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?

Michael Fox started the season in a new locker room with a new coaching staff, new linemates, new teammates, new everything. Going into the season he didn't know what to expect of himself. While the season didn't quite end as well as he had hoped for his team as a whole, he tied a personal record in assists and set a new personal record in total points. Defensively his game took a step back, but with the Los Angeles blueline being what it was, Fox isn't putting much concern into the fact that this was his first season with a negative plus/minus since his rookie season in S48. Next season, Fox is unsure about what his focus is going to be. The possibility of swapping to defense has passed through his mind, and with every passing day that possibility keeps growing on him. Only time will tell where things go from here for Michael Fox.

Quote:2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Of the 10 most recent finals series, which do you think is the most memorable and why? Which will be remembered in history as the best/most important/most memorable series or victory? S46: BUF over NOLA, S47: WKP over CGY, S48: BUF over WPG, S49: EDM over NEW, S50: CGY over TBB, S51: HAM over EDM, S52: MAN over SFP, S53: HAM over EDM, S54: NOLA over HAM, S55: BUF over NOLA.

Season 46, Buffalo versus New Orleans. Buffalo was coming off of a season that saw them end with the 3rd worst record in the league, last place in the East, and 8 points out of a playoff spot. They hadn't made the playoffs since S43 and finished S46 with their best finish as a franchise with 64 points and 28 wins. From their inception in S25, Buffalo had yet to win a Challenge Cup. From the West, New Orleans had no history. They were one of two expansion teams that season and surprised everyone by finishing with the second best record in the West behind the Minnesota Chiefs. No matter who won this series, history would be made. New Orleans started the series with a statement 7-2 win in Buffalo. Buffalo responded with a 3-1 victory, sending the series to New Orleans tied. The two teams proceeded to split the New Orleans set as well, this time Buffalo winning the third game and New Orleans responding in the fourth. Heading into a pivotal game five, New Orleans came from behind in the third period to take a 4-3 victory and a 3-2 series lead. Buffalo, however, had different plans. Two goals in the middle of the second period and a quiet third period of Game 6 sent this series back to Buffalo for a winner-take-all showdown in Game 7. A dominant third period from Buffalo with 20 shots and 3 goals sent New Orleans back home with nothing to show for their efforts. This series, both in terms of the games themselves and the storylines surrounding it make this series not only the most prominent from this list, but likely one of the most entertaining finals in the history of the SHL.

Quote:6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
Which SHL or SMJHL team was the best team to not make the finals this season and why?

For two straight seasons the SMJHL has seen the regular season champion end as a top-5 team all time in terms of final points in a season. Both of these teams won the Four Star Cup. Both of these teams were taken to Game 7s in the semifinals by the same team: the Carolina Kraken. The Kraken have had a very strong run since S49 with only one season having been a losing record. The past two seasons Carolina has entered the playoffs as the #2 seed, finding themselves unfortunately matched up with 2 of the strongest SMJHL teams to ever grace the league. Both times Carolina left it all out on the ice, falling just short of a finals appearance. Both times they put up a better fight than the team opposite of the Cup winners.

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 an impressive set of skaters - without factoring in any coaching or tactical strategies, which team do you think has the better roster of skaters on paper?
b. Do you foresee the teams making any strategic adjustments during the course of the series? Should the teams be quick to switch tactics or stick with what they've been using?
d. If, once it is safe to do so, you had to go hang out in person with one of the users on Buffalo/Hamilton, who would you hang out with and what would you do? (if you pick gabe you get -1 tpe)

a) On paper, Hamilton has the better forward group by the slightest of margins, while both teams have nearly identical sets of defensemen. Not taking into account the goalies here, Hamilton has the slightest edge in this matchup just due to having slightly more TPE on the top end of their forward group.
b) Both of these teams have strong strategists behind the curtains. This series was very likely a battle of the minds when it came to tactics. Both teams knew the other was capable of strong adjustments and looking back at the outcome, it is likely that both teams went back and forth with changes until the bitter end.
c) When it is safe to do so, I'm going to finally meet up with my buddy Nour and see if the man, the myth, the legend himself is as well fashioned as Trella makes him out to be. However, I'm making him come to me, Hamilton isn't gonna be a fun place to visit, especially since Gabe is there.

Quote: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.

First of all, I want to extend a congratulations to Hamilton for their Cup victory. Hopefully hell can unfreeze here soon and someone outside of the Great Lakes can win before we all realize this format sucks. Looking back on the series, my MVP has to be Theo Morgan. He did just about everything he was asked of and then some. He was dominant in the regular season and that performance carried over. He is going to be a player to keep your eye on next season and whether or not he will be able to replicate his performance is yet to be seen.

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.

fham