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charlieconway · 09-01-2020, 03:43 AM

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?

Individually, Adam Barron had an... okay season. More points than last season, but less than the year before. I was thrilled to see my +/- climb from the year prior, that was a nice improvement. Maybe it's unfair to expect my player to play better defense when I tend to spend most of my TPE in the offensive category, but for an offensive defenseman I think I have pretty good defensive attributes.
I was thrilled to win gold with Team Canada. I really felt that in the past several seasons we'd been unlucky not to medal, and finally Canada has taken its rightful spot at the top of the pecking order. The Jets missing the playoffs again hurts, but we have a young squad that's just getting into gear, so while it stings to still be waiting for my first ever SHL playoff game, I'm very hopeful moving forward.
Before next season, I'm hoping to have some stronger fundamentals: agility, balance, and strength are all targets to improve before S56. I'm hoping that the Jets can sneak that 4th playoff spot in the West, but only time will tell. ■

[189 words, +3 TPE]

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 want to say no, since I think having the SHL be comprised of NA teams like the NHL makes the most sense to me in terms of general flavor. But at the same time, I understand why someone would answer yes.
The world is becoming more and more connected, and intercontinental travel has grown more trivial with every passing technological advancement in transportation. Is it really that out of this world to have teams based on another continent? Especially when you consider that this is all fake and the exhaustion of travel is something that’s not simulated in-engine.
I’m a member of the Grass Roots Soccer League, where there are teams based in both Europe and the Americas. On the one hand, it seems odd to me to have such far-off clubs competing in the same league, especially when there are just six of them total (Casper, Key West, Mexico City, Paris, Warsaw, Malta). But then maybe soccer is something that has a more international appeal in the first place.
Professional hockey, in my mind, is centered on the North American continent. There are leagues in Europe and Asia, but the NHL is the foremost among them all, and as long as the SHL is using the NHL as a basis of inspiration, then I think it makes the most sense to keep its expansion teams in NA as well. ■

[231 words, +2 TPE]

Quote: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 am absolutely blown away by the fact that the Blizzard haven't made the finals. Fair enough that the Specters gave them all they could handle in the Western Conference Finals, but when you look at that roster, it boggles the mind that they didn't have what it takes to move on.
In net, Emiko Spektor should be more than talented enough to hold the line. They have a few studs on the blue line in McIntyre, Scholz, and Finn-Rhys. Theo Morgan is, in my opinion, the league’s most capable goal scorer. Julio Tokolosh is just coming off a season that saw him nominated for league MVP, and Kane, Pepperoni, Boivin, Truong, and Forty-One all round out one of the league’s best top-6. ■

[123 words, +2 TPE]

Quote: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.?

In the interest of positivity, I’d rather focus on teams I expect to do well.
Japan: Monkey D. Luffy and Daniel Smeb are at their peak right now, as proven by their performances in the S55 regular season for Buffalo and Chicago respectively. They have an up and coming defense with Zizagooney, Dayudie, Ren, Owens, and Sato. Westbroek joins Luffy and D. Smeb as an offensive weapon that can hang with any other nation’s best forwards.
Great Britain: A lot of S46 players on their roster, who are playing their peak season right now. Cloutier, Slothface, Brian, Zheng, Morgan… an insane amount of TPE at their disposal. Rex Kirkby is getting gray in the beard but just had one of his best seasons for the Specters and I’m expecting him to dominate yet again for Team GB. And finally, Luca Del Vecchio is coming into his own between the pipes. They have a well-rounded squad and I’m expecting them to reach the semis at the very least.
Canada: It’s really sad to see that Robert Phelps has played his last game for Team Canada at the IIHF level… but last year’s gold medal win was one hell of a way to go out. I’m assuming Chicago’s Ryan Shepard will step in for the wily veteran, and after a great season with the Syndicate, he’ll be looking to put his mark on international hockey once again. Canada remains one of the younger teams at the tournament, and I’m very excited to see if we can win again as reigning champions. ■

[259 words, +3 TPE]

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.
a. Both of these teams have stacked defenses - which team do you think has the defensive 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?

a) Buffalo, for sure. They have better defenders, and more of them. Odelein III, Claude, Smyth and Kirkby are no slouches but I think the high-end talent of Selich, Darrow, Scoop, and Wang edge them out. Fair play to Rex Kirkby though, I think he has a chance of taking home the Anton Razov for Playoff MVP should the Specters win the Challenge Cup.
c) Maybe it should, but I don’t think toughness really has any extra benefit in FHM. In fact, it might have the opposite effect: a higher aggression means a player is more willing to use physicality to get their way, meaning they go for a hit or trip instead of a stick check or zoning out their opponent. Fighting is great and all… until one of your top players is sitting in the box for 5 minutes, all for a momentum boost that may not even exist. Bravery, I assume, is a positive stat across the board, though I think in the end this series won’t be decided by physical play, but rather who can frustrate the other team’s offense with a greater efficiency.
d) I like alliteration in names, so for that reason I think the name Mika Mayfield sounds the best. But I'm also partial towards players that have a distinct theme, like Jimmy Slothface and Eko van Otter. It's cool to imagine an otter taking the ice in the case of the latter, or a player with the work ethic of a sloth in the former. ■

[A) 63 words ... C) 123 words ... D) 64 words ... +3 TPE]

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.

Verification word: blimpdiving

[Form completed, +3 TPE]

Mutedfaith · 09-01-2020, 05:13 AM

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?

Cal Labovitch had the season everybody expected him to have with the Minnesota Chiefs. Being brought up into the team in a more goal scoring capacity as opposed to his time in the juniors as a setup man, the rookie didn’t disappoint as the teams 2nd line forward. Paired with fellow ex-Falcon Jmac NCheese, Cal Labovitch quickly found both his own way to the net as well as a way to get the puck to Jmac when he was in a better position to score. Cal topped the rookie points scoring tables, while coming up important on the Chiefs’ special teams as well. All of Minnesota is hoping his efforts will have been enough to secure the Rookie of the Year award. And with the continued improvement he’s showing, there’s really no telling where this will stop. Given time, Cal could become one of the greats and he is surely on his way to be the future face of the franchise.

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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?

Cousin, are you crazy? SHL franchises outside of North-America? How they gonna do that with all this quarantine stuff we all should be doing? And apart from that, who is going to pay for all of that travelling, and the impact it will have on our environment? Hell, on a more personal level: I’m hardly ever at home as it is, on the road to games and practice and shit. How you gonna think my apartment is gonna look if we gonna have to add trips to Europe or, God forbid, Australia to that schedule? My cats legit gonna kill me.

