in this series?

b. In the two regular season matchups, each team won once at home. Do you expect the results to reflect a home ice advantage in this series?

c. Based on FHM player ratings, New Orleans has higher average ratings in bravery, aggression, and fighting? Will that toughness have any impact on this series?

d. What is your favorite name from a player appearing in this series? Why do you like that player's name?

e. There are several animal names in this series - which of these animals is the coolest? sloth, hippo, otter, monkey, fox, kirby.

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14. 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.

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15. Graphic, 3 TPE - The Procrastinator Special!

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

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16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.

SUBMIT TRIVIA ANSWERS HERE

MCP_ · 08-31-2020, 12:49 PM

first (16 TPE)

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1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?

Joorgustraad DuBolk had an... alright season. For this season, he focused way more on the defensive aspects of the game, but done under protected minutes. This is exemplified by the fact that Joorgustraad had a Defensive Game Rating of 81, 2 higher than the next highest. Everything else was pretty meh all things considered. Given departures that will happen for the Anaheim Outlaws this offseason, Joorgustraad will be taking up way more minutes this coming season. As for how he'll perform... who's to say. There are rumors going around that he wants to play in a more offensive role, with the media finding DuBolk at the practice rink practicing his shots and positioning. It's going to be a work in progress, but he's shown great strides in his offensive game. Over the offseason, he'll continue to work on his offensive skills until he's ready for the show. It's quite the grind.

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3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)

It's too late for this go-around of expansion, so hypothetically - should there be SHL franchises in other continents? I saw some interesting European proposals in the PT. Should these - or proposals for any other continent that's not North America -

become a reality in the SHL?

I feel like the SHL as a whole really isn't built to go outside of North America. It seems like the way the league is set up, we wanted to have the league is to be closer to the NHL rather than doing some crazy locations. Compared to, say, the ISFL, we're more about trying (and failing) to emulate realism, compared to having teams that are literally across the continent. So would the league add a european team? Not really, in my opinion. There really isn't a reason to expand to europe considering we still have a bunch of places we can still expand to, but I am personally open to a european team.

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4. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)

Which SHL or SMJHL team was the best team to not make the finals this season and why?

Probably the Anaheim Outlaws. Considering they were finalists last season, and they still retained most of their core, they should have come out swinging. However, they had issues in their round one series against the Quebec City Citadels. Despite that, the Outlaws did fairly well in the regular season, but definitely lagged in the last bit of the season. It culminated in a loss to the Citadels, but it was definitely after a rough stretch. it's gonna be a rough road ahead for the Outlaws given the departures they will face this season, but they will try to look at it head on.

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13. 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. Both of these teams have stacked defenses - which team do you think has the defensive advantage in this series?

b. In the two regular season matchups, each team won once at home. Do you expect the results to reflect a home ice advantage in this series?

c. Based on FHM player ratings, New Orleans has higher average ratings in bravery, aggression, and fighting? Will that toughness have any impact on this series?

d. What is your favorite name from a player appearing in this series? Why do you like that player's name?

e. There are several animal names in this series - which of these animals is the coolest? sloth, hippo, otter, monkey, fox, kirby.

a) I think that distinction goes to Buffalo. I feel like it's way too obvious: they are a fucking machine. While the Specters have an incredibly good defense, Buffalo is just too good as a unit to get over overall. Because of that, they'll be tough to beat, but it's not gonna be a steamroll despite what people might think.

b) I think that is an accurate statement as to how the series will go about. Both teams are potent in their play, so an effective back and forth series would be expected. Who takes the last game is up in the air, but... I gotta give it to New Orleans. Just a hunch, but I think they could pull it off.

c) If there is one thing I can advocate for, it's that grit is the single most important stat for the SHL. Buncha teams nowadays try to just shove the puck at the net, but don't try to shove each other. The grit the New Orleans Specters have demonstrated is great, and it will be a key factor in this series.

e) The coolest animal in that list is the otter, in my opinion. I'm an engineering major, and otters can build shit. That's more than enough for me for the most part, but you gotta hand it to them, they know building, and i think we can learn from them to build the best buildings and such.

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14. 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.

With the Buffalo Stampede's series win, I think the series MVP goes to my man Monkey D. Luffy. Dude is a fucking stallion in the sim, and has been a good friend for the longest time. He tied for the highest point totals in the playoffs, and had the highest OGR rating in the playoffs. He was, as always, a vital part of the Buffalo offense, and it's quite obvious to me that he's the series MVP. He's setting himself up to be one of the best players the team has ever had, and I wish him nothing but the best.

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16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.

aha

**bbjygm** · 08-31-2020, 12:49 PM

Code:
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?

I feel that my player did pretty well this season, all things considering. Last season, Slap fell behind in point earnings due to a team slump. After that the biggest players of the team left, leaving me and Eko van Otter as the highest skilled players on the team by a large margin. This gave us great minutes and point exposure, so even with a worse team overall I did pretty well, even placing in the top 25 again for points and assists. I also did relatively well compared to the league in other stats, including: ATOI (top center in the league), GR (top 10 game rating score), OGR (top 25 offensive game rating), +/- (top 25), and even my GvA/TkA "ratio" was great, much better than before. I attribute many of these to being one of the most (and by the end of the season THE most) experienced player on the team, allowing me to be leaned on extensively at critical times and generally a good option to put on the ice.

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2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

This offseason will be extra exciting, as it features the rare expansion draft! Write about how you think the expansion draft will play out, either for one or both of the expansion teams or from an SHL team's perspective.

I'm very excited about the expansion draft coming up! I think it's going to amazing when the team head GM's pick other players from teams to join their own teams! I'm just so super excited to see a sausage and the Stig select players. I have a couple bold predictions for the draft. 1) I think the Argonauts will go first. 2) I think the Inferno will go second. 3) Cassius Darrow, a valuable defenseman who decided not to be protected, will be taken quickly. 4) I think that despite being a great player, Eko van Otter will go last or second to last to the Inferno (I'm not sure why he'd be slept on so long, though, I just have a hunch both teams will ignore him until the last round). 5) I also think the two GMs will have a gentlemanly agreement to only take 2 players from each team. It's good to see some sportsmanship in the expansion draft, though they seem to want to adhere to this as if it were a rule. Strange.

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5. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

What are your predictions for the upcoming IIHF or WJC tournament? What team do you think will win/surprise people/be bad/etc.?

