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***hockeyiscool*** · 03-26-2021, 11:46 PM

17/16

1. 3 TPE
In a season full of surprises. Looking back upon this season, the biggest surprise from my initial season predictions was that Winnepeg made the play-offs and Seattle finished last in the northwest. Despite acquiring Reid Sutherland and Gabe Johnson Seattle struggled quite a bit. They just never seemed to get it right. They continued to drop games against opponents that they should have handled easily. On the contrary, Winnipeg called up a pair of rookies defensemen in Adrik Baranov, and Sarah Burke and they seemed to hit the ground running. I would have thought that Winnepeg losing someone like Reid would have been a nail in the coffin for them to having the ability to make it out of the northwest. I would have even been able to understand if Minnesota had made it out over Winnepeg. However the west ended up being the traditional “blender” that we’re use to. Who’s playoff future was decided on the last day of the regular season.

[~163 words]

5. 2 TPE
The SHL team that was the best team to not make the finals was actually a team that did not even make the play-offs. This team is the Chicago Syndicate. After winning the cup in S57 there was a clear hangover. This is a team that was a near shoe-in to make the play-offs going into the season was dashed by a series of bad bounces. First things first, this syndicate team even with having a pretty bad PDO for the caliber of team they are would finish first in each of the other divisions in the league. Due to the misfortune of being in the stacked Great Lakes Division Chicago needed every puck to bounce their way. Llalo Selmen continued being the worst on the team in PDO (puck luck stat) with a 97.6. Over ½ of the roster suffered scores lower than 100 PDC with only 1 player above 102--Chico Smeb with 102.8. If you compared PDO to the other great lakes teams, Toronto only had 3 players with a PDO less than 100 but even they were high 98.8, 99.4 and 99.9. Buffalo was the team in the great lakes that was closest to Chicago but with only 6 players with less than a 100 PDO and lowest at 98.4 they had a slight edge over Chicago in PDO and so they don’t matter for this exercise because they were in the final. Same with Hamilton. Texas would be a close second but even Texas had PDO’s higher than Chicago but they were also playing in the weak conference so their season point totals may be a little inflated.

[269 words]

12. 4 TPE

a. One thing that Buffalo can do to give themself a leg up over Hamilton in this series is to put their faith in Elizabeth Doyle. The Buffalo Stampede and their goaltending set the record for the most shut-outs in a season and if they can get that magic in this series that’s a chance that Buffalo can come out as the victors.

[62 words]

B. I will go back to the idea of the Movie/book/reality??? Of “moneyball”. This concept is that in order to win you need to score runs, therefore if you can “buy runs” instead of players you can come out ahead more often than not. I think this concept translates to the SHL pretty well and that Hamilton will come out ahead but I don’t think it’s solely from having a great offense. Hamilton offense was one of the best in the leagues because it was also one of the hardest hitting teams in the league giving them solid possession numbers and more scoring opportunities.
[105 words]

C. I prefer the branding of the Buffalo Stampede, I generally tend to gravitate towards the color scheme of green and yellow of Buffalo than the standard colors of Hamilton. In addition to the colors, the logo for buffalo seems more complex than the Steelhawks logo. That being said, I do enjoy the clean lines that are part of the Steelhawks logo. I don’t really care about the name, location or that other stuff.
[73 words]

D. If the game was on the line the four players that I would send out for Buffalo would be Monkey D. Luffy because he seems to find the back of the net when the game is on the line. Centering Luffy would be Bobby Sharp. Sharp knows how to throw his weight around and create quality scoring opportunities for Luffy. The defensive pair would have to be the combination of Nicholas Owens and Augustus Wang.

If it were Hamilton’s roster I would be sending out Mitchell van der Heijden because he has proven to be clutch already scoring the series winning goal while part of the New Orlean Specters cup run. Alongside MVDH I would want Hugh Jazz, Samuel Michaud and Aaron Wilson

[123 words]

15. Milestone Claim: 2 TPE

16. Be nice to the homies task: 3 TPE

@sve7en you're nice and you have a lot of opinions. Muford @Muford your on ice performance is definitely better than @trella, I also really enjoy unwinding after a long day to watch your stream at Twitch.tv/muford... Following his channel was one of the best decisions I could have done. Word on the street is that there's a reward stream when 100 follows are hit. This message was brought to you by Squarespace.

ISFL Affiliate Claim, 3 TPE
PT#1 Draft Day- Different Site Username: Footballiscool

siddhus · 03-27-2021, 12:03 AM

Task 2, 2 TPE
I think the obvious answer here has to be playing with six skaters. Now, I don't know a lot about hockey, but having an extra man seems like it would help a lot. And for all those penalties you would get, even if one person got a penalty, then the game would just become equal strength until the penalty time was over, so it would not really matter. With six skaters, it would be so much easier game, but the only negative I can think of, is the ice will become too congested with an extra person there, which could hurt moving the puck. Idk?

Milestones, 3 TPE
Milestones

Affliate PT ISFL, 3 TPE
PT #1 - Draft Day

Task 16, 3 TPE
Wont tag anyone, but I just want to appreciate the Quebec City team. Took a chance on me earlier than any other team would, and Im so happy that I could play a part in getting them their championship! So many great people on the team, and I wish them luck in the future.

Task 13, 2 TPE
Congrats to the Quebec City Citadelles for winning the 4 star cup. (Yay!!). I think there were a ton of standouts during the series but a few really stood out to me. Tres Sombreros. Super clutch guy. The amount of times he managed to get a goal in the playoffs when the cards were against us, is uncountable. The other guy I want to shoutout is actually opposite to Sombreros. Matteo our goalkeeper was literally the goat during the games, and saved us from so many tough chances, and is a great person for the award. All in all we had a bunch of competitors, but really Sombreros and Smith were clutch these finals/ whole playoffs.

Task 12, 3 TP
a. Buffalo just needs to focus up. Hamilton are the favorites, but there is a reason that they made it all the way here. Believing in theirselves and trusting their players is the right steps towards making sure that they end up winning the game. Good luck to them, and I think an upset should not be out of the picture.
b. Great offense is always something I choose on, which i guess is weird since my player is a defender. But, you can't win games just stopping the other team, and you need to score. And I have learned in sim leagues, that no matter how good your defense is, the other team will always manage to score, so at least a good offense can combact that.
c. Hamilton Branding better, while the Buffalo logo is better than the Steelhawks logo imo, I am just not a fan of the green and yellow color scheme, which the gray + blue? color scheme that Hamilton runs is something that just seems better to me. I have heard that Hamilton rebranded their logo before, and I do think their current one is better, but could get better.

16/16 TPE EARNED

***_Blitz_*** · 03-27-2021, 01:04 AM

1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
While these two teams are no strangers to the Cup finals, we did see some very interesting things this season. Looking back, what do you feel was the most surprising part of the season?

