Simulation Hockey League
S55 Championship Week - Printable Version

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+---- Thread: S55 Championship Week (/showthread.php?tid=109493)

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RE: S55 Championship Week - CptSquall - 09-05-2020

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?

Honestly, embarrassed. Ruslan would have been torn apart by the Toronto media if this were a real league. Barely cracking 20 points? on the North Stars top line? The finger would be thrust at him by the media who have come to love Lane and Mika and would figure that Ruslan was the weak link. On my part? What do you do? Only way i can help is to keep earning TPE and i am absolutely doing it. We are the worst team in the BEST division, id wager, in SHL history. Its going to be tough and we may look worse than we are for a few more seasons but if we all keep growing like we are, and can beat up on Atlanta a bit, we may yet get some breathing room.

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?

Here is the thing, hard NO chief. For one, FHM actually has travel affect player fatigue and stamina. Two, we have other sim leagues out there on the internet whos niche is having teams in Europe and North America. I like the aesthetic of all the North American Cities that DONT have NHL teams having teams here. There will always be fantastic proposals, and if we want to increase or if the SHL site gets so large as to warrant a European Junior league then maybe. But honestly the SHL just seams like it has its own thing and that excludes European teams.

Code:
10. Graphic, 3 TPE
Create a magazine cover that highlights either a player in the finals or a standout player from the regular season.
[Image: 4gXSw23.png]

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. You can NEVER count out the Buffalo Stampede, however the New Orleans Specters have been working on building their defence up since S48 and have finally come into their own. They are also the defending Challenge cup champions and could make history by being the first team in the FHM Era to repeat.

b. These are two Titans of the SHL and will fight hard, i think this series will go all the way and for that, home ice will be hotly contested. I think some times each team will win at home, other times they will be beaten in shocking losses. All in all a fantastic series is coming, are we ready?

c. Toughness ALWAYS has an impact. Call me a dinosaur but i do believe there is some truth to the idea that truculence has an effect on games and, more importantly, playoff series'. That said a little goes a long way as you really only see the benefits take hold after game 4 or 5 as the wearing down of the opponent takes hold. If this series goes 6 or 7, expect the performance of the Stampede players to suffer.

e. So many good animals to chose from it can be super difficult. Sloths, monkeys, hippos (Absolute Unit), Otters are pretty cool, foxes are interesting, Kirby is a stand out animal being the only different one as a Poyo. He could eat each one of these animals or just all of them at once if he wanted. Making him a game changer.


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.
SUBMIT TRIVIA ANSWERS HERE
[/quote]

Verification word is Bowen

RE: S55 Championship Week - Rich - 09-05-2020

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 was a tough one for Toronto, and by extension, Bobby Lane. We really struggled to score through the first 20 or so games. I believe it took around 20 games before Lane had his first point of the season. Not a single skater in Toronto hit either the goal or assist milestone. I’m sure that’s fine, and totally acceptable for the league. Individual goals? Why bother? Narratively, I’m going to attribute my players poor season to an injury that required surgery, but was put off until the offseason, because my player is stubborn and thought he would be fine to play through it. The reality is the league has issues that I think need to be addressed regarding parity, TPE distribution, and update scale. There is nothing I can do better next season, as a user. I do as much as I can. As a player, I guess Lane is rehabbing his injury, then back to training.


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.
The way these things typically go is you have one team that tries to build a more competitive team in the immediate, while the other builds more for the future. I think building for the immediate is generally a mistake, unless you are able to stack the draft in your favor, and/or have free agents lined up who are planning to sign with you.  I think it is especially unwise if your team is in the East. You need to have an extremely good team to compete in the East. In the West, I think it is more likely you will be able to legitimately compete and make a deeper playoff run sooner. In either case, I still believe it is wiser to draft for the future. We saw this pretty clearly with the Portland/Buffalo expansion. Portland drafted and traded with the future in mind, and were looking really good until an unfortunate tampering punishment. Buffalo built to try to compete and they were bad for a long time.



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?
I think introducing teams outside of North America is a mistake. We have so little left in the league that grounds it, makes it feel realistic. I get that travel time isn’t a thing, and doesn’t matter for teams. I understand wanting to represent Europe, or other continents given that the SHL has a fair number of international users. At the end of the day, part of the appeal of the league, for me, is that it has some semblance of realism. Treating it as a simulation of reality matters to me. It is unrealistic for teams across the globe to compete on a daily basis. From a realism standpoint, it’s kind of silly. If we’re worried about having cities represented that can support a professional hockey team, I think it makes more sense to looking at either moving SMJHL teams to smaller markets, to free those markets up for SHL teams, or consider putting SHL teams in cities that already have SMJHL teams.



Code:
12. Podcast, 3 or 4 TPE
Record a mini-podcast on any of the below topics!
- Highlights of the S55 season (on or off the ice)
- S55 playoff round-up
- S55 Challenge Cup/Four Star Cup finals Breakdown
- S56 predictions

1 person Mini-Pod: 3 TPE for 5 minutes or 4 TPE for 7 Minutes
2 person Mini-Pod: 3 TPE for 6 Minutes or 4 TPE for 8 Minutes
Post the direct link to your podcast.
Rich and Luke S55 CW - runtime 9:34


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?
The answer is Buffalo. If the question is anything other than goalie, the answer is Buffalo. Their team is stacked from top to bottom. I don’t really see them as comparable. They may perform at a similar level, but the TPE levels are plainly in Buffalo’s favor. Some other teams might be close, but I don’t think anyone in the league has more TPE in their skaters.