I have a weird hunch that teams United Stat and Canada will do okay, with a slight possibility of making it past the round robin. One team I see doing better than expected is team Switzerland. They've been getting better and better over time with the steady increase of talent and regular devotion of the roster to bettering themselves in the rink. Just looking at the FHM results since the dawn of time (S53), SWI just barely didn't make the medal rounds, then the next season they made it in and put up a fight, though losing in the first round. This season I believe it's more likely than not that the Swiss team makes it into the medal rounds and puts up an even bigger fight, with a significant chance of making it to round 2. Canada and the US are the teams to beat it seems to make it to the medals, and SWI had a good record against Canada last season.

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7. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.) The two finals teams have decided to team up for a fundraising opportunity to benefit both cities. What noble cause will the teams decide to benefit? What sort of fundraiser will the teams hold together? How will the two teams mesh before the finals start?

The Buffalo's and the Specters would probably team up to do a fundraiser for "Children Lacking In The Important Life Aspect of Experiencing Halloween With Truly Scary Props", or CLITILAEHWTSP for short. The combination of "specter" and "buffalo" could easily scare the shit right out of kids' pants, splattering the nearby walls until you can't tell they were originally painted white. Imagine: you're walking past the ticket booth that you just purchased your experience tokens from, then turn down and alley and it's nearly pitch black. Car lights turn on behind you and a snow plow forces you into the alley. You run around the only corner available, only to find a shining, semi-transparent, spectral buffalo grazing on some ghostly grass on the pavement. It turns its head, snorts loudly, and starts to charge, just as the snow plow turns the corner behind you and starts pushing you toward certain doom. That's quite the Halloween experience, wouldn't you say?

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13. 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. Both of these teams have stacked defenses - which team do you think has the defensive advantage in this series?

b. In the two regular season matchups, each team won once at home. Do you expect the results to reflect a home ice advantage in this series?

c. Based on FHM player ratings, New Orleans has higher average ratings in bravery, aggression, and fighting? Will that toughness have any impact on this series?

d. What is your favorite name from a player appearing in this series? Why do you like that player's name?

e. There are several animal names in this series - which of these animals is the coolest? sloth, hippo, otter, monkey, fox, kirby.

Can kirby really be classified as an animal? He's more of a fleshy, pink black hole container. I think the coolest animal is the sloth. They're so slow it's actually admirable, topping about 0.003 miles per hour! Don't blink! They also grow their own algae in their fur and poop once a week. Their claws also grasp when in resting position, so they can literally hang in trees effortlessly.

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16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.

wahoo

***Aephino*** · 08-31-2020, 12:50 PM

eww

Code:
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?

Overall, I am relatively pleased with my player's performance on the ice. For the team as a whole, I was obviously disappointed. My final season in Detroit and we struggled the whole way, falling out in the first round of playoffs... not ideal! But for my player, it was my second best point return in my four years in the SMJHL, second to one of the greatest individual seasons in recent SMJHL history. Finishing with 14 goals and 23 assists is certainly nothing to scoff at. I think the issues came from our team just getting unraveled these past few seasons, losing the big players that won us the Four Star Cup. Next season in the SHL, playing with more regular linemates year after year should really help Williams. Point production will always be tough my first year in the majors, but as a rookie if I can put up 20 points I'll be pleased. As long as I continue to find the right passes and worry less about scoring, I should be fine.

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2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

This offseason will be extra exciting, as it features the rare expansion draft! Write about how you think the expansion draft will play out, either for one or both of the expansion teams or from an SHL team's perspective.

To be honest I forgot about the other expansion team, the Atlanto Inferno, but if their season goes anything like their branding they will do well. I love the new logo and I think that alone (combined with a decent GM, hotdog...) should allow them to snag a lot of good players and get some good interest. I can see them struggling at first in the East, with some big teams such as Buffalo, Chicago, Hamilton, Manhattan, and New England that have grand histories. But, we all know that @ml002 is a fraud so there are a few guaranteed wins right off the bat. Combine that with Tampa Bay... and we're looking at a team that's pushing for playoffs in just a few seasons. Now, we also have Tig's Seattle Argonauts, which could really be a force to be reckoned with. Tig is a great guy and I imagine many players will want to play for him, and we KNOW he knows how to draft (S52 class represent). I think we are all looking forward to how things shake out for these two teams.

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5. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

What are your predictions for the upcoming IIHF or WJC tournament? What team do you think will win/surprise people/be bad/etc.?

I think Great Britain were robbed last year of the gold. No one expected us to make it to the final, but through pure heart and determination we wound up walking away with a silver medal. This year we come back with a vengeance and we will not come up short. We still have many classic favorites, such as the United States and Canada, as they have a large player pool. So we always have to be worried about those two teams, but Great Britain certainly rounds out the top 3 of favorites. For dark horses, Czechia, Austria, and Sweden are known to cause some trouble. Latvia has struggled lately, but maybe they will have some redemption this tournament. Ireland and Switzerland are going to be competitive, but will not be winning any medals, in my opinion. I think it could also come down to the best players again, and Japan certainly has some of those in Smeb, Westbroek, and Luffy. We could see a Cinderella story from them to earn a medal.

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13. 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. Both of these teams have stacked defenses - which team do you think has the defensive advantage in this series?

b. In the two regular season matchups, each team won once at home. Do you expect the results to reflect a home ice advantage in this series?

c. Based on FHM player ratings, New Orleans has higher average ratings in bravery, aggression, and fighting? Will that toughness have any impact on this series?

d. What is your favorite name from a player appearing in this series? Why do you like that player's name?

e. There are several animal names in this series - which of these animals is the coolest? sloth, hippo, otter, monkey, fox, kirby.

a. From a purely defensive standpoint, NOLA takes the advantage in pure defense. They lead Buffalo in shots blocked in the regular season and might have the strength advantage in the defense. Points output from their defenses are relatively similar. New Orleans will hope to shut down Buffalo's forwards -- they need to if they want to stand a chance in this series.

b. Absolutely. I could easily see this as a 6 or 7 game series, where the deciding game comes from winning away from home. We have already seen Buffalo take the first game at home, and we should be seeing a similar pattern. Fans always plays a huge role; NOLA's fans are hyped for trying to win back-to-back Champions Cups for the first time in about 25 seasons. Buffalo haven't won a Cup in 8 seasons and their fans want it more than ever.

d. Buffalo has some awesome player names. Poopity Scoop is absolutely hilarious and you feel like a 5 year old for laughing, but you can't help it. Michael Scarn is also a classic and as a fan of The Office, I have massive respect for the former FBI agent. NOLA's are good, but don't have the same level as Buffalo in my opinion. My favorite from the Spectres is Nicholas Williams -- maybe he's a long lost cousin of Edward.

e. If I had to rank them, I would say in 6th is kirby. That's not really an animal... sorry Rex. In 5th we have the fox. It's clever and smart and all, but doesn't seem as interesting or unique as the others. In 4th is the monkey. Just like the fox, it's not super unique. In 3rd I would put the hippo. It's a cool animal and a cool name. Second place goes to sloth, so in first we have the otter! Congrats Eko van Otter for having the coolest animal in your name.