I think the biggest surprise this season was Texas managing to win the President’s Trophy in the regular season, and that the race to the finish in the Great Lakes was between Chicago and Buffalo.
Texas is coming out of a rebuild, and they’ve been building steadily for a few seasons. Still, it feels like a really big jump for them to come out and start kicking ass as they did this past season. They didn’t do as well against some of the top teams, but they’re still growing while those top teams are buying as much extra time as they can. Eventually that time is going to run out, and it’ll be sooner rather than later.
The Great Lakes run-off is a little bit of a surprise as well on the season, since I think we all expected it to be Buffalo or Chicago versus Toronto racing to make the Playoffs this time last season. I know we certainly didn’t expect to be second in the division in Toronto. It was a pleasant surprise, for sure, for us to watch those two teams have that struggle instead.
(188 words)

4. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
If you're sitting at home watching the Finals: What do you plan on doing differently next season to help your team reach the promised land? If you're playing in the Finals: Is there anything different you plan on doing next season to continue your team's success?

The only thing we really need to do in Toronto is keep growing. We came out swinging this season and managed to make it to within one step of going to the Finals and having to figure out what we’re doing to stay successful instead.
A lot of making a series out of the Semi-Finals was dependent on strategy and luck. Buffalo is still a bigger team in terms of development, but we took them to Game 7 overtime. If we can close that gap in development even just a little bit, that may be thirty extra seconds that we can keep a one goal lead for next season. It’s difficult in this situation not to think “If I had done one more week of training” or “If I had done a Post-Game Show or two”, since that could’ve been the points to level up something that would’ve gotten us a better chance at that extra bounce we needed. It’s frustrating, but I think that we’ll galvanize and come back stronger next season.
(173 words)

6. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
What's your prediction for this season's IIHF tournament? Which teams do you expect to do well (or not well)? Which players?

My biggest prediction is that Team USA is still building and it’s probably time to acknowledge that our not medaling in the last couple of seasons is not a coincidence. Sure, we’ve gotten close and had not-optimal circumstances, but this is a piece of a bigger picture.
The Team USA of the late-S40s into the early-S50s is effectively gone. Half of the players on those rosters have retired, the ones that are still kicking are in regression, some of them deeply. No Kurczewski, or Williams, or Cain, or Moore. Manius, Mauldin, and Cannellini are long gone. Driftwood is a shadow of his former self, he’s so deep in regression. The replacement core are now in the early stages of regression. They’ll still have two or three seasons before they really begin to feel the burn, but it’s going to nag at least a little. The new players coming up are developing, but it’ll be at least one more season before they’re locked and ready.

That’s not to say that the outlook is bleak. We definitely have plenty to look forward to. There’s promise with regular season results from Barrett Blackwood and Bobby Lane, for a start. Weston, Price, Marston, Hudson, and Biscuit are all also progressing nicely. Chamberlain is ready for the goaltending reins. We’re adding a few new defensemen this season, including Colin Lambert. I think the long-term outlook is golden, but our short-term outlook isn’t so gilded. It’ll be interesting to see how the team adjusts.
(248 words)

15. Milestones, up to 3 TPE

Claiming 3 Milestones.

16. Written, 3 TPE
Say something nice about another member or members, no word limit.

I said a lot of good things in that mPT that still hold true. All of the Toronto guys are amazing and continue to be some of the biggest highlights of my days. I'm so excited with our progress this season, and even more excited for what next season will bring.
One big shout-out I want to give this season is to @sköldpaddor. Not only does Jess do amazing signature graphics, but she also has an awesome Twitter account and has been really supportive of our team’s playoff campaign. I’m sorry we couldn’t get Carpy a Cup this season, Jess, but we’ll get him one for sure!

ISFL Affiliate PT
+3 TPE Claim.

Naosu · 03-27-2021, 01:17 AM

Code:
0. One (1) affiliate claim from either PBE or the ISFL will be accepted for 3 TPE!

PBE PT

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

While these two teams are no strangers to the Cup finals, we did see some very interesting things this season. Looking back, what do you feel was the most surprising part of the season?

Although the fact is surprising, the whole league saw this coming a mile a way so it’s surprising but also not. That’s the fourth place Great Lakes team missing the playoffs, which ended up being Chicago with 88pts. It’s a shame we couldn’t quite make it 90. This might be the highest points obtained and not be able qualify for the playoffs ever, I wonder if someone could check the history books on that. Surely this theoretical record will stand the test of time... until it’s put on the chopping block yet again next season. With Toronto only getting better at this point and Hamilton and Buffalo showing no signs of slowing down Chicago will look to break the record and actually eclipse 90 next season. The real surprising fact to come out of this is that apparently they were the first FHM era cup winner to not make the playoffs the following season. Sixth place in the league and no playoffs is rough and I hope the playoff format gets fixed.

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

Oh no, the head honchos of the league are worried that there aren't enough story lines for the finals! Therefore they're changing the rules for the finals. The home team will get to choose to either a) play the whole game with 6 skaters on the ice at a time or b) be immune from penalties/offsides/icing. Whatever the home team chooses, the visitors get the other perk. Which one are you choosing, given the choice and why?

I’m taking option B. In hockey, immunity to penalties feels like it’s way too overpowered to pass up. Sure no injuries are on, but what’s the extra skater the other team has going to do when you’re free to commit interference and slash/hook players legally. Maybe it gets dicey and you’re stuck in your own zone for a bit, but what’s that, no icing? Just launch it down the ice and change like a permanent pk. With no offsides you could also pull stuff like having a player come off your bench and skate in the attacking zone while a player comes off and they can get an easy breakaway. Rule immunity is definitely better than one extra skater.

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

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

This one is definitely Kelowna. We were a step above the rest of the league over the regular season and managed to get our second Laurifer without a finals appearance. We were also just shy of the FHM points percentage record and over a span of 66 games instead of 50. The team was very stacked with 350 capped players on our fourth line. Unfortunately the team got cold once we got into the playoffs. Vancouver who wasn’t even a .500 team this season pushed us to game 7 and then we won the first game against QCC before losing four straight. Our goaltender who went 40-6-2 in the regular season finished the playoffs 5-6-1.

Code:
12. 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. Hamilton finished 13 points above Buffalo in the standings this season. What is one thing that Buffalo can do to give themselves a leg up despite this?

b. Hamilton was 3rd in the league in GF this season. Buffalo was 2nd in GA. This begs the age old question: what will win out, a great defense or a great offense? Why?

c. Which of these two teams' brandings do you prefer? Take into account colors, logo, name, location, and anything else you consider relevant.

d. It's all come down to this: game seven overtime. Which four players are you sending out to win the game for you. This is in a fantasy sense, so feel free to mix and match from both teams.