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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 SMJHL team to not make the finals is and will always be the Detroit Falcons. After their record breaking S53 cup run, the Detroit Falcons have been taking it easy, letting it slide. They’ve been chilling in the locker room and enjoying their lives and their cup. But that don’t mean they’re not the best team out there. Them players have quality and finesse, not like these other roddy-shoddy teams out there who have to rely on hard work and TPE-whoring. Falcons are legit. Falcons deserve more cups. Falcons are the best thing Tig ever did in this league.

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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?

TikTok is the app for the street people. The one SHL personality we are going to find on there is none other than the great Michael Fitted. Spitting his lyrics all over the app, wearing nothing but designer clothes while advertising his own personal paid OnlyFans, he’ll be producing a variety of content ranging from duet’s with fans, silly skits and dances and shout outs to all his boys and grills. But most of all we’ll see him posting thirst trap after thirst trap, getting all the ladies wetter than macaroni in a pot. Better get that bucket and mop, while he does the wap!

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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?

In this day and age, there is only one cause these teams could possibly raise funds for. Everyone on this planet is currently dealing with the obvious COVID-19 situation. COVID-19 has hit a lot of industries and is leaving people all over the globe in physical, emotional or financial suffering. The only way out of this pandemic is by the hand of billionaires and tech companies. Therefore the Buffalo Stampede and New Orleans Specters will be raising money to support Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos in their tough and troubling times. The whole world is looking at these two poor billionaires to come up with vaccine through 5g and provide us with the microchips needed to save the population of this planet from a certain doom.
As a part of their fundraiser, the players of both teams will be dressed in white coats and armed with needles for a full day. They’ll be downtown in their own cities, stabbing needles in random peoples arms to raise awareness for the need for 5g microchips and untested vaccines.

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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?

This series isn’t going to be decided by defenses, it’s going to be decided by offence. Both teams defense are so stacked, they’re pretty comparable and don’t leave much room for favourites. However, on the offensive side the Buffalo team has a few more players capable of producing big number when they have to. So while they’re pretty similar in defense, the NOLA defense will have the tougher nut to crack.

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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?

No, I don’t expect these results to reflect a home ice advantage in these finals series. When there is this much on the line, I’m not sure how much more a fanbase or crowd can push players to give more. The thought of raising that cup after the series alone will push them to give 100%, if not more.

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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?

No, that toughness will not have any impact on these finals series. The game of hockey is about scoring goals. It’s a technical showcase of shooting skills, puck handling skills and skating skills. Toughness, aggression and fighting are merely by-products. Their impact on the game is negligible and when they do have an impact its hardly ever a positive one.

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

My favourite name is Hippo Passamus. Not only is it a reference to a very fine animal, more on this in the next question, their last name also emphasizes the part of the game they want to excel in. Hippo obviously wants to be a good passer, and his stats show that’s exactly what he is. However, it is rumoured that his name also refers to his gameday food choices. Hippo likes his Italian food, but is also a big fan of seafood. So on gamedays, he often eats Pasta with Mussels

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

My previous answer already kinda gave this one away. My favourite animal in this series is the hippo. Not only are they literally cool because they live in the water, which keeps them plenty cooled and protects them from the heat of the sun, they’re also rocking their curves as if the rest of the world doesn’t exist.

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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 word: Falcons

Ben · 09-01-2020, 05:41 AM

no

Nictox · 09-01-2020, 06:09 AM

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?

For me, as a player, I did well. At least in my eyes that is. 44 points is pretty good for 2/3C who is looking to play a defensive game. The plus 27 is very nice to see, I like knowing that I contributed more than hurt. 47 shot blocks is a high for me, I have never done anything like that before. Take aways was lower than last season but I am coming to terms with that. As a GM, the Specters played great all season but found some woes near the end of the season that dropped them from the top spot, but should still be considered a top contender. That really shows as now they are in the finals with the team that also has been very good for a few seasons now. Next season for myself, I hope to continue to be a defensively responsible center. I will start focusing less on offense and really be a solid bottom 6 guy.

[166]

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.

Regardless of how you feel about the expansion teams, or GMs, the expansion is much needed. Way to many players are in the league now and teams do not have the space to play them all. It is hard enough to get people the time they deserve on top lines, especially if you already have a stacked team. The regression rules being changed this season also helps with forcing players to retire earlier which also opens up spots on teams. Back to expansion teams, the teams both have great capable managers who know how to build a roster. Hotdog being a Co for New England has more experience in the big league and how it works. Tig, on the other hand, was the head GM for the SMJHL Detroit Falcons for many, many seasons. He had found success lately with them and brings a vast knowledge of hockey IQ with him. I see one of these teams going the New Orleans route of building a team that compete now, while the other does a Chicago and builds for the future.

[180]

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 do not think other continents should be included in the SHL. It is a North American league after all. I can see Mexico being represented eventually. Man I just had an idea, why not expand the SHL even farther. Make another league inside the league that is based in Europe. Could be the Simulated European Hockey League (SEHL) or something. Players could transfer around to different leagues or be put on loan.. never mind. This idea is too much for the SHL to handle. SO yeah, SHL is a North American League and should remain as such, other leagues out there could be the European league where no North American cities/states are represented.

[115]

The world's hottest app is TikTok - which SHL or SMJHL player would have the biggest following on TikTok? What do they post there?

That is a tough question. There are so many players that could, and should, be in the running for best. Mike Izzy's old man TikTok would be hilarious, his son would have to set it up for him though. Fitted would be the guy who posts a thousand videos and have every single one featured on an online forum for everyone to see. I could also see Aleister Cain blowing up on TikTok and leaving the league to start a career as a viral star. He'd be the guy doing all the dances that make no sense to music that is overused and overplayed.

[104]

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?

Yes. Home ice advantage is huge and when it comes to two powerhouse teams, the fans can really make a difference. As a player and GM of one of those teams it is very easy to say that you're not in trouble until you lose at home. I back that statement to the fullest.
[54]

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?

I think one of the most overlooked part of the game is the physical play. You can have all the skill in the world but the moment a tough guys comes up to you and pushes, you are gonna go down. Could it be an edge in play? Absolutely. It shouldn't be fully relied on though. A good mix is best.
[61]

e. There are several animal names in this series - which of these animals is the coolest? sloth, hippo, otter, monkey, fox, kirby.
Sloth, 100% has the best name. Jimmy Slothface, like for real. Hippopassamus is alright, Otters are meh, Monkey is meh, Fox is meh, and Kirby is actually KIRKBY. He might be insulted you said that. Sloths get the win for me though, they're more of my style and take their time doing things, like me.
[55]

Trivia: Specters

RIP Dangel #AD26 | RIP TDZ

CB2212 · 09-01-2020, 09:47 AM

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?