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16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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: elbow

Jobin · 08-31-2020, 12:51 PM

NO PLEASE GOD NO

1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?

Overall, I am very pleased with how A Jobin performed this season. I didn't know what to think being put into a starting role of a very good team, but I think i performed as good as i could have hoped for. I was definitely helped by a very strong defensive core and I would not have done as well as I did without them in front of me blocking shots and taking away pucks. Even with that, there were a few games that I feel like I pulled out the win. Unfortunately, there were far more games where I was giving up four goals on fifteen shots. This is what i need to improve on. The thing that goalies get paid to do, not let goals in. How will I do this do you ask? You didn't? Oh, well I am going to tell you anyways. I am going to get in front of the pucks that I had not previously been getting in front of. (167 words)

3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
It's too late for this go-around of expansion, so hypothetically - should there be SHL franchises in other continents? I saw some interesting European proposals in the PT. Should these - or proposals for any other continent that's not North America -
become a reality in the SHL?

I say, why not? I can understand the restraints of a physical, real league having teams so far away. Dealing with travel times, jet lag, time zones... it's just not feasible. In our virtual league where the points don't matter and everything is made up, sure... put a team in Romania, put a team in Taiwan. The only issue is deciding how far the Eastern conference and Western conference span. I would like to now put in my bid for an expansion team, the Hamburg, Germany Lers. As the Hamburg Lers, we will tear up the Eastern conference. (103 words)

8. Graphic, 3 TPE. Think you can do better? Design a new logo for the Buffalo Stampede or the New Orleans Specters or either of the teams in the SMJHL finals.

[Image: YNvI4nu.png]

16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.

Hotdogs

13. 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.

b. In the two regular season matchups, each team won once at home. Do you expect the results to reflect a home ice advantage in this series?
I don't really know if home ice advantage is a thing in Franchise Hockey Manager 6. I don't know how it could be, so I will go with no I don't think home ice will play any factor into how this series pans out. Just a strange coincidence in the regular season. (52 words)

e. There are several animal names in this series - which of these animals is the coolest? sloth, hippo, otter, monkey, fox, kirby.

If I were choosing actual animals, I'd go with the fox. Known for their cleverness and cunning combined with basically being a cat and dog smushed together, it's really the only right choice. Hoever, because Kirby could just be all of them at will as well as any other animal he wants... Kirby. (53 words)

9. Graphic, 3 TPE Design a Challenge Cup championship ring for one of the teams in the finals. (A four-star cup championship ring for the SMJHL is ok as well.)
[Image: xTXPPnx.png]

***WannabeFinn*** · 08-31-2020, 12:52 PM

GO BUFFALO!!!!

***sve7en*** · 08-31-2020, 12:52 PM

(1, 3, 4, 11, 13, 16) 3 + 2 + 2 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 16 TPE

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1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?

Jimmy Wagner had a down year, compared to last season's collection of scoring titles, MVP awards, league recognition, and team success. While he's not scored at the same rate as last season (53 points in season 54 and 43 points in season 55), he has stood by Linus Grimstad in his crusade for the league MVP title. Outside of scoring, the young Austrian's game has continued to improve though, as his dominance of the ice continued. He once again was in the top of the league for shot differential and goal differential, while improving his defensive point shares by almost double from last season to this season. While Wagner wasn't looked on to preform as much as the prior season due to the roster around him growing up, he still played an excellent part in the roster and often led by example. Only one thing remains before this season can be considered as good as the last, a second title.

160 words

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3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)

It's too late for this go-around of expansion, so hypothetically - should there be SHL franchises in other continents? I saw some interesting European proposals in the PT. Should these - or proposals for any other continent that's not North America - become a reality in the SHL?

The SHL shouldn't leave North America. There's something to be said for European users enjoying having more personally relevant cities and teams, but there's an appreciable sense of belief about the league as it is if you choose to embrace it. All the teams could exist in an alternate universe and the logistical hurdle of a multi continent league would require some suspension of disbelief for some users. There's still plenty of good cities to settle teams in, and the cities allow for drawing traditional rivalries such as New York vs Boston and allow for fun parallels to the NHL teams and their interactions as well.

106 words

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4. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)

Which SHL or SMJHL team was the best team to not make the finals this season and why?

The best team to not make the finals in the J has to be either Carolina or Newfoundland, whoever doesn't make it out of their bloodbath of a semifinal. The top two teams dominated the Eastern conference, carrying their top two regular season finishes into first round byes. Both teams were favored to meet in the finals and with no disrespect meant to Kelowna or Maine, both would be expected to fall to even the loser of the meeting of two behemoths in the league. Both teams have elite goaltending backed by tremendously deep scoring rosters. Also, special honorary mention to the Anchorage Scoochies who weren't far behind this season, and had a goalie who could easily take four games off any team.

123 words

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11. Graphic, 3 TPE

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

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13. 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. Both of these teams have stacked defenses - which team do you think has the defensive advantage in this series?

b. In the two regular season matchups, each team won once at home. Do you expect the results to reflect a home ice advantage in this series?

c. Based on FHM player ratings, New Orleans has higher average ratings in bravery, aggression, and fighting? Will that toughness have any impact on this series?

d. What is your favorite name from a player appearing in this series? Why do you like that player's name?

e. There are several animal names in this series - which of these animals is the coolest? sloth, hippo, otter, monkey, fox, kirby.

a. The defensive advantage has to go to Buffalo in this series. While New Orleans has an elite top pair and a third top pairing guy on their second pair, it's hard to compete with what Buffalo has brought to the table with arguably the best two defenders in the league and a better anchor to their second unit.

58 words

b. I expect home ice to matter greatly in this series. While home ice only gives a 55% chance to win in the NHL, anecdotally it feels like teams play better at home in FHM and there's home ice advantage built into the rules of hockey with the last change. Even if there's no change to player performance, the rules do favor the home team slightly.