A) I believe Buffalo had a really slow start and traded for Dick Clapper part way through the season so the few extra wins Hamilton has doesn’t mean much. The one thing Buffalo has over Hamilton is goaltending. Doyle is an elite goaltender and likely most people’s choice as best in the league at this point. She provides an x-factor I don’t think Jobin can offer.

B) In a playoff context I think it’s always best to bet on a stronger defense. The game becomes a lot tighter and there are less scoring opportunities. Hamilton looks like they got a lot of powerplay goals and those are tough to get in playoffs. Also beyond the scope of the question, but Buffalo ended with a better overall goal differential with +119 to Hamilton’s +92.

D) I’m a little uncertain with the parameters given but I assume this is implying 3v3 OT? To start things off the dead obvious choice for goaltender is Doyle (sorry Jobin). From there it’s probably best to grab one of each C/W/D. Center is very stacked but I would choose Aaron Wilson and although he’s listed as a C I believe he’s a winger now, I would choose Luffy as his winger. Finally at D I would take Michaud who seems to be a great TWD which you want for 3on3.

Code:
15. Milestones, up to 3 TPE

New this season, Milestones are folded in with CW. So just link your Milestone claim as task 16 for up to 3 TPE towards your 16 total.

Three Milestones

Code:
16. Written, 3 TPE

I loved this as a mPT when hotdog did it last season, so I'd like to bring it back as a permanent fixture. After all, we could all use a little positivity every now and then. Say something nice about another member or members, no word limit.

(Bonus I already have 16 above)
@Nhamlet ur cute

charlieconway · 03-27-2021, 02:21 AM

Quote:1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
While these two teams are no strangers to the Cup finals, we did see some very interesting things this season. Looking back, what do you feel was the most surprising part of the season?

On a team level, the most surprising thing to me was the way that all three of the lower-tier East teams looked very similar skill wise. I kind of had them all shelved away in my mind as teams that would be pushovers for the top dogs of the conference, but they each in their own way showed that they deserve to be taken seriously. Tampa Bay, for example, gave Toronto a run for our money in several games this year. Long gone are the days where they go a whole 50 games without winning a single one.
In terms of players, I am amazed (and thrilled) by the season that Karl Krashwagen had. I know CementHands from my days at Halifax, with he and I being the two mainstays from the S49 SMJHL draft. But Krashwagen the player has blossomed into an insane talent, not only putting up wild goal totals but really acing the role Krash had envisioned for him in the past: a dynamic power forward. Those hit totals… talk about a force to be reckoned with on the ice. He had my vote for player’s MVP this season, and I’d be shocked to see him not be a finalist at the very least. Well deserved, and I’m excited to see what the future brings for him.

(+3 TPE)

Quote:2. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
Oh no, the head honchos of the league are worried that there aren't enough story lines for the finals! Therefore they're changing the rules for the finals. The home team will get to choose to either a) play the whole game with 6 skaters on the ice at a time or b) be immune from penalties/offsides/icing. Whatever the home team chooses, the visitors get the other perk. Which one are you choosing, given the choice and why?

The answer to this scenario depends entirely on how far you want to take it. What’s the point of having a maximum of six players on the ice if all your stars have been hacked down to the ice by the opposition? Penalties are so insanely important to maintaining the flow and consistency of hockey that without them I fear that the game would descend into chaos, especially so if only one of the teams is being penalized. That’s not even taking into account that tactical flexibility afforded by being immune to icing and offsides. Think cherry picking is bad in a normal game of hockey? Wait until a defender rifles the puck down the ice to a waiting forward who has ten seconds of alone time with the enemy goalie.

(+2 TPE)

Quote:4. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
If you're sitting at home watching the Finals: What do you plan on doing differently next season to help your team reach the promised land? If you're playing in the Finals: Is there anything different you plan on doing next season to continue your team's success?

So, on a personal level I had a pretty great year. Highest-scoring defenseman, great possession numbers, second-highest plus/minus in the league behind only my defensive partner. The one thing I need to work on IMO is my consistency. There were large stretches during the season where I feel like I put in poor performances, especially against some good teams. The same goes for the playoffs: Adam had an absolutely insane series against the Pride statistically, but didn’t play quite as well against Manhattan and especially against Buffalo. He was still good enough overall to tie with his S50 classmate Aron Hernadivic for top scorer in the playoffs, no small feat for a defender, but overall some of the games against the Stampede saw Barron on the backfoot more often than I’m comfortable with.
I’m going to focus on becoming a better passer and playmaker over the offseason. Hopefully that, with the addition of nearly all of our forwards getting another season of development under their belt, will make AB a force to be reckoned with in the offensive zone.

(+3 TPE)

Quote:5. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
Which SHL or SMJHL team was the best team to not make the finals this season and why?

Texas, easily. I'm shocked that they didn't make the finals, even if they did take the eventual champion Steelhawks to seven games.
Sure, they weren't as good as their record indicated given that they played their entire season in the weaker West. But that roster is stacked with talent at all positions. In fact, the development of the Renegades has sort of snuck up on me. I remember them being a weak team when I first joined the league, then they were the perennial team that was just on the verge of elite. Now apparently they're hitting their stride and it's a sight to behold; I was constantly impressed by just how badly they were beating teams during the regular season. I think they'll recover from this defeat and have a much better playoffs in S59, though I'm not sure they can top their regular season record this time past.

(+2 TPE)

Quote:12. 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. Hamilton was 3rd in the league in GF this season. Buffalo was 2nd in GA. This begs the age old question: what will win out, a great defense or a great offense? Why?
c. Which of these two teams' brandings do you prefer? Take into account colors, logo, name, location, and anything else you consider relevant.
d. It's all come down to this: game seven overtime. Which four players are you sending out to win the game for you. This is in a fantasy sense, so feel free to mix and match from both teams.

b. I don't really think this is a fair question, because both these teams are fantastic at both ends of the ice. So I'm just going to answer this in a more general sense: I think it's great defense. It's well and good to be able to score at will, but you need to be able to keep the puck out of your net in the end. The trick here is to note that the biggest part of hockey, puck possession, is the providence of neither defense or offense exclusively: as crucial as it is to have the puck to generate offense, you can also stifle the opposition by holding onto the puck in a defensive capacity. It's possible to smother your opponent defensively, too, and in the end all it takes is one shot to get an advantage.

c. I think I like Hamilton's better, but there are both good things and bad things about both.
Buffalo's circular Stampede logo is fine, but I'm not a huge fan of the forest green + banana yellow color combo. I also don't think the animal emblem is as clear as I'd like it to be. Finally, I think logos with two colors are vastly inferior to those with three or more as a general rule. Buffalo's a cool city though.
Hamilton's Steelhawk is great, with a good array of colors that while sort of traditional (variants of blue), they have a good resemblance to the steel in their name. The only problem I have with the logo is the fact that with the bird leaning heavily to the right, the logo seems a bit off balance. Hamilton I think is a great choice for a location, too, since it has ties to the NHL (Ballsillie's folly) while not being the current location of a team.
HAM gets the edge in the end.

d. Michael Scarn, Monkey D. Luffy, Alexander Selich, and Elizabeth Doyle. Scarn because he’s a top-level talent that can carry the game on his own, Luffy because he’s one of the most talented players to ever play the game, Selich because he’s a veteran that’s played at both forward and defense at a high level, so has a good understanding of both ends of the ice, and Doyle because I think she’s the best goalie we’ve seen in quite some time.

