It’s a bit strange to think about, but I would expect some of the same teams that are very powerful nowadays in S57 to be close to the top in ~S63. Though there has always been an ebb and flow to sim league power rankings, one of the great frustrations of the SHL has been the generally small cast of teams that have made it to the finals. Although Hamilton does not have the most TPE in the league, they have a great team that has ostensibly ‘figured out’ the sim. While the talent may fade to an extent, I expect them to still be tops in the league. Similarly, Buffalo’s first title was in S46; they most recently won in S55, and are the second-best team in the league by record in spite of needing to play their ridiculously tough division more frequently than other teams. Both teams are managed well, and thus I’d expect them to continue to succeed in spite of draft stock not necessarily favoring either.

That being said, I expect the Tampa Bay Barracuda and Toronto North Stars to resurface after a long rebuild. There is zero chance that the top three in the East all remain as successful as they have been.