65 words

e. The fox is the coolest animal of the ones listed. Not only are they cute as all hell, they are commonly portrayed as clever, cunning, roguish, and charming. The only other one that comes close is the otter, but they lack the cool factor provided by portrayals such as Disney's Robin Hood.

52 words

3 TPE

Code:
16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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: phone

*slothfacekilla* · 08-31-2020, 12:53 PM

1. Welfare Claim - NSFL PT

Code:
3 TPE

2.

Code:
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?

Jimmy Slothface did really well on the ice this season, putting up the best season of his career so far. He ended up with 64 points which was good for eighth place in total league scoring. I was in a race with Monkey D. Luffy for a bit there for the points lead, so I hoped that maybe I would keep it up and get some award nominations, but I slowed down as the season progressed and others shot ahead of me. I think me not having a MVP caliber season wasn't a surprise though, so I wasn't really disappointed. I believe I also set the New Orleans Specters franchise record for total points in a season, so I cannot really be mad at that. Next year will be my first season in regression, but I hope that I can keep up this play and have another really strong season so that my career looks a little better when this is all said and done.

Code:
165 words - 3 TPE

3.

Code:
3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)

It's too late for this go-around of expansion, so hypothetically - should there be SHL franchises in other continents? I saw some interesting European proposals in the PT. Should these - or proposals for any other continent that's not North America -

become a reality in the SHL?

No wonder hotdog got a team, he was able to see other proposals! Jokes aside, I do think that there should be teams on other continents. Obviously in the real world that is not entirely feasible, and I think the NFL considering putting a team in London is pretty absurd. But this is a sim league, and while we strive to achieve some realism I do not think hypothetical travel for these teams is really something that is something that is crucial for my immersion. But we have people in our community from all over the world, and I think we might be able to draw even more people in if we have representation from around the world. Plus it would open us up to more branding options which I think could be great for mixing up the overall look of teams.

Code:
142 words - 2 TPE

4.

Code:
4. 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 have to say that the Edmonton Blizzard are the best team to not make the finals this season. The Blizzard have built a really strong lineup up and down their roster, and they always give us a lot of fits when we play them. I thought New Orleans was going to cruise to an easy Western championship in the regular season, but Edmonton surged ahead of us. They also played us extremely close in the Western finals, pushing us to a game seven and a one goal win to prevail over them. Last season we went to six games against them, so it is always a tough road through Edmonton. I think they are one of the powerhouses in the league, and between us two teams we represent the best.

Code:
131 words - 2 TPE

5.

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

What are your predictions for the upcoming IIHF or WJC tournament? What team do you think will win/surprise people/be bad/etc.?

With FHM, I think we will see largely the same teams at the top of the IIHF tournament this offseason. I imagine that Canada and USA will be very strong and both will be pushing for the medal rounds. Hopefully USA will start their correct goalies this time around! I'm sure Czechia will also be good again. With their strong leadership and roster they always seem to be hanging around the top of the standings. I do think that Great Britain will be able to medal again as our roster just keeps getting stronger and stronger. I think this may be the peak, or at least close to the peak, for a large part of our roster. Maybe we can surprise a few people and take home the gold this season! It would be tough but with our roster I think we have it in us. Otherwise I do not think there will be too many surprises in this IIHF tournament.

Code:
161 words - 3 TPE

6.

Code:
16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.

Submitted, verification: hotdogonlygotoneleg

Code:
Did google form - 3 TPE

16 Total TPE

***Acsolap*** · 08-31-2020, 12:53 PM

1.

It was kind of a mixed bag season for Rex Kirkby. He tied his single season points record so it might sound funny that I feel like his season was kind of disappointing. Even though he spent large portions of the season over point per game ultimately his production tapered off heavily towards the end of the season and he surrendered the Stevens limply to Karlstrasse Scholz who never seemed to let up apart from a game or two here and there. Following that New Orleans went on a strong run through some great teams to end up making it back to the Challenge Cup finals the season after winning it. A big part of that was Kirkby putting up strong numbers offensively and defensively in their series' vs Calgary and Edmonton. However in the finals he once again struggled to score and the Specters lost out to Buffalo in 7, although did provide strong play in his own end of the ice.

[163]

5.

No real surprise here and completely bias is the fact that I think that Great Britain will go on to win the whole tournament. Outside of some funky seasons or where the fed heads just didn't turn up GBR has been a contender for more or less ten seasons now and their roster is only getting better. Aged veteran super stars like Rex Kirkby, Reginald MacIntyre and Ray Bork are slowly getting pushed down the line up by a lot of top level players reaching their peak like Jimmy Slothface, Guy Zheng and Nick Brain as well as some really promising talent coming into the line up as well in Vorian Atriedes and Tom Fiddler. While Canada and the United States have the benefit of having huge player pools to choose from they can only ice 20 guys and Great Britain more than matches up for them at all positions on the ice and I think are a great shout to go all the way this season.

[167]

13.
a.

I think it is a very evenly matched series when it comes to defensive corps but ultimately I have to give the edge to New Orleans. Not only do they have the outstanding pro and shl legend Charlie Serpe they also are not weighed down by having to carry Cassius Darrow around the ice.

b.

With how close the two teams are I would expect home advantage to play a major part in this playoff series. Having last change allows the team to dictate the tempo and the line matching and any small edge is a huge boost to the team holding it. If the series goes to seven it will probably be the defining feature.

c.

I actually think that this will be a disadvantage to New Orleans. Staying out of the box is going to be paramount in order to limit the other teams man advantage opportunities and having an extra aggressive edge is likely to put you on the penalty kill more often than not.

d.

Rex Kirkby is my favourite player name in this series and that is entirely biased. It is my favourite because I chose it and also because it is both the only Rex and only Kirkby in simulation hockey league history and I like the uniqueness of it. My cat is also called Rex.

e.

Without a doubt the Otter has to be the best animal on this list. Cute, furry and kind of like little water puppies. Sure the hippo is basically the ultimate killing machine and Kirby is arguably the more superior animal but there is just something so nice about otters that I feel like I can't pass them over.

14.

With the finals now over my player of the series's would probably go to Evok's player Elizabeth Doyle. Even though Doyle was largely outplayed by Aleister Cain during the series and players like Munky D Luffy scored a lot of points and rightfully could lay claim to bring the player of the series Doyle was more or less responsible for Buffalo even lifting the cup. Early in overtime in game 7 New Orleans had a break away which in FHM are almost guaranteed goals but Doyle managed to stop it and thus kept buffalo alive so they were able to eventually go on and win.