(+3 TPE)

Quote:15. Milestones, up to 3 TPE
New this season, Milestones are folded in with CW. So just link your Milestone claim as task 16 for up to 3 TPE towards your 16 total.

Claim link: here.

(+3 TPE)

3 + 2 + 3 + 2 + (1+1+1) + 3 = 16

lilstifler · 03-27-2021, 04:12 AM

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

While these two teams are no strangers to the Cup finals, we did see some very interesting things this season. Looking back, what do you feel was the most surprising part of the season?

As always, the most interesting events took place in a group of teams from Hamilton, Bufallo, Toronto and Chicago. It was common that the Toronto team did not qualify for the shutdown games, but this year they made a kind of surprise by meeting them quite convincingly. Behind the best quarterback remained the Chicago team, which was certainly regarded as one of the Cup contenders this season. It seems strange that there is only one division in the context of the league, in which all teams are opposed to the Cup, which certainly increases the chances of other teams joining the best quarters, but in general, it could be quite painful for such teams of leaders to stay outside the trijman. I hope that in the future this situation will be balanced, because for the league to be more competitive and viewable, only strong units are needed. As a kind of second surprise, I can mention San Francis' team entry among the best, certainly not expected before the season. The most important matches of the season also showed good performance. This alone shows that teams are stepping up in terms of level, and hopefully next season will be even more intense.

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

Oh no, the head honchos of the league are worried that there aren't enough story lines for the finals! Therefore they're changing the rules for the finals. The home team will get to choose to either a) play the whole game with 6 skaters on the ice at a time or b) be immune from penalties/offsides/icing. Whatever the home team chooses, the visitors get the other perk. Which one are you choosing, given the choice and why?

Definitely, I would chose to be immortal against offsides/penalties and icings. In my opinion, by taking advantage of this opportunity and giving an opponent to play with 6 players on the field, I open myself up to the possibility that I can run counter-attacks without complying with the rules. As well as all I could make my players violate the rules to only delay opponents. And I couldn't be punished for that. A majority of players on the field can play a major role, of course, but if an opponent came on without any respect and fear, then it would not be overwhelming. The idea seems fantastic to me, and it would be fun to see it, perhaps even in the form of training, but it would be interesting to watch it.

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

Which players, if any, do you see as locks for the Hall of Fame? As in, if they're career ended today they're in. Anyone on the cusp? Anyone on the right track, but still needs to put up a few more great seasons?

If I am given the opportunity to select a member of Hall of Fame at that moment, I can say that Gabriel Johnson of the Seattle team, which I also represent, is a great candidate for that opportunity to be in this Hall of Famer, because he has always been the leader of the teams. He previously strengthened Hamilton's defence, but now he is the leader of the Seattle team and, as a leader, I believe, would have earned the captain's stitching in the team. Gabriel was particularly menacing this season because the team isn't from teams of type like Hamilton or Buffalo because there aren't as many bright stars on the team as anyone would expect. For these various reasons, Gabriel took a leading role in defence and looking at his statistical columns, it seems that he would be a good attacking player, because the points came after each other, outperforming even the long-standing team tractors, including me, but what about me, I still have a lot to grow up to Gabriel level.

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

If you're sitting at home watching the Finals: What do you plan on doing differently next season to help your team reach the promised land? If you're playing in the Finals: Is there anything different you plan on doing next season to continue your team's success?

Unfortunately, but this was already my third season in which we couldn't get into the middle of the best teams to continue the season and the fight for the Cup. I don't know what the reason for this is, because the team was very competitive for us, and we could be serious about more. But nothing, we'll certainly have added more to our game next season, and we'll be able to create more than we've had before. Personal settings are definitely growing up with me every season and as a player, I find it difficult when a team doesn't really get a game. I want exactly the same thing as the other players, of course, but I believe that if you win one trophy during your career and it's won with a big job, it's more valuable than a hundred easy trophies. We'll certainly think more about the defense next season, because we've often left our goal guard alone against all the opposing players and it's certainly not the best way to play in defense.

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

What's your prediction for this season's IIHF tournament? Which teams do you expect to do well (or not well)? Which players?

As I can say every year, it is increasingly difficult to predict this tournament, because teams are slowly becoming more competitive. Of course there are some kind of outsiders, but that doesn't mean these teams can't do anything more than they expect. The leaders' teams are known to everyone, and would like to add to them the US, Canadian, Swedish and Russian teams, which will certainly be fighting for high results. We cannot forget the Finnish as well as the British teams. Teams that might surprise us are certainly the weakest teams. In some ways, the Norwegian teams can also fight for more victories than usual. Personally, it is difficult for me to judge the proportions of teams from season to season, I can only mention that the Latvian team remains broadly expanding every season, as well as stronger in terms of existing players, because their level of development is already above average throughout the league, and if the coach puts everything neatly on the shelves, we can expect a good future from this team.

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

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

There are no two thoughts here about who was a kind of pain creator this season. Personally, I had great hopes for a Texas team that was fantastic in the regular season, so I was only expecting a cup from that team. But there was a pretty strong failure in the semi-finals against Hamilton's team. I was disappointed, but I believe that if the team goes on like this, all the chances of winning the cup next season, too, because I don't believe the team leaders will be leaving the team at once. That team's core looks good. This team will certainly be my favourites next season.

TOTAL: 16/16

Segi · 03-27-2021, 05:14 AM

PT pass

jRuutu · 03-27-2021, 05:17 AM

Quote:2. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
Oh no, the head honchos of the league are worried that there aren't enough story lines for the finals! Therefore they're changing the rules for the finals. The home team will get to choose to either a) play the whole game with 6 skaters on the ice at a time or b) be immune from penalties/offsides/icing. Whatever the home team chooses, the visitors get the other perk. Which one are you choosing, given the choice and why?

This is an interesting question, I would take the six skaters. If the other team plans on using the no icing rule, you can just leave 1 one of the six players to guard the ''cherrypicker'', which means there is 5v4 in the other end, that kind of constant pressure is something that will be hard to escape all game long. Even if they can use dirty tactics to do whatever, that kind of aggression is going to leave open ice somewhere and since there is one more player on the ice for the other team - that has to translate into goals.

I'm sure the other team can win a game or two, but I don't believe they can win the whole series while playing ''down one player'' the whole time. (130)

Quote:4. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
If you're sitting at home watching the Finals: What do you plan on doing differently next season to help your team reach the promised land? If you're playing in the Finals: Is there anything different you plan on doing next season to continue your team's success?