3 TPE

It's hard to say, in a way Carlos played better this season than he had before which is all you can really hope for I guess. but the second half was a bit slower than the first and I can't help but feel Carlos was a slump away from closing his junior career in a stellar fashion. Nonetheless, this season wearing the 'A' for Colorado was a joy and to have it end so quickly in the playoffs was heartbreaking.

Carlos wanted nothing more than to bring the cup to Colorado and to hoist it alongside his teammates, most of which he probably won't get to share the ice with again for a while. That having been said, the season went well for Carlos who still beat his goal and point record from last year and he's now looking at a fresh start in the SHL next season where he will finally make his long awaited debut.

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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.

3 TPE

It will be my first expansion draft so it's hard to say how it'll play out for either team but I can guarantee you one thing, it'll work out best for whatever team picks up the exposed Carlos Brown or for Edmonton if they get to keep him. Now I know he may not look like the biggest earner or the best player but that guy has heart and that stuff translates straight into the game. Whatever team ends up with Brown will find themselves lucky. Obviously there might be better players to pick from Edmonton but none of them will bring what Carlos can bring, which is a name that starts with Carlos and ends with Brown, truly he's kind of unique that way. I'm not an analytics guy but I don't need to be to tell you a player like that only comes once in a generation... nay, once in a lifetime.

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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?

2 TPE

Why not right? This is all fictional and it's not like anyone actually has to fly anywhere or deal with jetlag. So many players in the SHL hail from Europe if you look at the IIHF rosters, why not allow their hometowns to finally have the pleasure of hosting a real SHL franchise.

Alternatively, an entire league set in Europe, with a tournament having the best teams from both leagues facing off, would be a way cooler, if not extremely complex, addition to the structure of the game.

If I had to choose a city in Europe to host a team I'd probably start with Moscow I guess.

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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?

2 TPE
Another softball question, the Raptors obviously, the only thing going against that team was the fact that their goalie being such a good pokechecker and stickhandler in front of his own net that it apparently makes him worst somehow and he was stuck in a perpetual cold streak that basically lasted the entire season for some reason. That team was stacked with talent and was primed to take the cup only to have it taken away from them early in the playoffs. This isn't a loss I will soon forget and I will forever blame this weird quirk that goalies apparently have where if they're too good with the puck, they let in more goals evidently...

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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.?

3 TPE

You're asking Canada's next World Junior's Championship General Manager who he thinks is gonna win? What do you think? Canada of course, the team was a little young in the past couple years but I think we're primed to take another stab at the gold medal with a lot of players having matured over the last season. We were close last year despite not having the talent other teams had and this time I feel like we have it so it'll be interesting to see for sure.

I've experienced that tournament as a player a few times now and I can tell you nothing's over and there's never any guarantee, but screw that here's my guarantee. Canada is gonna be one of the top teams in that tournament and anything less than Gold is a dissapointment.

As far as the IIHF tourney, I couldn't tell you, but my homerism tells me Canada's gonna end up taking that one too

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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.

3 TPE

Verification word: Banana

JSS331 · 09-01-2020, 11:47 AM

1. My player had his first season in the SHL go about as well as expected. Playing bottom pair minutes meant that I did not expect to put up huge point totals but I was very happy with the production I did get. The other goal for this season was to finish with a plus rating and I was able to do that, finishing with a plus three rating for the regular season and a plus one rating in the post season. It was definitely neat to be a part of the team that went to the playoffs this year, even though it did not go how we had hoped it would, getting swept in the first round. I am looking forward to the IIHL tournament and improving upon the result from last year. Ireland has a good young core group of players that should continue to improve each year and one of the best goalies in the league.

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158 Words 3/16

2. The expansion draft definitely makes things more exciting this year for the league and specifically for my player as I was not protected by the Renegades. I am excited by the opportunity to potentially join a new team, especially because the Seattle team gives me a chance to reunite with Tig, my juniors GM from Detroit. He was able to build us a strong team in the juniors, I have no doubt that he will do the same in the SHL. I believe that there are some solid players who are unprotected right now from the top teams which gives both GMs a chance to pull a Vegas Golden Knights type quick success move. Either way though, having two more teams in the league will be a good thing, more chances for active players to see ice time in the SHL which will make for more fun. Hopefully whichever team I end up on will be as fun as it is now.

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162 Words 6/16

16. Gritty

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9/16

3. No I do not think having teams on other continents would make sense for the SHL. With travel restrictions in place right now and it already being grueling to fly around the country, having a west coast team, say, have to fly all of the way to Europe would be an 11 or 12 hour flight each way. Far too much for just a few games a year. It is always great to grow the game around the world but that is what we have the IIHL tournament for. It brings all of the best players together to get a chance to play against the best.

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106 Words 11/16

7. The two finals teams have agreed to do a joint fundraiser to support a cause that they both think is important. With no fans being allowed to attend games right now, the stadium workers are the ones who are most affected by this as they are out of work. That money for each home game was critical to their survival and the players want to pitch in to help them make it through this tough time. While the benefit from this fund raiser is for their two home cities, they have gotten widespread support from the other clubs who will also be conducting their own fund raisers for stadium workers in their own cities. It is a great thing to see all of the clubs give back to the people who help make their sport an enjoyable one to watch and look forward to the day we can get back to having fans in the arena.

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156 Words 14/16

4. The finals feature the top team in the East, but not the top team in the Western Conference so this one is easy. The Edmonton Blizzard were tied for most points in the SHL with Buffalo in the regular season and lost an incredibly close fought series with the New Orleans Specters which went seven games. They were on the doorstep of yet another finals appearance but the New Orleans Specters dashed their hopes. Not only did the score the most points in the league, they also scored the most goals. Unfortunately New Orleans shut their scoring down enough to come out on top in their series.

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107 Words 16/16

**leafsftw1967** · 09-01-2020, 12:26 PM

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?

Mats Marner had an absolutely incredible regular season in the SMJHL this year with the Newfoundland Berserkers finishing first in the juniors in goals with thirty two and points with sixty two. As a result Marner will be awarded the Jared Hanson Trophy - Award Given To League Points Leader and the Roberto Martucci Trophy - Award Given To League Goals Leader and is in the conversation for the regular season MVP award in the SMJHL. Marner was absolutely stellar on the power play with twenty seven power play points and a record breaking twelve power play goals. Having split time as the first line and third line center for Newfoundland Marner showed his versatility to play up and down the line up as a screener and a power forward on an offensively stacked Berserkers team. Marner also put up seventy five hits, twenty nine shots blocked and had a rating of plus twenty one. The only area I could see him improving on next season is his defensive side of things with getting more take aways and a better faceoff percentage.