[105]

16.

boats

Credit to Ml002, King, Wasty, Carpy, Bruins10, Rum_Ham, Turd Ferguson, Ragnar and Enigmatic for the sigs.
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Player page | Player updates

SFresh3 · 08-31-2020, 12:54 PM

(1, 2, 3, 8, 13, 16) 3 + 3 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 3 = 16 TPE

Quote:1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?

Entering into the second season in the Juniors, my role on the Anaheim Outlaws was being expanded upon. I was to be placed on the 1st line alongside Ethan Price and Rikard Hammarberg, who I was line mates with in Season 54. The team was relying much more on my time on the ice, and with my set up skills to get Ethan Price the puck in scoring while we’re on the ice together. I was able to score 10 Goals and get 19 Apples through the season, but the Assists were much less than I was looking to get for the Season. One of the contributing factors to that would be Anaheim trading away Rikard Hammarberg at the Trade Deadline to Maine for some picks in the upcoming Season 56 Draft. This threw off a bit of my groove midseason as I had to start to gel with the new 1st line Center, Hubert Andrews. Having half a season of chemistry with Hubert will hopefully transition into Season 56 and mean more scoring both in Goals and Assists. (179 words)

Quote:2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

This offseason will be extra exciting, as it features the rare expansion draft! Write about how you think the expansion draft will play out, either for one or both of the expansion teams or from an SHL team's perspective.

The Expansion Draft will be such an interesting spectacle in all aspects of it. The thing I’m most looking forward to is the chess match that the Expansion Draft will offer. Since only 2 players can be picked per team, once that second player is picked, no more can be selected from that team. So if one of the GMs make a pick from the team, and are looking to snag someone else later in the Draft process, the opposing GM could, knowingly or unknowingly, shut that down by taking another player from that team and screw over the plans for the other GM. Seeing that Tig has the first pick for the Draft and since Hotdog will have to pick himself from Buffalo in the last round, Tig could (and I think should) make his first pick from one of the other Buffalo players that were left unprotected to completely block out the rest of those players from Hotdog. The same can just as easily be done by Hotdog with the Hamilton players that were left unprotected, but that list is much shorter than Buffalo’s unprotected (4 vs 8). (190 words)

Quote:3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
It's too late for this go-around of expansion, so hypothetically - should there be SHL franchises in other continents? I saw some interesting European proposals in the PT. Should these - or proposals for any other continent that's not North America -
become a reality in the SHL?

I think that an international team could technically work because there isn’t actually any travel time needed for a simulated hockey league that is in a made up reality, but if we were trying to be as realistic as possible, anything overseas would be not feasible in the real world with the logistics. The time difference from all of the flying to and from the non-North American team would be a massive advantage to the home team. Some of the Western teams would have about a 10 hour time difference for their local fans to be able to watch any of the games, so most of the games would be at a time where most would be at work for games on a week day. (125 words)

Quote:8. Graphic, 3 TPE.
Think you can do better? Design a new logo for the Buffalo Stampede or the New Orleans Specters or either of the teams in the SMJHL finals.

Your new Buffalo Stampede logo:
[Image: AcQIoZQ.jpg]

Quote:13. 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.
b. In the two regular season matchups, each team won once at home. Do you expect the results to reflect a home ice advantage in this series?
d. What is your favorite name from a player appearing in this series? Why do you like that player's name?

b. Both of these teams are a force to be reckoned with, and if either can take a game off of the other when they are on the road will definitely be a boost to the chances for whichever team can manage to do that. Once the momentum starts to swing one direction in this matchup, I feel like it’ll be hard to overcome that for the other team. (68 words)
d. Monkey D. Luffy is my favorite name out of all of the Players in the SHL Finals. I’ve been a huge One Piece fan for the last 10 years, reading the manga weekly that whole time. So seeing his name pop up on the Play by Play always makes me chuckle. (51 words)

Quote:16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.

Fresh

***Faelax*** · 08-31-2020, 12:55 PM

PH for Buffalo's 3rd cup

Code:
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?

This was my last season in juniors, but also my first with the new expansion team, the Quebec City Citadelles. We were hoping this season to just do the best that we can, maybe make some noise in the playoffs. Didn't want to set the expectations too high, considering we have 16 rookies on the roster. But, this season went way better than any of us could have hoped. We went a respectable 17-32-1, which included a nice winning streak in the middle. I set a new career high with 35 points, 17 of which were goals. I have some a long way in the scoring department since my rookie season where I only scored 5 goals. The real fun, however, came in the playoffs. We managed to upset the 7 seed Anaheim Outlaws in 6 games to win the Citadelle's first ever playoff series in our first season. The party we threw after that game was legendary, and I'm sure you will hear about it in the media soon enough. 171 words

Code:
2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

This offseason will be extra exciting, as it features the rare expansion draft! Write about how you think the expansion draft will play out, either for one or both of the expansion teams or from an SHL team's perspective.

The expansion draft coming up this off season is going to be really interesting. I for one am curious to see how Seattle and Atlanta decide to approach the draft. Will one of them go for all of the top players available and try to compete right off the bat, similar to how the New Orleans Specters did? I would imagine at least one of them goes for the Chicago Syndicate approach of building for the future by taking the younger talent, and trying to compete in a few seasons. With the S53 players not being auto protected, there are some really good names out there from my class, and a few from the previous two classes as well. The expansion draft will surely shake up some of the top teams in the league, making their managers lose sleep over deciding who to protect and who to expose. I think both teams will get a good haul, and both will turn out to be good teams, maybe as early as next season. 172 words

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

What are your predictions for the upcoming IIHF or WJC tournament? What team do you think will win/surprise people/be bad/etc.?

I will be playing at both the World Junior Championships and the International Ice Hockey Federation Championships again this season, representing the British Isles and Team Ireland respectively. For the British Isles, we are hoping to come back strong after last seasons Silver medal. The goal is to get another medal, preferably a Gold to send out our strong S53 group on a high note. Between myself, Edward Williams, Patric Twist, and Frederick Wanesly, we have an elite top end and great depth through the lineup, and a strong goalie tandem in Bloomfield and Ramsay, so I feel great about our chances to win. On the IIHF side of things, Team Ireland is hoping to get back into the medal round this year, building on the good round robin performance we had last season. We came up a little short, but the young guys have gotten better, and the older guys are still on top of their game. Regardless of what happens, international play is always a blast, and this season should be no different! 175 words

Code:
13. 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. Both of these teams have stacked defenses - which team do you think has the defensive advantage in this series?

b. In the two regular season matchups, each team won once at home. Do you expect the results to reflect a home ice advantage in this series?

c. Based on FHM player ratings, New Orleans has higher average ratings in bravery, aggression, and fighting? Will that toughness have any impact on this series?

d. What is your favorite name from a player appearing in this series? Why do you like that player's name?

d. There are several animal names in this series - which of these animals is the coolest? sloth, hippo, otter, monkey, fox, kirby.