I will work harder than ever before, I will do a lot more on my own before training camp starts, I will do extra after every practice, and I will put even more focus on my diet and recovering during the season. I don't want to say I did not put the work in on those points this year, but when we play 66 games and the playoffs on top of that, it's important that every player makes sure all the little and not-so-little things are done correctly.

As a player who likes to play every shift hard and hit frequently, I for sure felt the 60+ games by the time it was our turn to play in the playoffs. Perhaps with even more care, I could have been able to push even more out of myself, which could have translated into a goal or two more. Next year I will be even ready to play on the highest possible level during the playoffs and I'm going to be that much better as a player, almost a full year to improve as a hockey player, I'm going to use every day as best as I can. (195)

Quote:5. 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 obvious answer is Nevada Battleborn. The team had great goaltending in Supernaw and Tamura. Core in defense was deep with player likes Sniff,Tuga’tūga’bo’atu, Funk, Bane, and Makela. You could say that own zone talent alone deserves a final spot, but Nevada also had talented forwards, such as Wright, Logo, Helminen, Johns 3, and Sidorov.

Tough to say what went ''wrong'' as we all know the playoffs are a cruel world with no room for mistakes. Perhaps the offensive units having less top-end depth compared to defense translated into difficulty to score when it mattered the most? We can only speculate, but what I do know is that Nevada had enough talent in the roster in my opinion to play in the finals. (120)

Quote:6. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
What's your prediction for this season's IIHF tournament? Which teams do you expect to do well (or not well)? Which players?

Canada is going to play well again. They won 10 of their 12 group games in last year's IIHF, we all know the depth of their talent pool, so I'm expecting Canada to be the team to beat. Latvia is going to be a ''moving on up'' type of team, which is not much of a prediction perhaps as they won 2 games in the last IIHF tournament, but the roster is young and steadily improving. I'm expecting Latvia to have at least five wins, maybe more!

Team Austria will have a difficult tournament again. Last year only five players had 5 or more points in 12 games, which suggests that Austria does not have the scoring power to truly challenge the big nations.

To throw few names out there for players who will do well. Bobby Sharp finished first in SHL scoring, 52 assists and 86 points. Sharp will be a key player for Team USA. I'm also predicting Karl Krashwagen for Team Sweden to score some goals, Karl had the most goals in SHL this year, so look for him to fire away. (185)

Quote:15. Milestones, up to 3 TPE
New this season, Milestones are folded in with CW. So just link your Milestone claim as task 16 for up to 3 TPE towards your 16 total.
SHL Milestones: https://simulationhockey.com/showthread.php?tid=114645
SMJHL Milestones (for senddowns): TBD

SMJHL Milestones: Center 3/3

Quote:16. Written, 3 TPE
I loved this as a mPT when hotdog did it last season, so I'd like to bring it back as a permanent fixture. After all, we could all use a little positivity every now and then. Say something nice about another member or members, no word limit.

I would like to thank Jearim and Nokazoa for taking me into Nevada seasons ago. I joined the team as an undrafted free agent and I have now played I think 4 years in Nevada! Jearim and Nokazoa run a positive ship in Nevada, relaxed and adult atmosphere inside the locker room. Jearim and Nokazoa are good people, both are easy to work with.

I highly recommend the team to everybody out there. Nevada is a great place to improve as a player and maybe even learn a thing or two about the sim engine!

=16 TPE

Ronniewalker · 03-27-2021, 05:21 AM

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

While these two teams are no strangers to the Cup finals, we did see some very interesting things this season. Looking back, what do you feel was the most surprising part of the season?

Looking back, I think the most surprising (although long anticipated at the same time) thing of the S58 season was the way two perennial contenders from the Great Lakes division, Buffalo and Chicago struggled out of the gates and also the rise of the perennial GL ‘little brother’ Toronto making their arrival as a true contender finally felt with a spectacular first half of the season. While Buffalo picked up their play in the second half of the season, the defending champs Chicago were left out of the playoffs completely in the end, thanks to the same quirks of division setup that have left Toronto on the outside looking in previous seasons despite collecting ample points to make it in otherwise.
Also very much worth mentioning along with Toronto is the just as spectacular start to the season that Texas had and how they ended up claiming their first Presidents Trophy in decades.
Sadly, both these teams succumbed to the old guard of Hamilton and Buffalo in the playoff semi-finals, but their ability to bring both their series to seven games shows that their challenge to overthrow the old guard is real and that they will certainly be pushing for the Challenge Cup finals even harder in seasons to come.
On the J side, I think Anchorage making the finals was pretty unexpected, as they were largely expected to have more of an off-year to allow their young guns to improve after many key veterans getting called up in recent seasons. But now here we are, ready to battle for back-to-back championships against one of the season’s predicted top teams, the Quebec Citadelles, who will be hungry for revenge after the dramatic semi-finals defeat at the hands of the very same Armada last season. (294 words)

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

If you're sitting at home watching the Finals: What do you plan on doing differently next season to help your team reach the promised land? If you're playing in the Finals: Is there anything different you plan on doing next season to continue your team's success?

I will not be sitting at home watching the SHL finals, as I will be competing in the SMJHL finals with my Anchorage Armada, but I can still say what I plan on doing differently vis helping my SHL team Texas reach the SHL finals - I plan to be on the team for my debut season and hopefully be effective enough to help them at least one more step further than they took even this otherwise marvelous season. Of course, truthfully I will just try to do my best not to be an anchor dragging them down, since I will likely be one of the two lowest-TPE players on the team with my Armada buddy Slava Petrov. But with the way that the bulk of their roster is trending even despite a few of their veterans already reaching grandfather-ages, it should take more than our rookie jitters to slow them down and if we manage to be part of the solution more times than we end up being part of the problem on any given night, then that should work just fine, I think. (184 words)

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

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

In the SMJHL I would have to say the Kelowna Knights were probably the best team to be left out of the finals. They surpassed the league's regular season point total record set by Quebec last season by two points and racked up an unprecedented 53 wins on the season! That's more than there were even regular season games played just two seasons before! Of course, when comparing their goal totals for and against to those of Quebec, the other predicted top team of this season to whom the Knights succumbed to in the semi-finals, it is also clear that if anyone were to be their equal, it was Quebec. Somewhat unfortunately though, due to the quirks of FHM playoff seeding, the supposed finals matchup was once again on display in the semi-finals stage, just as it was last season when Quebec went head-to-head with the Armada in the semis. Whereas then it was Quebec who was left behind as the clear 'best team not to make the finals' and the Armada went ahead to make fairly short work of the Anaheim Outlaws in the official finals, it is on the Armada this time to try and put up enough of a fight to prove their mettle once more and make this season's finals a series actually worthy of the moniker and not the same kind of quasi-finals as last season's, just to put a stamp on the champ that was already all but decided in that previous series between the otherwise supposed finalists. (254 words)

Code:
8. Graphic, 3 TPE

Design a Challenge Cup championship t-shirt for one of the teams in the finals. (A four-star cup t-shirt for the SMJHL is ok as well.) Hey maybe if your design is good enough it'll make it to the merch store!