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.

With the expansion draft looming for the season fifty six offseason at this point it is almost inevitable that the Calgary Dragons are going to lose a solid player or two to the expansion teams. Looking at the unprotected list there are some names that really stick out including F - Alexei Rykov a season fifty forward who is just under 900 tpe and seems to have gone inactive. F - Anders Christiansen a 1286 tpe season thirty nine veteran forward who is still active and has been a point producing machine on the Dragon’s third line this season. D - Otis B Driftwood who is an active 1318 tpe veteran defenseman who has been a franchise favourite and a long time member of the Dragons and a big contributor in the team’s top four on the blue line. And finally D - Chico Smeb who is a 1258 tpe inactive defenseman who added solid depth to the dragons blue. My guess is both Anders Christiansen and Otis B Driftwood will be taken.

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.?

A team that I think will surprise a lot of people coming into the IIHF and WJC tournaments this season will be team Latvia. They got a great group of core veteran players such as Viktor Marius, Brock Nuck, Kaspars Claude, Calogero Crudelli, Nat Emerson, Ignatius Blunt and Boris Poroshenko. In addition, over the last couple of seasons Lativa has been racking up the rookie prospects through the transfer wire and more home grown talent. They have secured the likes of Bale (a season fifty two SHL player currently on Winnipeg who was taken 23rd overall in his draft class), Mats Marner (a season fifty four player taken sixth overall by Calgary), Krišs Dārziņš, Asclepius Perseus Flitterwind (a season fifty five winger who was drafted by the Hamilton Steelhawks at forty seventh overall), Leonids Balzams drafted twenty ninth overall by the New England Wolfpack, as well as, two other Dragons prospects Chris Goodname (drafted in the first round of the season fifty five draft) and Mack Daddy (drafted by Calagary at the end of the second round of the season fifty draft). Overall this team has a great balance of vets and young upcoming stars.

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 expect for home ice advantage to continue to play a big factor in this finals series especially since t had an impact in the regular season. When you get the home crowd helping energize you, have the opportunity to make the last change and get the matchups you want, plus having the comfort of sleeping in your own bed at home you should have the upper hand.

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?
I believe that toughness will have an impact of this series. Playoff hockey is usually a lot more physical and when you play a team up to seven times in a row emotions will get heated, the hate for each team will grow and if one team can intimidate the other it should give them a bit of an edge.

d. What is your favorite name from a player appearing in this series? Why do you like that player's name?
The favourite name of a player appearing in this series is for sure my brother Boris “The Beast” Poroshenko. I feel like the name definitely fits in the character of what type of player Boris is as a power forward and am definitely bias in the Poroshenko is an awesome Ukrainian name and did a great job as Ukraine’s president following the Euromidan revolution in Ukraine.

e. There are several animal names in this series - which of these animals is the coolest? sloth, hippo, otter, monkey, fox, kirby.
I think Kirby is the coolest animal out of all the animal names in this series. Kirby is the best because Kirby can suck people into their mouth and then take on the abilities of that animal like in the video games. So as a result Kirby can be so versatile being a sloth, hippo, otter, monkey or a fox by just sucking them into their mouth.

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 word: go leafs

BasedMinkus · 09-01-2020, 12:38 PM

#1 - For myself, this season in juniors with the Raptors was a vast improvement over my rookie year. The coaching staff put faith in me by making me a full time starter on the back end while also getting some power play time. I went from putting up 0 goals and 4 points overall to scoring 7 goals to go along with 13 assists for a total of 20 points to help the Raptors get a bye in the first round of the playoffs. What was even nicer is I got to participate in my first playoffs and not sit in the press box. While it was not the results we had hoped for, it was nice to score my first ever playoff goal. Overall, this was a great season for myself personally and a good building block for the future as I begin to take a larger role with the Raptors and be a key piece over the next few seasons. (161) (3TPE)

#2 - Expansion will be interesting in terms of how it shapes the league. Both new teams will add a level excitement for themselves but also to show how much depth some of the teams already in the league have as they are due to lose some top end talent. I think it is obvious that Cassius Darrow will be the first player taken in expansion and rightfully so. Darrow is one of the hardest working players in the league, scoring 16 goals and putting up over 40 points, showcasing why he is one of the best blueliners in the league. Expansion will also be the vehicle for Darrow to get the large contract he desires. The other interesting decision will be where Oliver Cleary gets picked. He has made it clear that he will be testing the free agent waters but he still as to be picked as he is arguably the second best player in expansion. The question is how soon do you take him and roll the dice. It will be interesting to see how that, and everything else plays out in expansion. (184) (3TPE)

#3 - I do not feel like there should be overseas teams in the SHL for a few reasons. The biggest reason is the travel time. How do the schedule makers make overseas trips work so that guys aren't gassed when coming back and have to recharge to be good to go again. You do not want to appease those that want to make an overseas team and the expense of the quality of hockey the SHL is known for. The second biggest reason to not have this type of expansion is the lack of money overall those teams will bring in, in comparison to North American teams. Due to timezone differences, not a lot of eyeballs will be watching those euro teams which means less revenue being brought it and anything that hurts the bottom line is not a risk the SHL should take. (143) (2TPE)

#4 - The best team to not make the finals in the SHL are the Manhattan Rage. The Rage finished with the 2nd best record in the very tough Eastern Conference and had a 17 game point streak. If you look at what happened with the Rage and why they didn't make it further in the S55 Playoffs, it has a lot to do with bad timing. Ola Wagstrom got suspended initially for 10 games (reduced to 3) and it definitely made the difference as the Rage had to go deeper down the bench and give time to guys who aren't used to playing those types of minutes. I believe that if Wagstrom had been allowed to play, the Rage would be getting geared up for game 1 of the Challenge Cup. (130) (2tpe)

#7 - If the rest of the sports world has shown us, its that when there is a root evil that needs to be taken care, heated rivals can band together and unite for an important cause or issue. It is about high time that the hockey world does the same in helping support and highlight the Black Lives Matter movement. In a world where cops are killing innocent black men and women, something needs to be done. Having both teams in this final unite to support their cities is a good use of their platform. Both teams will be donating to bail funds to help those who are protesting as well as other groups helping keep the BLM movement going. This is a good cause and I believe both teams will be able to leave the hatred and intensity on the ice, to harbor peace and unity off of it for the greater good of the world. (156) (3TPE)

CW #16 - Trivia (3TPE): Rage

Total: 3 + 3 + 2 + 2 + 3 + 3 = 16TPE

reid · 09-01-2020, 01:44 PM

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?