A. I gotta give the edge to Buffalo here in the defensive category. Between the elite top pairing of Scoop/Darrow, Selich, who would be a top guy on almost every other team, the two young guns in Wang and Owens, and the ever reliable former Bojo Biscuit winner Vanderberg, the Stampede's defense is the best in the league for a reason. 61 words
B. Home ice is going to be very important in this series. Both teams play their best game at home when they can get the favorable line changes, so it's up to both coaches to try and work around that when they are on the road. I think that the series will go to whoever gets the first road win. 60 words
C. New Orleans may have the edge in the "Grit" stats of Bravery, Aggression, and Fighting, but Buffalo is no push over team. The Stampede play with a physical edge, and they aren't afraid to block shots or throw a big hit. While the Specters may have that advantage over other teams, the Stampede won't back down from a physical series. 61 words
D. The Buffalo Zoo is one of the oldest and highest rated zoos in the country, and that spills over into the Stampede, where their players named after animals are far superior to those on the Specters. The Hippo is one of the most terrifying animals in nature, and Hippo Passamus is no different on the ice. Monkeys are nimble little creatures who are good at getting around and causing mischief, and Luffy is no different. He uses his incredible skill and finesse to dangle around anyone who gets in his way, much like a monkey would use its great agility to run away from a zookeeper after taking something it wasn't supposed to have. 115 words

Code:
16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.

Third

LordBirdman · 08-31-2020, 12:58 PM

Code:
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?

Sven Svenson had a strong regular season in his last year for the Colorado Raptors. He finished the season with 27 goals and 20 assists, good for 47 points in 50 games. While coming just short of his goal to reach a point per game, Sven is pleased with the progress he made throughout juniors and the season he had. Over his time in the J, Sven went from 17 points, to 33, to 38, to 47 for a grand total of 135 points in 200 SMJHL games played. Sven wishes the Raptors could’ve made a deeper run in the playoffs, as his team never won a playoff series. It’s frustrating for him to think back and wonder what could have been if the stars aligned and everyone played well at the right times. Sven certainly isn’t blameless, as he posted big numbers in the regular season but seemingly disappeared in the playoffs (including 1 G, 1A and -4 in 6 games this series).

Code:
2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

This offseason will be extra exciting, as it features the rare expansion draft! Write about how you think the expansion draft will play out, either for one or both of the expansion teams or from an SHL team's perspective.

The expansion draft will be very interesting to witness. For expansion GMs, they have to be able to balance building a team that can hold the interest of the players while still building for a brighter future. I think it’s going to be pretty hard to strike that balance, with existing teams only letting either their older players or youngest prospects be available to be selected. I think Cassius Darrow will go first overall because he is a renowned user on the site, known to be a positive locker room presence, and despite facing regression can still hold down a 1D spot for a budding franchise for season to come. I also expect Bo Kane to be selected relatively early. He is an interesting player in that his desire for a large contract are known and will be a free agent after the inaugural expansion season. Taking a risk on a player like this could really work out for that team if they are able to get a long term deal to tie up Kane through his prime. However, Kane also might want to go to a team with a good shot at the cup – he could be a costly one and done player for an expansion team.

Code:
3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)

It's too late for this go-around of expansion, so hypothetically - should there be SHL franchises in other continents? I saw some interesting European proposals in the PT. Should these - or proposals for any other continent that's not North America -

become a reality in the SHL?

Yes, Europe should have teams. Scheduling is already unrealistic for travel times, with teams apparently flying all over the North America for back to backs. I understand the desire to keep an “NHL” type of feel to the league, but I think the pros of having teams in Europe would outweigh the cons. First, it’s just really cool to imagine having a “super league” of sorts that has the best teams from all over the world. In our super league SHL universe, the owners of the league have invested in a Space X like company that has developed suborbital transport ships for teams to travel anywhere in the globe in an hour. With that taken care of, having teams in hockey hot beds like Sweden, Finland, Czechia, Slovakia, Russia, and Germany and Austria is both really cool to me, a North American user, as well as European users.

Code:
4. 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 SMJHL team to not make the finals this season will be either the Carolina Kraken or the Newfoundland Berserkers. These teams match up in the conference finals and finished as the #1 or #2 seed in the league. While this matchup is due to a fluke in the FHM playoff system, in a more typical format these teams would likely be meeting each other in the Eastern Conference finals anyway. NL and CAR finished with 76 and 75 points, respectively, incredibly impressive point percentages for 50 games. Both teams put up 184+ goals and let in 105 goals or fewer, scoring over 3 goals a game while just barely letting up over 2.

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

What are your predictions for the upcoming IIHF or WJC tournament? What team do you think will win/surprise people/be bad/etc.?

My predictions for the WJC are that Sweden will get over the hump and win gold. Sweden has iced a number of good teams in recent seasons, having collected a few bronzes and silvers along the way. While the team didn’t compete for a medal last WJC, they bring back a strong core group of players that is hungry to get back to the top of the podium. The team also has a budding group of youngsters that is ready to take the next steps in their SMJHL development. Sweden has recently been in a weird spot of not being a powerhouse big country in the SHL IIHF, but also isn’t a tiny one that needs to join into a federation. Because of that, the team can’t compete on talent alone and has to get creative in optimizing tactics, playing players out of position, and transferring in abandoned talent whenever possible. The team gets treated like a big country in the transfer rules, which is understandable but also frustrating.

Code:
16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.

bubble

Obsidian311 · 08-31-2020, 01:00 PM

Code:
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?

Blunt man had a great season in season 55. He improved greatly filling in for the departed Frans Eller who took over the job in New England after Benjamin Blue decided he didn't want to be a part of their team. Blunt Man had a successful regular season posting a .920 save % and a 1.99 GAA along with his rotation partner RART, they led the Carolina Kraken to the 2nd best record in the SMJHL and Blunt Man led the way for the Kraken to take the Newfoundland Berserkers to game 7 where they would ultimately fall 2-0. I would like to thank the Defense for all of their hard work and of course the GM's for all of the things they did to put us in position to win all season long. I would say I didn't meet my goals this season as the goal always has to be to win a championship but the future looks bright and I think that with Blunt Man between the pipes the Kraken will be right back in the thick of things next season.