Code:
9. Graphic, 3 TPE

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

Man, this aged like last week’s milk Crybaby

So here's a better one Smile

@Matteo

Code:
15. Milestones, up to 3 TPE

New this season, Milestones are folded in with CW. So just link your Milestone claim as task 16 for up to 3 TPE towards your 16 total.

4 SMJHL milestones reached, claiming 3 TPE — https://simulationhockey.com/showthread....pid3007301

Code:
16. Written, 3 TPE

I loved this as a mPT when hotdog did it last season, so I'd like to bring it back as a permanent fixture. After all, we could all use a little positivity every now and then. Say something nice about another member or members, no word limit.

I don't know when I'll find the time to write up a farewell post to my Anchorage buddies, so might as well at least give a shout out here now. @Acsolap and @golden_apricot, huge thanks to you guys for bringing me into Anchorage when I was just starting out! I couldn't have asked for a better place to start out and spend my juniors career. Your guidance and advice has been invaluable and the Armada locker room that you have built has been a lot of fun to read, even if I don't partake of the conversation too often myself. @ThisSeemsFishy, @Ohtaay and @honkerrs, You guys have also been great in helping me acclimatize and socialize more in the locker room and beyond. I never thought Twitter would be a thing I'd get into, but the banter with TURG TURG when starting out there really helped me get going and now it seems like my main means of SHL communication even. Oats, scouting and recommending me to Texas, it means a lot to me and it'll be great to meet up again in the Renegades lineup next season. @Gwdjohnson, @Wearingabear and @bluesfan55, You guys are the perfect bunch to have taken over and to keep Anchorage on the right track and keep that locker room fun and the team rocking the waves like the champs that they are! Your enthusiasm for the team is superbly contagious and your friendliness boundless and it's great to have been able to share a locker room with you and I will surely stick around in Mess Hall for as long as I'll be an SHLer. It's late and I won't go on calling out the whole team one by one, but you have all been great to be around and I wish you all great success here in the SHL and in your daily lives as well! Go Boats! Armada

Sigs by sulovilen , Ragnar , supertardis101 , Leviadan , High Stick King , Carpy & KaleSalad

S69 Challenge Cup Champion - Philadelphia Forge Forge

S59 & S62 Challenge Cup Champion - Texas Renegades

S57 Four Star Cup Champion - Anchorage Armada Armada

S57 & S58 WJC / S62, S64 & S66 IIHF Gold Medalist - Team Finland Finland

After 69 shots on net with still no SHL goals to show for it, even the opposition started to feel so sorry for Lemo, that they decided to help him out :D

- Bad pass by Jack Klompus, he gave it right to Lemo Pihl.

- Lemo Pihl rips it to the net...

- Lemo Pihl will find the empty net, that should do it!

TEX @ MAN, S59 game 31

***golden_apricot*** · 03-27-2021, 06:32 AM

pt pass 16

*Carpy48* · 03-27-2021, 08:07 AM

Quote:1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
While these two teams are no strangers to the Cup finals, we did see some very interesting things this season. Looking back, what do you feel was the most surprising part of the season?

I can think of different surprising things in the playoffs. First of all that the President's Trophy went to a non-Great Lakes team this year; to Texas - seriously who would've thought?! I know there were discussions about how the West was weaker than the East. Secondly was SFP taking TOR all the way to game 7 - what a strong performance! Some people were surprised to see Toronto instead of Chicago in the playoffs this season, but I don't think that is such a huge surprise if you look at the Great Lakes right now. Any of the four teams could've made the playoffs, they're all good enough. What was the biggest surprise though? Perhaps it was Toronto taking Buffalo to a game 7 (and then only to lose in OT!) after being down 1-3 in the series. The series was much closer in the end that it should've been, since Buffalo is still a better team on paper and it could've easily gone the other way.

168 words

+3 TPE

Quote:3. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Which players, if any, do you see as locks for the Hall of Fame? As in, if they're career ended today they're in. Anyone on the cusp? Anyone on the right track, but still needs to put up a few more great seasons?

If their (not they're!!) career ended today, I could definitely see someone like Elizabeth Doyle getting into the HOF. Just look at all the hardware; this is definitely a no-brainer. It's a relatively short career, but it shows what a good player with a good team can achieve. Just imagine if Doyle can keep this up for some more seasons. I can't think of any other goalie right now that comes close, perhaps Peter Larson, but the problem is the inactivity that might hurt him there. Another person comparable to Doyle could be Theo Morgan for similar reasons, but with a slightly longer career already. A second forward on the list is easily Monkey D. Luffy - same reasons as Morgan. Who is on the cusp? If Andreas Kvalheim can finally add a cup to his Dar collection, that would be another name. We know Texas shouldn't be underestimated right now, so the chances are definitely there. They just have to beat the Great Lakes.

164 words

+3 TPE

Quote:4. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
If you're sitting at home watching the Finals: What do you plan on doing differently next season to help your team reach the promised land? If you're playing in the Finals: Is there anything different you plan on doing next season to continue your team's success?

I wouldn't change a single thing. Well, maybe except earn more TPE, but being in regression there is only so much you can do to fight it. As long as the younger players on Toronto keep earning well, we're on the right way, we don't need to change anything. We had a first taste of playoff success this season and after this season we all know that we want more of it. We want to win the Cup, just like everyone else, but in order to get there we first need to play in the finals. That's the next goal. Perhaps the FHM experts find some better tactics, but that's not my expertise. I'll just keep fighting regression as much as I can and let things happen. In the end we will need a little luck again anyway, because only three of the four Great Lakes teams can make the playoffs and whoever ends up missing them certainly doesn't deserve it, because we're all good.

165 words.

+3 TPE

Quote:12. 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. Hamilton finished 13 points above Buffalo in the standings this season. What is one thing that Buffalo can do to give themselves a leg up despite this?

Buffalo has Doyle in net. Oh, I need to write more, sorry. Doyle has been one of the best if not the best goalie in SHL for a while now we all know that a hot goalie can carry a team. Doyle is going into this series with a GAA that is below two (1.95) and has only 3 losses in 16 games. Sure, Jobin played fewer games, but hasn't been quite as dominant.

74 words

+1 TPE

15. Milestones, up to 3 TPE
New this season, Milestones are folded in with CW. So just link your Milestone claim as task 16 for up to 3 TPE towards your 16 total.

+3 TPE from Milestones

Quote:16. Written, 3 TPE
I loved this as a mPT when hotdog did it last season, so I'd like to bring it back as a permanent fixture. After all, we could all use a little positivity every now and then. Say something nice about another member or members, no word limit.

