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**leafsftw1967** · 03-21-2022, 12:51 AM

Mats Marner and the Chicago Syndicate Dedicating S64 to Ukraine

On the eve of the sixty forth regular season of the Simulation Hockey League, Mats Marner called for a press conference in Chicago ahead of the Syndicate home opener the following day. Surrounded by his teammates, coaches and other team staff all around him, Marner stepped up to the microphone with the media room packed shoulder to shoulder and silent waiting for him to speak. He begins with the statement:

“Good evening, everyone, thank you for joining us this late on a Sunday night. We are up here on this stage right now not to celebrate the start of another SHL season, but instead to stand in solidarity with the country that is dear to us here in Chicago and has been dear to me for the entirety of my life, Ukraine. Before I go any further, I would like to thank all of my teammates for their incredible support through these tough times. Having my teammates reach out and check in to see how I have been doing has really meant the world to me. I am extremely grateful for the Syndicate and the greater Chicago community for rallying around to support Ukraine. It has made me realize win or lose we got a great group of people here in the Chicago and these friendships that have been built in this one of a kind locker room is really bigger than hockey and the games we play on the ice.

Next, I want to explain what Ukraine is to me. To me Ukraine is my heart, my identity, my passion, my heritage, my family and my blood. Ukraine is vibrant; full of life and culture. Ukraine is resilience and strength in the face of adversity. Ukraine is моя сила (my strength) and моя душа (my soul). Ukraine is my love; It is my childhood in a village among the sea of strawberries, rasberries and cherries each summer; Endless fields of golden wheat and sunflowers; The warm Black Sea of the Crimea. Incredible and breathtaking view from the top of the Carpathian Mountains. Ukraine is Democracy itself; the Freedom of the spirit!

[Image: Marner-Dubas-CP.jpg]

(A shot from Mats Marner speaking to the media)

On a personal level Ukraine has helped raise me throughout the years through celebrating Ukrainian holidays and taking part in cultural traditions, having gone to a Ukrainian emersion school, being a proud member of the Ukrainian church, participated in Ukrainian dance and Ukrainian social and cultural groups, as well as, being an active member in the greater Ukrainian community. The amount of grief I have felt over the past weeks has likely created a permanent shift in who I am as a person. It is a terrifying and desperate feeling when it feels like a piece of your identity is under attack and dying.

A saying that has been going around in the Ukrainian community is as follows: if Russia stopped fighting, there would be no war. If Ukraine stopped fighting, there would be no Ukraine. Russian troops are not just targeting military facilities. They are targeting residential buildings, civilians, hospitals, churches, schools and universities, and nuclear power plants. Mariupol and Severodonetsk are completely encircled by Russian troops, being destroyed. There is no electricity, water, gas, or internet or telephone connections in many Ukrainian cities. Humanitarian convoys are not allowed into cities. Residents are making food on fires and drinking rainwater. The deceased are being buried in mass graves. Humanitarian corridors set up by Russian troops in Mariupol were purposely full of land mines. Russian troops have been killing Ukrainian civilians who have been going outside in search of food. Just this week Russia responded to the International Criminal Court order to immediately stop all military operations in Ukraine by bombing Maripoul’s theatre that was being used as a shelter by thousands of Ukrainian civilians. It is horrifying learning about the war crimes and genocide that Russia is conducting in Ukraine and important to raise awareness about it.

To conclude, the reason why Ukrainians worldwide are so fiercely proud and protective of our culture, identity and country is because we are the children of our ancestors who have survived multiple ethnic cleansing attempts by various Russian leaders who have conducted failed attempts to eradicate the Ukrainian people throughout the centuries. We will continue to stand strong with our Ukrainian brothers and sisters across the world who at any cost will stand up against Putin’s oppression and Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Thank you
слава україни! Slava Ukraini! (Glory to Ukraine)
героям слава! Heroyam Slava (Glory to the Heroes)”

It has been reported that Mats Marner who was born in Lviv and has family and friends still in Ukraine is donating his entire six million season salary to the Red Cross initiative for Ukrainian humanitarian aid that is much needed during this crisis which you can donate to here as well: https://donate.redcross.ca/page/100227/d...moQAvD_BwE

In addition, the Chicago Syndicate have unveiled special blue and yellow uniforms and blue and yellow Chicago Syndicate logos in support of Ukraine that were designed by Syndicate alumni Gunnar Soderberg. In solidarity with Ukraine, the Ukrainian national anthem will be played at all home games in Chicago this season as well in addition to the regular American and Canadian anthems. Here is an exclusive fist look at the Syndicates new alternate logos and jerseys inspired by and representing Ukraine's resilience, bravery and passion:

[Image: CHI2.png?width=604&height=604]

[Image: bbblues.png?width=958&height=604]

[Image: CHI_UKR.png?width=958&height=604]

If dedicating and playing this season for Ukraine was not enough motivation for the Chicago Syndicate to set their sights on a championship run, there will be extra motivation with both Patric Twist and longtime fan favorite Corey Kennedy announcing earlier in the offseason that this will be their last season with Chicago before retirement. The Chicago Syndicate’s core is getting up there in age and facing harsh regression but that will not deter them from doing everything they can to have another successful season. Some experts believe that Chicago may fall off as one of the top team in the western conference this season but the team will use that assumption as extra motivation to prove to the SHL that they are still a Challenge Cup contender. Overall, it should be an interesting season with the balance of hockey firepower evolving and the landscape of dominant SHL teams beginning to shift.

Yagoyi · 03-21-2022, 02:36 AM

the s64 cup winner has been decided

Henrik · 03-21-2022, 02:43 AM

Great stuff guys

*Carpy48* · 03-21-2022, 02:53 AM

I support this!

***yosh*** · 03-21-2022, 03:04 AM

Love this. Amazing jerseys and for a great cause. All my love to u Darian and co <3

Urq660 · 03-21-2022, 06:01 AM

This is awesome! Anything that can raise awareness of the senseless suffering happening to the people of Ukraine, and pay tribute to those who have fallen, definitely gets my vote, well done guys.

СЛАВА УКРАЇНІ!

Samsung virtual assistant · 03-21-2022, 10:21 AM

Love all my friends on this team <3

Fluw · 03-21-2022, 10:24 AM

<3<3<3<3

**leafsftw1967** · 05-02-2022, 12:57 PM

03-21-2022, 02:36 AMYagoyi Wrote: the s64 cup winner has been decided

This prediction has aged nicely Blush

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