Code:
2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

This offseason will be extra exciting, as it features the rare expansion draft! Write about how you think the expansion draft will play out, either for one or both of the expansion teams or from an SHL team's perspective.

I think that the last expansion with the Specters becoming a contender so fast will make teams hesitant to allow players to talk to the expansion teams. This is going to make their search for players that want to be there a lot harder and make it harder for them to become instant contenders. I think a big part of New Orleans being so good so quick was them being able to get Fletcher, Czerkawski, Williams, Smyth, Joe K, Physt, and Augustus right off the bat. That is a championship core in and of itself not to mention all the young players they got in the expansion draft like Stevenson Jr and Cain and then the fillers they got like Kaiser and Eastwood. I don't see either of the expansion teams being able to do that this time around without some tampering involved. Now to be fair there are still going to be conversations behind closed doors and I know some low lever prospects that are definitely interested in playing for the expansion teams at some point in their career.

Code:
3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)

It's too late for this go-around of expansion, so hypothetically - should there be SHL franchises in other continents? I saw some interesting European proposals in the PT. Should these - or proposals for any other continent that's not North America - become a reality in the SHL?

I don't see why it would be a problem for the league to expand outside of North America. With travel not being an issue it really shouldn't matter what they are called. If West Kendall can have a team for so long, there should be able to be a team in Russia, Ireland, The UK, etc... I wouldn't mind seeing teams like the Alaska Ice Fishers, the London Tea Cups, the Dublin Boozers. If we are really wanting to stick to realistic expectations for travel for the teams then what are we even doing? Let a team move off the continent and stop wasting it on the same boring cities over and over. No one wants hockey in Seattle, they just want coffee and to know that they are worse than Portland Smile

Code:
4. 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 Carolina Kraken and it isn't even close. Carolina was the 2nd best team in the regular season and pushed the top team to the final game of the series and it took an out of this world performance by Cale Amundsen to keep the Kraken from attempting to repeat as champions. The Kraken were solid from front to back with amazing forwards, defense, and goaltending. There wasn't a weak spot on this team this season and they will look to come back and show the same thing next season as they chase another cup. Time will tell if they make it back to the finals next season but if I was a betting man I wouldn't want to be betting against fuzz.

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

What are your predictions for the upcoming IIHF or WJC tournament? What team do you think will win/surprise people/be bad/etc.?

I really only know UCORCAL so I will stick with them. I hope they perform well. Being left off the team after being one of the top goalies in the round robin last season has left a sour taste in my mouth but now I have to hope for the pride of my country that they perform well on the ice this season while I get to take a couple weeks off to prepare for the next SMJHL season. Name Redacted got out dueled by Blunt Man in the Quarterfinals of this seasons playoffs and Thor Odinson wasn't up to the task in Detroit while Blunt Man has shown that he will often put his team on his back and will them to victory. If the goalies of UCORCAL struggle one would then have to wonder if the GM's made a mistake. If they do perform well then congrats to them on making a good choice.

Code:
16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.

Blunt

Total 13+Trivia

***hockeyiscool*** · 08-31-2020, 01:05 PM

Code:

Code:
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.) 

Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?

Upon reflecting on the my regular season with the Carolina Kraken, I hate to say it but the truth is that I am a bit disappointed with the regular season results. I was hoping to be a 20/20 player; scoring twenty goals and having twenty assists. I fell short of scoring twenty goals- I only had fourteen goals on the season shooting a measly 10.85 shooting percentage. I did reach the personal goal of having over twenty assists I ended up having twenty-three assists on the season. I think a primary reason why I didn't reach twenty goals and twenty assists is because the way our line was utilized. Playing on the second line, it was used to primarily match-up against the opponents first line and neutralize them, so we did meet the coaches goal. Another reason why I don't think I got 20 goals this season is because of the limited use on the power play. If you compare the league leaders in points I have one of the lowest amount of power play time in the top 50 point scorers across the league, in fact the only player with more points than me while having less than 45 seconds of power play time on ice per game is my line-mate Kwame Dakari. I have no idea what i'll try to do better next season. For the time being, I don't even know if I'll still be playing for the Kraken.

(252 words)

Code:

Code:
2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

This offseason will be extra exciting, as it features the rare expansion draft! Write about how you think the expansion draft will play out, either for one or both of the expansion teams or from an SHL team's perspective.

It makes a ton of sense to have the league expand. I think the expansion draft will start with Tig selecting towards winning sooner than later as the west will be weakening. Tig should select with the first overall pick either Keith Lee or Cassius Darrow. It will probably be Darrow--who I think will end up being the Co-GM. With the second pick in the expansion draft Hot Dog should take Keith Lee if he's still available and Samat Beibitzhanov third. Seattle should then select Kaarlo Kekkonen with their 4th pick and Alexander Wachter with their 5th pick in the expansion draft. With the 6th pick ATL should Trade away their 6th pick to Seattle for a S57 1st where Seattle then selects Oliver Cleary. Atl then selects Chris de Siren with the 7th overall pick. Seattle then chooses Theo Morgan with the 8th pick and Bo Kane with the 9th pick. Hot Dog then selects Luca Veccelli with the 10th pick overall. That's my prediction of the first 10 picks of the expansion draft. I will predict that Seattle will draft to win in the next 5 seasons, where Atlanta will draft to win in the future.

(203 words)

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3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)

It's too late for this go-around of expansion, so hypothetically - should there be SHL franchises in other continents? I saw some interesting European proposals in the PT. Should these - or proposals for any other continent that's not North America -

become a reality in the SHL?