Well, Reid didn't have the best season, but he was a rookie, so that checks out. He had 12 points, not exactly in the rookie race, but still ok. He also finished only -7, which I was really happy with, as other rookies were in the -40s. Reid got a chance to play on a few different lines, which was really a great opportunity, as he was not stuck on the 3rd line the whole time. He played 16 mins a game which was more than he was expecting. Overall, the best part of the season was the fact that the team did well, and greatly improved their standing and success. Winnipeg was clearly the 5th best team in the West, and had an extremely tough schedule. They pushed some of the best teams in the West and East, but fell short when playing teams on their level. They might have missed playoffs, but the future is bright, and that is what is exciting. [164 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.

I think that the two GMs will have their work cut out for them. There are certain teams like Texas that have a lot of good players exposed, so the GMs will want to draft from there ASAP. Other teams like San Fran threw curveballs and protected 2 goalies. I think it will be a race to see who can select Samat from Manhattan, as he is the best goalie available. Buffalo has only one slot for people to pick from, and there are some attractive pieces, including 2K TPE players Cassius Darrow and Michael Scarn, as well as prospect Alexander Roach. The GMs will have to pick one of them early. Tig will likely have people wanting to play for him with the Detroit connection, and hotdog from Anchorage and New England. This could be interesting depending on who is left exposed. Kaarlo Kekkonen from Texas could be a good target for Tig, as he spent many a year in Detroit under Tig. There are other options such as Zizagooney from WPG that Tig could target as well. [179 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?

There should be teams in Europe, but I think the best possible expansion location is on a different continent... AUSTRALIA. There are so many animals and bugs that have a mythos about them, that all they want to do is kill you - it would be perfect for a sports team mascot. In my head we could have the Brisbane Black Widows, or the Melbourne Emus, maybe even the Sydney Kangaroos. Australia will never be a team in a real league because of travel distances, but in the SHL it could be! Why not grow the sport to an area where it can be an entire countries team? Australia also has wild fans for their sports like rugby and baseball, so I think it would be a natural fit. [128 words]

Quote: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 think this one is pretty clear, in that Edmonton didn't make the finals. They were the top team in the West this season, and were ahead of NOLA in the series. To have the game end on a breakaway with only minutes remaining in game 7 is heartbreaking, and you can make the case that they might have been the better team in the series. NOLA certainly got lucky, as it was basically a coin flip. With an offense that includes Julio Tokolosh, Theo Morgan, Tony Pepperoni, and Bo Kane among others, this team was stacked. Thats to say nothing about Karlstrasse Scholz, arguably the MVP of the season for them. [112 words]

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.
a. Both of these teams have stacked defenses - which team do you think has the defensive 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?

a. I think Buffalo has the clear edge here. Darrow and Selich are only 1 season off 2K, and both cleared it again in their first post regression season. Scoop was a former 2K player and is sitting around 1900. Wang and Owens are both top of their class, 1400 and 1200 respectively. NOLA is headlined by Rex Kirkby - good but older than Scoop and lower TPE. Odellin and Claude are really great defenders, but cant hold a candle to BUF. [80 words]

c. I don't think so. Higher ratings in those areas might help rough up BUF a little, but they aren't Hamilton last season, where NOLA went physical and there wasn't anything HAM could do. BUF has a clear TPE advantage, being absolutely stacked, and has a goalie and defense that is playing way better. That will matter more than more PIMS and physicality. [62 words]
d. My favorite name of any in the series is Eko van Otter of the Stampede. It can be shortened to EVO which is a nice touch, but it is also helpful cause he is an actual otter. That is hilarious (and makes for great sigs) but also a meme name. Eko van Otter also has the appearance of being a snooty rich person name, thanks to the "van" which you seem to see in the worlds 1%. To see that name on an Otter is pretty great, which is why that is my favourite name. [95 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.

Reid

+16 TPE

*Otrebor13* · 09-01-2020, 02:27 PM

Task 1

This one is pretty easy for me. 100% surpassed my expectations. When the season began I was not sure what to expect as I had a PPG season last season, but before that hovered around the 40 point range. However, when I got dealt to Edmonton, I was coming in to a team with a lot of firepower and guys who were better than I was, so I wasn't sure where I would fit in the lineup right away. However, I meshed well on the top line and started rolling. I have always known I can score goals with the best in this league, but leading the league in goals and recording the 2nd highest goals in a season since the FHM switch was not something I was expecting whatsoever. I am ecstatic at the season I had. I would definitely have to attribute that to Edmonton's management and usage of my player. Although the forward lines were even in ice time, they were able to maximize what the forwards were able to bring when out on the ice, and it made a huge difference and allowed me to put up the numbers I did.

Task 2

Expansion is going to be an interesting time. With every team guaranteed to lose 2 pieces, it is going to take a lot of strategy from the GM's perspective, either to get the guy that you want or block the other GM from taking someone you don't want them to have (or both). With some of the available options on the board, I think the expansion teams will be leaning towards being a little more competitive earlier on and not going completely the route of drafting younger guys. Personally, if I were an expansion team's GM, I would be focused on bringing in a bit of both and not necessarily focusing on playoffs in the first season. There are a lot of good, young players available and would make great cornerstone pieces to build a franchise around, while at the same time bringing in a veteran to not only help the franchise immediately, but also aid in the youngsters getting a feel for the SHL and being the face of a franchise. I do believe the expansion teams won't be competitive off the bat (a lot of the top end guys available are FAs, so they'd have to be convinced to play there), but I think they will be built with a well structured plan in place.

Task 3

For the simple purposes of realism, no. However, I'm not one to harp on the little details like that. Personally I think European teams would be pretty cool and would probably bring some exciting and very interesting teams and branding to the league. I like the current set up, but I wouldn't be opposed to it. That being said, I would probably limit the expansion (if it were to happen) to Europe and not go too far off from there. It's an interesting concept and would love to see what some people would come up with for team branding ideas and team names, even the different cities and countries which could be included. I know the VHL has European teams and they seem to be doing just fine.

Task 4

I don't think any other answer besides Edmonton is acceptable for the SHL. Tied for Buffalo for the most points during the season and scored the most goals during the regular season as well. Edmonton's depth on the roster and great management team is one of the league's best, and not making it to the finals this season is a major disappointment, as everyone believed they would be going head to head with Buffalo in the finals. As someone who is a part of the roster, I can honestly say I am extremely disappointed in the fact we didn't make it. Not disappointed at anyone on the team, just unhappy that our season came to an end in the Western Conference Finals and we weren't able to go up against Buffalo and see who came out on top.