There are so many people I could write about, but I would like to pick just one this time. Given the current situation nobody fits better than @sköldpaddor a.k.a. my Swedish house mafia guest a.k.a. the newest Toronto-fan who provided me with so much support and good food (and sock-eating dogs Wink

) during the playoffs. Gunnar wasn't supposed to stay in town this long, but stuck around until the very end and I'm sure he played at least a little part in our playoff success this season. Thanks again for everything, but don't forget as soon as next season starts we're rivals again!

+3 TPE

Total: 16 TPE

***bluesfan55*** · 03-27-2021, 08:11 AM

Milestones +3 TPE

1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
While these two teams are no strangers to the Cup finals, we did see some very interesting things this season. Looking back, what do you feel was the most surprising part of the season?
For me, the most surprising part of the season was the reigning cup champions, Chicago, missing out on the playoffs entirely and the nascent Toronto North Stars taking their place as the 3rd team out of the Great Lakes. Was I rooting for Toronto to make it over them? Yeah, and I think most neutrals were rooting for them as well; the story of a team that had inadvertently almost ruined their tank by making the playoffs in the final STHS season making the playoffs with a cup worthy roster that fell just short of actually making the finals themselves (i feel for u star gang) is just fantastic to see. Chicago missing out when they would make the playoffs in any other division draws attention to the disparities of the current playoff format but also could show that this may be the end of Chicago's playoff stretch as they lack a lot of youth and prospects.

Code:
6. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
What's your prediction for this season's IIHF tournament? Which teams do you expect to do well (or not well)? Which players?
I am very excited for this upcoming IIHF tournament and my Switzerland boys. We've been a consistent medal round team for a while now and last season Nicolae Antonescu really stepped up for us (and the playoff series against TOR confirms that yes he can steal your team some games). This season we're going to be adding some nice young talents in Luukas Lilja and Arsene Leclerc, and I'm excited to see how the rookies do for us as we try to win a gold. Of course, Canada, the US, and the Czechs are a favorite, along with a sneaky Germany team who did really well last year. Austria and Latvia are my bottom feeders this season; I just don't think they have enough to really compete. Overall, I'm really excited to see how we do, and to get a gold medal and complete my Triple Gold hunt would just be awesome and mean so much to me.

Code:
12. 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. Hamilton finished 13 points above Buffalo in the standings this season. What is one thing that Buffalo can do to give themselves a leg up despite this?
I hope they don't do anything to get a leg up because as a proud Steelhawk I would like to win the cup and celebrate my team's success this season by raising the big bad cup over my head. Should be a tough series but I would really like my team to have the advantage in this one.
b. Hamilton was 3rd in the league in GF this season. Buffalo was 2nd in GA. This begs the age old question: what will win out, a great defense or a great offense? Why?
I think a great offense is better because it can mask a mediocre to bad defense with sheer goal scoring talent. We have a great offensive team with stars like Jones, Scarn, and Wilson, and our defense has strong enough players (Zlatan, Bork Bork, my main man Sam) to lock down Buffalo's offense so we can keep scoring at high levels.
c. Which of these two teams' brandings do you prefer? Take into account colors, logo, name, location, and anything else you consider relevant.
While green is my favorite color, I honestly don't like Buffalo's branding that much as much as I like the Steelhawks branding. Buffalo is a better location, but the Hamilton logo is better than Buffalo's quasi ripoff of the North Stars logo, the colors fit better for me and are pretty classic, I think steelhawks are scarier than buffaloes so I'd go with that too, and realistically yeah that's it
d. It's all come down to this: game seven overtime. Which four players are you sending out to win the game for you. This is in a fantasy sense, so feel free to mix and match from both teams.
I want Samuel Michaud out there on D since he's been a clutch offensive defenseman for us this year and he pots some big points. Aron Hernadivic has been a good playmaker for Buffalo this postseason and I want someone who can sauce it out there. His other wing will be the man, the myth, the legend, Theo Morgan. Because he's Theo Morgan. And finally, I'd pick myself since I scored that one goal in the finals and I haven't lost a finals game yet so yes I am choosing myself for ego but also proven playoff scoring.

16. Written, 3 TPE
I loved this as a mPT when hotdog did it last season, so I'd like to bring it back as a permanent fixture. After all, we could all use a little positivity every now and then. Say something nice about another member or members, no word limit.

thank you keenan for giving me three free tpe from this you kind generous #1 prospect easily coachable soul

ty to @High Stick King @EvilAllBran and @Ragnar for the sigs

***Chevy*** · 03-27-2021, 09:04 AM

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

Oh no, the head honchos of the league are worried that there aren't enough story lines for the finals! Therefore they're changing the rules for the finals. The home team will get to choose to either a) play the whole game with 6 skaters on the ice at a time or b) be immune from penalties/offsides/icing. Whatever the home team chooses, the visitors get the other perk. Which one are you choosing, given the choice and why?

Between these two options, if Winnipeg were in the finals, I would have to go with option A to have 6 skaters on the ice at all times. The alternate option would mean we could utilize our speedy / breakaway forwards however it would leave the rest of the team at a disadvantage on defense, and our special teams ability last season was well below average on performance. Now, while our special teams didn't do exceedingly well on the powerplay either, having the sixth man advantage during even strength...and still have decent goaltending without sacrificing an open goal I feel would definitely give us an upper hand advantage going into a series. (111 Words)

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

Which players, if any, do you see as locks for the Hall of Fame? As in, if they're career ended today they're in. Anyone on the cusp? Anyone on the right track, but still needs to put up a few more great seasons?

While I'm not entirely up to speed on the overall performance of all SHL players, there are a few notables that I believe are destined for the Hall of Fame. The first one I'd mention has to be Harry Carpet from Toronto. This season saw them make a huge run to Game 7, Overtime against Buffalo after having been shuttered out for several seasons (partly in fact due to the Great Lakes division being a cumulative powerhouse) but through all this, through Harry's prowess between the pipes I feel single-handedly kept Toronto in conversation. The second one I'd mention for guaranteed Hall of Fame status would be Nick Brain from Winnipeg. Sure, this is a homer choice however being one of the most elite forwards in SHL history, and being such a versatile...multi-role forward who can put the puck in the net from virtually anywhere I think checks all the boxes needed to pass the ballot. (156 Words)

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

If you're sitting at home watching the Finals: What do you plan on doing differently next season to help your team reach the promised land? If you're playing in the Finals: Is there anything different you plan on doing next season to continue your team's success?