I would really like to see the Jakarta dragons in the SHL. They are a bit separated from the traditional SHL viewing area, but with a population of over one billion, It's an untapped market where profit potential is through the roof. I think they would be a natural fit in the west going against the Calgary dragons, instant rivalry. One of the potential downsides of having an arena in Jakarta is that as a city it suffers from gradually sinking. I think the dragons could have a really neat logo, I think they may even have a stadium named "the Big Chicken Swarma". [equal or greater to 100 words minimum]

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11. Graphic, 3 TPE

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

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13. 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. Both of these teams have stacked defenses - which team do you think has the defensive advantage in this series?

b. In the two regular season matchups, each team won once at home. Do you expect the results to reflect a home ice advantage in this series?

c. Based on FHM player ratings, New Orleans has higher average ratings in bravery, aggression, and fighting? Will that toughness have any impact on this series?

d. What is your favorite name from a player appearing in this series? Why do you like that player's name?

e. There are several animal names in this series - which of these animals is the coolest? sloth, hippo, otter, monkey, fox, kirby.

a.) When it comes to defense this series could sway either way. I must give a slight edge to New Orleans on the defensive side of the game. They have a more solid top 4 when it comes to defense with their only weak spot being Darnell Johnson but even he is as stout as they come. Buffalo's defensive skill is nothing to scoff at however I don't think it has enough depth to overcome NOLA.(78 words)

b.) I surely hope that the regular season match-ups reflect the home ice advantage in this coming series. That would bring us to a game 7. It's what the fans want, they want two juggernauts to go head to head and watch some high quality hockey with both sides being pushed to their limits, it gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. (63 words)

c.) I wish stats like bravery and aggression would play a significant role in the results of this series. I doubt it will, but I can hope. I have a ton of respect for teams that go out there and display true grit. Fighting, I have less admiration for additionally you need a partner to fight against, I doubt anyone from Buffalo would be willing to drop the gloves. (68 words)

d.) I wish I could say my favorite player name in this finals were my boy Jimmy Slothface, but Hippo Passamus is my favorite name in this finals. The reason why is I think Hippopotamus are the coolest animal, in additon to the comedy that is the imagery of a pessimistic hippo. I laugh just thinking about it. (57 words)
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16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.

D.K.

CW Tasks: 18/16 because I've developed an anxiety Wink

notoriousTRON · 08-31-2020, 01:08 PM

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1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)

Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?

Coming into S55 Rhys thought that he might have an outside shot at rookie of the year. Knowing that he would be given a 2nd line role as well as ample time on special teams for a team that had produced ROTY candidates the past few seasons in Bobby Lane and Ruslan Zaporozhets, Rhys thought he could be the next young breakout North Star forward. However once the season started, he struggled to get into any kind of scoring rhythm on a struggling Toronto team and ended the season with just 18 points (8 goals and 10 assists). Rhys did, however, have a great year in terms of possession, registering just 19 giveaways against 26 takeaways. Pritchard takes pride in his defensive game, so that differential is something that he’ll look to build on next season. Rhys is happy to take away a couple more positives from his two-way game in that he registered 94 hits which ranked 20th among all SHL forwards along with 77 blocked shots. Still, Rhys would like to make more of an impact on the score sheet next season.

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3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.) 

It's too late for this go-around of expansion, so hypothetically - should there be SHL franchises in other continents? I saw some interesting European proposals in the PT. Should these - or proposals for any other continent that's not North America - 

become a reality in the SHL?

I don’t like the idea of having unrealistic travel become a part of the SHL. Including teams in Europe would be a fun twist, but it would personally ruin my immersion in the league. Playing back to backs in two different cities with a 16 hour flight in between wouldn’t make sense in real life. One idea that I could get behind, however would be to make an all European league. You could do a North American Conference and a European Conference and have them play only teams in their own conference. Then the champion of each conference could meet each other for a ‘world champion’ title on the line. All that said, I’d prefer to leave it as is.

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4. 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’m not a fan of seeing the same teams make the finals every year, so I’m happy to see Buffalo here in the big series. That said, Hamilton is a team that is loaded top to bottom with talent. Aaron Wilson and Dick Clapper put up ridiculous point totals this season, with Wilson leading the league with 75 points. In addition to those two, the Steelhawks board Robert Phelps, Hugh Jazz, Flacko Lagerfield at forward as well as a stacked defense of Gabriel Johnson, Guy Zheng, Tig Murphy and Akashi SixNine. Hamilton surprisingly finished third in the East with a 33-14-3 record, but the sheer volume of talent they have on their roster makes them the best team to not make the finals in my opinion.

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6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.) The world's hottest app is TikTok - which SHL or SMJHL player would have the biggest following on TikTok? What do they post there?

One player that I've found to be an interesting follow on twitter is Augustus Wang. He’s a very controversial and outspoken personality who is plugging his brand of weed or vapes or whatever at every turn. He’s certainly not a role model that you would want your kids looking up to, but he’s also the kind of personality that you can’t turn away from just to see what he’ll do or say next. If he had a TikTok, he’d definitely be someone that I’d want to follow. Honorable mention would be (Clean) Andrei Kostitsyn. I’d love to see videos about how he’s trying to find his brother Sergei and helping the metalbirds win at hockey.

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13. 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. Both of these teams have stacked defenses - which team do you think has the defensive advantage in this series?

b. In the two regular season matchups, each team won once at home. Do you expect the results to reflect a home ice advantage in this series?

c. Based on FHM player ratings, New Orleans has higher average ratings in bravery, aggression, and fighting? Will that toughness have any impact on this series?

d. What is your favorite name from a player appearing in this series? Why do you like that player's name?

d. There are several animal names in this series - which of these animals is the coolest? sloth, hippo, otter, monkey, fox, kirby.

a. There’s a lot to like from both defenses in this series. Poopity Scoop is probably the highest profile defender in this series, and he is joined by Cassius Darrow, Alexander Selich, Nicholas Owens, Augustus Wang and Eric Vanderberg to form probably the deepest and star studded defense in the SHL. Buffalo would be my pick for the defensive advantage.

b. I do expect home ice advantage to play a role in this series. FHM appears to take home ice into account to some extent, and although it’s not the deciding factor, it can definitely make a difference. I expect each team to perform well at home and since BUF has home ice, I’d be surprised if they don’t walk away with the cup.

c. I think it has been well documented that New Orleans is trying to use a very physical style to win games with a good deal of effectiveness. The prevailing wisdom (perhaps a holdover from the STHS era) that physicality doesn’t win game in the SHL, but the Spectors are a living refutation of that premise. I think Buffalo will win this series, but New Orleans’ grinding style will give them fits and make it a long, competitive series.

d. If I were to rank them:
1. Hippo Passamus – always makes me laugh
2. Eko van Otter – I just think his name is a good mix of realistic and ridiculous
3. Monkey D. Luffy – Is his character a monkey or is it just a weird name for a human. Need some commitment here. Can’t argue with the player build tho.
4. Michael Fox – I feel like we’re just ripping off celebrity names at this point. Shaky at best.
5. Rex Kirkby – Kirby is not an animal. How is this included in this question.

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16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.

cymru

TOTAL TPE 16/16

Sig Cred: Carpy, ML, RainDelay, Donini & Geekusoid

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