Task 13

a. I have to go with Buffalo. I don't think the SHL has ever seen a roster which bolsters 3 Dmen who are at approximately 2k TPE. It's unbelievable to try and come up against a defensive juggernaut like that. To add to it, Buffalo allowed the fewest goals against in the regular season (98), which is over 20 fewer than New Orleans did (120).
b. Absolutely. I think with the advantage NOLA has in goal, they are going to keep the series close and it will likely come down to whichever team drops an away game first. I think Buffalo is the heavy favourite, but NOLA has the depth to contain the Stampede and will need all they have from Cain.
c. I personally don't think so. Buffalo's roster is the deepest we've ever seen, and matching a lineup like that will be a nightmare. They have been the clear favourite all season, and when you have their offense and defensive abilities coming at you, I don't think the toughness will make that big of a difference. Matching their offensive capabilities, and their ability to shut down the opposition, will be the big test.
d. Hippo Passamus. There's something about the name that I've always liked since I saw it. Not sure what it is about it, but I think it's both clever and funny, so it's the one I would go with. It's pretty fitting when he clearly excels as a playmaker as well, which just brings everything together nicely.
e. Is Kirby an actual animal? If it refers to the video game character, then that's an easy choice and it wins hands down. Who doesn't love Kirby? He's super strong and extremely cute and adorable. However, of the actual animals, I'll say otter. I've always liked otters and think they're super cool and seldom known/talked about. Their elusiveness has to be admired.

Task 16

Verification

Fantobens · 09-01-2020, 02:44 PM

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 just had maybe the worst season in the history of the SMJHL. Not only did I have one goal, but everything else I did was a disaster and disappointment. Not enough shot blocks. Not enough takeaways. Too many penalty minutes. Just a trash player. And it’s not going to get any better. If anything it’s going to get worse. Not only is my build proven garbage, my team is going to get significantly worse. What a nightmare. Losing around five players. Lost our general manager to the SHL and I can’t afford any kind of redistribution. The real losers here are the Texas MUTHAFUKKIN Renegades. They picked MAS which was nice. Then an inactive. Then me, someone who should be inactive. No wonder dan retired. He saw my pathetic ass stumbling my way up the pipeline for inevitable failure. I guess you can say my season was ok....and the future looks ok as well...

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 you have two big brains in hotdog and tig for the expansion draft. I figure both teams are going to end up decent. Probably one if not both, may start not as the worst team in the league. Which is saying something for how bad some teams in the league are. I don’t really know hotdog but they have been around a while and is apparently very important to the simulation hockey league website. Tig however I have know for years now which sounds weird. But it’s true. So I know he can run a team and have them perform well. Hopefully he can still field a decent team when he gets to keep his players for more than three or four seasons. I guess time will tell. I’ll be watching from Detroit with my popcorn hoping everything goes smoothly. And if it doesn’t, the site is no stranger to a good ole shit show. Good thing I already have the popcorn.

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

I don’t think it really matters. It’s pretend hockey. Who cares where the teams are from. I understand people like to keep it to North America to keep it “realistic”. But they do understand that one of the players in the league is a sentient grapefruit. There is other ridiculous shit that I can’t think of, just that signature of the picture of the grapefruit and it says grapefruit on it, and it was graded a five of five. In that sentence there were two things more silly than having a team not in North America so who gives a shit. Nothing personal against grapefruit....

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?

You didn’t specify what best is pertaining to. So, the best team not to make the finals this season was the Detroit Falcons. Were they the best hockey playing team? No. Do they have the best hockey players on their team? No, they didn’t. Well then you may ask what’s my argument? Fuck you. That’s my argument. The Detroit Falcons are the best goddamn team to lace up skates and I’ll fucking shank you if you don’t humor me. They easily have the cutest bro’s, and they don’t take any guff. Half of their home games are in a strip club. Their yearly outdoor game is even in the parking lot. How much better can you be? You can’t. And that’s why the Detroit Falcons at the best team not in the finals.

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 don’t thing there’s going to anything surprising this year internationally. USA or Canada will probably win gold. You will have teams like Great Britain, Ireland, Sweden and Chechia maybe even DACH looking for other medals. I’m not sure how I’m going to get enough words here. Shit I don’t even know who is on what team. Ok, the story of both tournaments will be Sweden winning both golds. Both teams are decent but it would be a surprise for either to win a medal let alone gold. So to hav eth both win would be great. I think the IiHF team is better than the wjc team, not just in better players, because they are better, not in juniors. I mea better quality players. Whatever, we are going to win medals. Everyone is going to say hey there goes teams Sweden they winning all the medals for adults and kids. And king Carl will rejoice....

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: Bleh

EricNCSU · 09-01-2020, 03:26 PM

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.

Renes

Code:
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

I mean, clearly, it would be Micheal Fitted. He has a lot to say and seems to enjoy the attention. I can imagine he'd have a rather large following. He talks about everything, food, drink, politics, social issues, oh yeah and hockey.. occasionally talks about hockey. He'll probably have several rants about how the Tampa Bay Barracuda will never go 0-50 again under his watch! He typically has very short, pointed messages, so that's perfect for an app like TikTok. I think he can get his point across in 30 seconds or so. I can only imagine the crazy stuff that will come out of his channel. (107 words)

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?

It was a disappointing season for Eric Hudson. Especially on the offensive side. Dropping from 33 points and a +17 to 13 points and a -11 was really rough. The team as a whole seemed to underperform, but I was on the top line with the two top scorers on the team, so you would assume some of that would bleed over, but for whatever reason it just didn't click this season. On the defensive side, it wasn't quite as bad. Managed a second season in a row of 100+ shot blocks, increased my hits from 19 to 29, and slightly increased takeaways from 26 to 29. I was the second forward in the league in blocked shots (behind Alexander Roach) and so I might get another nomination for the Holmes trophy that I won last season, but I don't expect to win it. In my opinion, Roach should win it. As far as next season goes, it's really all up in the air. Moving up to the SHL with the Texas Renegades it's gonna be a whole new ball of wax. Hopefully with my big offseason training I'll be able to improve in a lot of places but it will depend on how the team decides to use me. (210 words)

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?

This is a bit of a tough one, but I'm going to say no. The reason is of course depending on how you look at the league. If you look at it as a computer based virtual league, sure we can do whatever we want and a team can play a game in Japan and then the next night play in Los Angeles. But, if you want to lean into the role play that this is a real league, the logistics would be a nightmare. Multiple days between games for travel and rest, plus the scheduling would be ridiculous. Also, how many teams to we want to add? I'm assuming adding these other teams would not mean eliminating other teams (if expansion is needed to support the number of players.) Where does it stop? 20? 22? (136 words)

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?