As a goaltender, its not like I can score goals to help my team achieve victory, however I have shown in the last couple seasons that I am able to step up in high pressure games when it counts. My problem comes from the regular season, when there's "tons of games" that don't seem to matter, and the puck slips by. To help Winnipeg reach the promised land, I'll have to work this off season to get better control of my glove and blocker. The coach said my reflexes and positioning are decent for the league but, as he says, "If you close the glove too early or too late...you've messed up". I feel if I can get the timing down, and finish working on my rebound control, overall it will help keep Winnipeg going even when we're up against a tough team with overall minimal scoring. Not every game can be a blowout where we have multi-point leads. Its those ones that you lose late by one goal that are the difference makers.
(174 Words)

Code:
5. 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 sure this sentiment will be repeated throughout the SHL like a broken record in these posts, but, while Toronto did exceedingly well, they were not Texas this season. All season long, Texas went on a huge tear in the western conference. They have a fantastic mix of offense and defense, and their goaltending was better this season. Alongside this, they weren't afraid as a team to give hits to the bigger, harder hitting teams in the east and I feel that's where their big advantage was. They weren't allowing themselves to get pushed around. Their exit in the playoffs was definitely premature and I think they could have definitely gone all the way. I know that, playful banter included, there was lots of talk about wanting a Texas / Toronto final. Texas for sure, if they keep doing what they're doing we will see them in the finals...and probably holding up the Challenge Cup soon enough. (156 Words)

Code:
15. Milestones, up to 3 TPE

New this season, Milestones are folded in with CW. So just link your Milestone claim as task 16 for up to 3 TPE towards your 16 total.

SHL Milestones: https://simulationhockey.com/showthread.php?tid=114645

SMJHL Milestones (for senddowns): TBD

2 Milestones

Code:
16. Written, 3 TPE

I loved this as a mPT when hotdog did it last season, so I'd like to bring it back as a permanent fixture. After all, we could all use a little positivity every now and then. Say something nice about another member or members, no word limit.

This shoutout goes to @Blastmeaway, whom through a side project, I've been able to talk to more and get to know a little bit better. A literal spreadsheet guru, I'm extremely grateful to have your help, to get to know you better, and to see the fantastic ideas that you have coming our way on all fronts.

Code:
8. Graphic, 3 TPE

Design a Challenge Cup championship t-shirt for one of the teams in the finals. (A four-star cup t-shirt for the SMJHL is ok as well.) Hey maybe if your design is good enough it'll make it to the merch store!

Total TPE ( 18/16 )

*sköldpaddor* · 03-27-2021, 09:38 AM

Quote:1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
While these two teams are no strangers to the Cup finals, we did see some very interesting things this season. Looking back, what do you feel was the most surprising part of the season?

I think the most surprising part of the season was that we got some really exciting performances from some teams that aren't just the same old same teams finding success. It was pretty fun to watch teams like Texas get pretty far in the playoffs, but also a few teams that didn't go that deep into the playoffs, like San Francisco, who played a lot better than many people expected them to (or maybe I just didn't give San Francisco enough credit and everybody already knew they were going to do that well besides me, I don't know). I think in the coming seasons we are hopefully going to see a lot more of that, because I think that kind of thing keeps the experience of the league fresh and interesting as opposed to the same two or three teams always fighting it out while everybody else just gets to watch and be bored.

Quote:4. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
If you're sitting at home watching the Finals: What do you plan on doing differently next season to help your team reach the promised land? If you're playing in the Finals: Is there anything different you plan on doing next season to continue your team's success?

Next season I am going to continue to do my best to fight regression. I have started to realize that the sim engine just has a mind of its own no matter what I decide to do, because my play has been absolutely all over the place for the past few years. I had a career year my first season into regression, but despite having nearly an identical build all of this season, I didn't quite hit the same numbers. This season, I should be slightly above my post-regression total from last year because I've worked pretty hard to earn as much TPE as possible, and I should be able to afford equipment early again, so I will be interested to see how Gunnar performs in his third regression season. I do think I am going to distribute points a little differently this year post regression - last year I wasn't sure what order in which to adjust things back to their pre-regression levels and I'm curious whether tinkering with that will get me back to that S57 level of play that I thought I'd be surpassing this season.

Quote:5. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
Which SHL or SMJHL team was the best team to not make the finals this season and why?

Well it was obviously my team the Chicago Syndicate, wasn't it? The Great Lakes giveth and the Great Lakes taketh away, and this year we were the team that drew the short straw. It could easily have gone very differently, but at the end of the day we lost some easy games that we should have won and it came back to bite us in the ass there at the end when we were trying so hard to make up those few last points we needed to squeak by. It sucked, but really if we'd won just two or three other games during the rest of the season we wouldn't even have been in that spot, so hopefully we can stay focused and not drop those games that should be very winnable for us next year.

Quote:12. 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.
c. Which of these two teams' brandings do you prefer? Take into account colors, logo, name, location, and anything else you consider relevant.

I prefer Toronto’s Buffalo’s branding because Hamilton’s branding triggers a very strong nausea response in me so it’s going to be Toronto Buffalo just based on the fact that it doesn’t make me want to barf. Also, I really like making graphics with the North Stars Stampede branding, it’s just a fun logo and fun colors to do stuff with.

Quote:d. It's all come down to this: game seven overtime. Which four players are you sending out to win the game for you. This is in a fantasy sense, so feel free to mix and match from both teams.

It’s gonna be Carpy Doyle in goal (obviously), and then two really talented forwards, Bobby Lane Dick Clapper and First-Name Last-Name Matt Kholin, and against a team that's as much of an offensive powerhouse as Hamilton, I'm probably going to roll with some defense out there as well, so we will send Adam Barron Nicholas Owens out there to shut them down.

Quote:15. Milestones, up to 3 TPE
New this season, Milestones are folded in with CW. So just link your Milestone claim as task 16 for up to 3 TPE towards your 16 total.

+3 Milestones

Quote:16. Written, 3 TPE
I loved this as a mPT when hotdog did it last season, so I'd like to bring it back as a permanent fixture. After all, we could all use a little positivity every now and then. Say something nice about another member or members, no word limit.

I love everybody, you all know that about me. Even Hamilton despite how much shit I constantly talk about them. Tongue

But I will shout out a few people who have been pretty cool lately, specifically the entire Chicago Syndicate locker room (especially @JNH and @lespoils and @Nhamlet and @Naosu and @SDCore who have been keeping me entertained during this very dark offseason for us. I will throw @SecondSucks22 in here too because it sucked when he was gone and he's a real one. And then a couple more people I've been talking to more lately, @hhh81 and @Carpy48 who are both terrific and I should have talked to a lot more way sooner. Also @reid for putting up with me dragging him for no reason in the one million discord servers we share. OH let's throw another one in there - @StamkosFan for running the good ship King Carl, and I'm not going to tag every single person on team Sweden but that LR is one of my favorite places, there is absolutely no drama ever and we all just have a fun time so shoutout to all my Swedish Mafia and Swedish Fish, I can't imagine playing for anybody else internationally and I never intend to.

MrRuihu · 03-27-2021, 09:44 AM

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