Carolina is by far the best J team to not make the finals. They finished only one point behind Newfoundland and had nearly the same goal differential. As defending champs they have an experienced team and know what it takes to win in the playoffs. They very nearly made it, stretching the Eastern Conference Championship out to seven games, but home ice ultimately won out and Newfoundland advanced. It's a shame for those players graduating to the majors to not get another trophy, but all and all still a very successful season. They will be a force to be reckoned with in seasons to come. (105 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?

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 Buffalo has the advantage. It starts in the back with netminder Elizabeth Doyle, who as a rookie finished the season a full half goal per game better than New Orlean's Cain. She clearly inspires confidence to the players in front of her, facing 200 less shots than Cain even with playing 4 more games. Not many pucks make it all the way to Doyle and she stops the ones that do. (73 words)

B. By the time you get to the finals I don't think home ice really matters anymore. These are the two best teams left and they've played under a multitude of scenarios by now. They are used to this. The travel and opposing fans won't affect them at all. That doesn't mean I don't think this series could go seven, I think that's a high likelyhood. (65 words)

D. I mean, does it get any better than Poopity Scoop? That's just funny, but he also lives up to his name. As a defenseman he really takes care of shit. DGR of 81 with 37 takeaways and 75 shot blocks. Throw in 115 hit and he sure likes to beat the crap out of people. If you have to line up against him you should be scared shitless. (68 words)

E. Oh man, that's a tough call, but I gotta go with Otter. They're just so cute, but also smart and resourceful, like bashing open clams with a stone, or in this case playing hockey. Monkeys are too undisciplined, they be in the sin bin the hole time, sloths are too slow, and a hippo on ice? Oof... A fox would be a close second since ice/snow is a natural habit for some foxes, but otters would just glide and play so smooth. (83 words)

*NorwegianDemon* · 09-01-2020, 03:44 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?

Globally I would say that I had a good year and nothing over that. I got acquired by the Calgary Dragons before the season started and I think I ended up bringing exactly what they acquire me for in the end. I was told that I would be one of the team most important forward in the defensive department and this is what I accomplished. My line was really good at five on five and I ended up giving the team a lot of quality minutes on the penalty kill. The team as a whole had a good season where we finished third in the western conference which was the goal at the beginning of the year. The only small downside to this season is that I think I could have brought a bit more to this team in terms of offensive production. I ended the season with only nine goals and 25 points which is a decreased compared to the year before.

163 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.

It will be really interesting to see how both team approach the expansion draft. The last team with saw an expansion draft in the with ended up having two completely different teams. One of them was a playoff-calibre team from the get-go while the other was a bottom feeder. The first team ended up getting all the veterans and most good players, because the second one decides to draft young players and build from the bottom with the ideas that all the players would improve together and that they would be a contender in the long term. I expect that it will be different this time and we will end up with two teams taking the middle ground by acquiring both veterans and young players. This would mean that both teams might be able to fight for the last playoffs spot next season. I will follow this draft closely because I’m eligible to be drafted, but I don’t expect either team to pick me since I’m out of contract.

169 words

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?

It’s too late now, both I think the last round of expansion was a perfect missed opportunity to create the first SHL European Conference. Assuming that to two new teams would have expanded in Europe, then I would have moved four other teams to the old continent. We would have ended up with three divisions of six teams with two of them composed of teams located in North America and the other one with the team located in Europe. For the playoffs, I would have the two best teams of each conference getting a spot straight to the playoffs with the four best teams remaining playing in one best of five to determine the last two teams who would make it to the regular playoffs.

125 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?

Since I played in the SHL this season, this is where I will look at who is the best team to not make it in the finals. Looking at both the regular season and the playoffs, my choice ended up being the Edmonton Blizzard. They ended the regular season with the most points at 80 died with the Stampede, they were also the team to score the most goal during the regular season with 232. They have high calibre players at every position. In the playoffs conference finals, they also took the Spectres to seven games while Buffalo beat their opponents in five, which is another event that advantaged the Blizzard.

111 words

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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.

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

I think Buffalo have a slight defensive advantage. First, they concede 21 goals less than the Blizzard during the regular season and their goal against average at the end of the season was under two. I also think that the top three of the Stampede defense composed of Darrow, Selich and Scoop is far superior to anything the Blizzard have outside of Sholz.

63 words

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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 do think that home advantage will play a significant role in this series and that as soon as one of the teams gets an away win, they will take a significant advantage in the series. The deeper you made it into the playoffs, the louder the crowd get and the more the player of the home team can get energy from their fans.

64 words

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

The coolest animal between those is clearly the sloth. Nothing is as cool as a sloth. They take their time to do everything, the move slowly and they are just chilling out there. Nothing seems to really bother them, and they like to just stand there hugging trees and eating leaves.

51 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.

norway

Wearingabear · 09-01-2020, 03:53 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?

This season had it's ups and down, I spent most of the season down on the 3rd pairing, but tried to maximize it as much as possible. The biggest notable improvement upon last year was my discipline. I only spent 4 minutes in the box, down from 28 compared to last year. That was also the lowest amount on the team among players who played 50 games. My giveaway/takeaway ratings also improved. from 19/11 last year to 17/21 this year. So I'm improving in the DZ and NZ, becoming a lot more responsible while playing. I only had a few more hits from last year, and 1 more point, but I blocked twice as many shots. I attribute a lot of this to the off-season work I did back in Finland. Overall, it's an improvement from last year, but I still have a while to go to be where I know I can be. Some more work during the off season will help, the valuable time spent playing at WJC also will help me out. I'm lucky to be playing with 4 veteran blue liners that really help out on the ice after every game.
(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 think there is a place for some European teams, within reason. Logistically speaking, there would need to be another division added to make sure that teams aren't traveling to Europe to play two teams, wasting an insane amount of fuel, coordination, and energy to be out there. A consideration would be to take the existing 18 teams, add two more and rebrand three. Making it 4 Divisions, 3 based in North America, and 1 based in Europe. Each division would have 5 teams in it, and could be broken up into two Conferences that are more along the lines of MLB or NFL where location only matters on a bit of a Divisional level. Another possibility would be to eliminate Conferences all together. Either way, there needs to be a worth while effort for teams to make the trip out to Europe to play, especially when you have teams like SFP and LAP flying for well over 11 hours to play 2-4 games, they would ideally only make 1-2 trips out to Europe to play those teams. (170ish)

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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 have to go with the obvious team, Anchorage deserved to be going to the next round. We went up 3-1 in the series, and then gave up the next 3. That's unacceptable, we out shot and out played them almost every game, we just couldn't find the offense to stay up on them, nor the defensive structure to keep them out safely out of our zone. Stratton played his ass off, but I feel part of the problem going -3, but being tied (6 ways) for most points on the team (5). If I had played better and not had such a negative +/- we'd be moving on the Conference Finals, instead we're packing up the locker room and going our separate ways for the season.
(131 words)

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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?

Buffalo and New Orleans are two very different cities in almost every way possible. One practically is neighbors with Mexico, and borders the Gulf of Mexico, the other butting up against Canada, hot vs cold, wings vs crawfish boils. What they share is a common love for Music. From the big brass bands of NOLA, to the ever changing local scene in Buffalo which is home to such acts as Brian McKnight, Snapcase, ETID, the Goo Goo Dolls. So the two teams have joined forced to help support to The Starving Instrument and Musician Project (The SIMP) to make sure kids have access to instruments, and music lessons. It also helps provides funds to bands who are looking to produce their own records, making it so anybody who wants to play music has the access and ability to. The SIMP also holds Battle of the Bands, Fundraiser Concerts, and silent auctions to support the local scenes. The Spectres and Stampede couldn't be prouder to be big SIMPs and help people of all ages. (174 words)

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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. This is such tough call, both teams have great players who have experience during the playoffs. While I think that Buffalo has some very special blue liners. I think in the end, NOLA has more players with recent experience in the the finals, and have been around a bit a longer as well. The saying 'Age and Experience beats Youth and Exuberance' comes to mind when discussing the defenders in this match up. (74 words)

B. I really don't think Home Ice Advantage will be a huge factor for either team during the finals. While in the regular season BUF lost 8 of their 10 L on the road, after almost every one of those losses they came back full strength and generally outplayed their opponents. NOLA had at least 4 games on the road that ended in OT/SO, meaning they're more than capable of putting their heads down, digging deep and pushing the games to their limits. I'm not sure we'll see blowouts like both these teams had during the regular season. You don't get 73-80 points a year and not be able to play hard. (120 words)

D. Eko Van Otter is one helluva name. It's unique, and is already a nickname already, how many people do you know named Eko? Van Otter, that sounds like Royalty. When I hear this name I think of a Royal Round table full of well dressed Otters, discussing what is happening in the Fleming Kingdom. They'd all be holding their favorite rocks in their hands having deep discussions about how to control the Evil Beavers down the river. With Eko leading the charge and being the incredible diplomatic leader he is, laying down the law when needed. What a timeline (90ish words) @hotdog

E. In order I'll rate the animals in total subjective liking: Monkey>Fox>Otter>Hippo>Sloth>Kirby. Kirby is last because technically that's it's name, and it's an alien. While I would never want to get inhaled by Kirby, it's really just a walking piece of Dubble Bubble that blows it's self into a bubble. Sloths live charmed lives, and harmless to pretty much anything and everything, not really a cool animal. Hippos and Otters are kind of tied, but because of my thoughts about the Royal Otters above, they won out in this match. Foxes are amazing creatures, they're sly, sleek, sexy, intelligent but too cool for school dogs, infact, they're pretty much what you get if you took some of the best parts of both Cats and Dogs and mixed them together. They're not nearly as cool as Monkeys though, some of our closest living relatives (y'know, if you believe in Evolution) and they're just incredible creatures who range from Silverbacks to Snow Monkeys of Japan who chill in hot springs, and if they don't like you, they either beat the hell out of you, or throw their shit at you, pretty much the Anti Sloth. (150sh?)

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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.

trivia word: dope

*gurbs* · 09-01-2020, 04:10 PM

1. Written, 3 TPE (word count: 168)

This season was another rebuilding year for the North Stars. We finished second and not much better than last year, but still are a few years away. Overall, I had a sub-par season in my opinion; with fully taking over 2C/2W duties, my point total did not increase. I had a decent amount of goals, but I am hoping to get my assists up big time. I am hoping for a strong off-season and to bank some TPE so I can help put my team in a better position to win. I know we are still rebuilding, but I hope to be a part of the core moving forward so improving is the only option. We overall should have a better team on the ice next season, so I think with the overall improvement of the team, my player will improve too. I hope to have a 20-20 season for my team, and I honestly think it is possible with the right offseason training and linemates next season.

2. Written, 3 TPE (word count: 150)

This off-season was really exciting because we saw 2 new teams get added to the SHL. I think this will be great for the league as it lets more players get ice-time and adds competition to it all. Overall, I think both teams are in good hands with HOTDOG & TIG running their respective teams. I think with the pool that was left unprotected, both Atlanta and Seattle have a chance to be pretty good teams within the next few seasons. I was really glad I was protected by Toronto but going and playing for either of the teams would have not been too bad. Seattle is the nicer city to live in, but both places have their perks. With the high TPE players being left exposed, the playing field is open, and I think the success of each team will end up resting in which GM does the better job.

3. Written, 2 TPE (word count:126)

My expansion team idea was to be for Hawaii. I have always been a big supporter of hockey in Hawaii and I think it would be a great place to play hockey. Selfishly Hawaii is my dream place to move, and if I could live there and play hockey... my life would be the best. I know that Hawaii isn't the first place for expansion, but I think Honolulu would be a great city for it. The logistics of having a hockey team there was insane and I know it would be hard... but let me dream. I also think a franchise there would be great for the local community and the hockey team could be a great influence for the youth hockey in the area.

4. Written, 2 TPE (word count: 106)

Toronto North Stars: we have been rebuilding for a while, but I think we should have not been the second-worst team in the league. We have the best goalie in the league TPE wise and I think that with the roster we have coming up, we will be a team to be reckoned with. Our top-line had a team-worst PDO and our scorers had a very bad season. That is certainly going to turn around, I doubt our best players have another bad year and their shooting % would even out. Plus our second line is going to be more experienced and seasoned.

5. Written, 3 TPE (word count: 153)

This year’s IIHF tournament will be the first my player will be playing in. With my offseason transfer to Team Sweden, I am very excited to see what our team can do. We have a solid roster that can make some noise. I wanted to join a team that was beneficial to both parties, and Sweden is perfect for that. When talking to the GM, I was offered “With 1K TPE I could probably give you top-line center, I’d guarantee top six and special teams.” The tournament has always been top heavy with the powerhouses doing amazing, but this year is Team Sweden’s time to make some noise. Last tourney saw a record number of OTL for Sweden, and I think with the addition of First-Name Last-Name we can medal this next season. I haven’t played in international hockey since the WJC so I am very excited to get on the ice.

16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE: word

TOTAL: +16 TPE

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