Code:
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 hear that home ice advantage is a thing. Or, at least, people around the league treat it like it’s a thing. I don’t actually know if it matters in FHM, but I would guess it does. In the Finals, the home team won the first 4 games. Then, game 5 and 6 were both won by the away teams. I would never count on home ice advantage to be the decider, but it is probably worth considering. I would marginally favor the team who plays more home games, I suppose.

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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?
Maybe a slight impact. I doubt their average is much higher than the rest of the league. The vast majority of players are built with 5 aggression, 9-11 bravery, and 5 fighting. I don’t expect that New Orleans is far off from this, and certainly not enough for it to be something I would consider an advantage or disadvantage. I think a lot of these can also be offset with team/line strategies.

Code:
d. What is your favorite name from a player appearing in this series? Why do you like that player's name?
Listen, Poopity Scoop is an all-time classic SHL name. On top of being a really good player, he’s a damn good d-man. By far my favorite name on Buffalo, and I’m not usually a fan of silly meme names. On New Orleans, I like Jimmy Slothface. It’s weird. Is that just a name, or does it also describe his player? I don’t know, but it makes me smile.

RE: S55 Championship Week - BlackLabelBird - 09-05-2020

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?


I am quite pleased with my on-ice performance throughout this season.  I wanted to keep my penalty minutes down to keep my team being down a man, and increase my assists and shot blocks.  I feel I succeeded in those areas.  I'm proud to block shots as a forward, as every shot blocked is one less for my goalie to handle.  I attribute that to my work ethic on and off the ice, I feel I really put in the work on disciplining myself to not take dumb 'mistake' penalties, while focusing on watching players handle the puck and know what to look for when they're about to shoot so I can effectively position myself to block their shot.  Something I'd like to see myself get better at is assists, as well as puck control/retention to reduce fumbles and give-aways.  As a two-way forward, I've focused a lot on my defensive play, so I think its time to put the work in on my offensive game.

(227 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?
I am one-hundred per-cent in favor of any overseas expansion.  Europe is likely the obvious first choice, as many European nations already have a surfeit of players making their way to North America to play the greatest game on ice.  But, as someone interested in growing our game globally, I'm all for putting in the work to put teams in non-traditional markets to grown a fan base.  With team travel for games being the #1 concern for a lot of players, perhaps we could start with an affiliate League that plays one or two regular season games and has it's own division in playoffs to help incorporate it into the greater league without feeling so separate.

(154 words)

RE: S55 Championship Week - TheSparkyDee - 09-05-2020

1. 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?

- My player was showing flashes of being a good player, but one more year in the SMJHL would help make my player ready for the call up to his SHL team The Winnipeg Jets. His scoring will be better and he will able to read the defense better next year. His second year in the SMJHL for the Detroit Falcons was a 180 in what happened last year with his rough start to his career, but he keeps growing and will succeed in his third year. My player is trying to get better in all aspects of the game! He needs to be a better defender, as well as scoring when giving the chance, because last year he did not capitalize on certain chances to score. I know he loves being in Detroit, because that’s where he believes he can thrive the most. Being in Detroit will help him learn from the best in the business.

2. What are your predictions for the upcoming IIHF or WJC tournament? What team do you think will win/surprise people/be bad/etc.?

- The WJC is full of excitement and young players trying to make a name for themselves. As a newly appointed GM of Team UCORCA for S55. I believe with team Captain and I choose. We have best chance to go after the gold this year. The addition of new players wanting to join our team, and having them make a huge impact already before the first pick drop. I’m excited to see what this team has up their sleeve come WJC game time! There is a lot of godo talent out there this season for the WJC, but I think Russia/Czech/Lativia have amazing talent coming out of their respected countries. Medaling out is the goal for us. I think we can compete for gold with our two great goalies between the posts. The defense is just so tough to get past. Our goal scorers are the best in the WJC. Go Team UCORCAL!

3. Design a Challenge Cup championship ring for one of the teams in the finals. (A four-star cup championship ring for the SMJHL is ok as well.)
[Image: image0.png]

4. Design a Challenge Cup/Four Star Cup Championship banner for one of the teams in the finals, like those which appear on the side of the site.
[Image: image0.png]

5. 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.

- As the season was coming to a close we saw two new expansion teams join the SHL. The two teams who are now part of the SHL are the Atlanta Infernos and the Seattle Argonauts. I got to say the logos for the Atlanta Infernos are just absolutely fantastic! The Seattle Argonauts logo is FILTHY!!!! Love the ship and the waves are sweet! The secondary logo for the Seattle Argonauts are awesome! But the draft. It’s gonna go like this. Teams in the SHL has to save and sacrifice players. If you go through the list there is a lot of players that are active and very high TPE guys. Watch out for the new expansion teams to make some noise. These players that weren’t saved are going to work harder and strive to be the best. Tig and Hotdog will be ready for the task at hand to pick the best players available and turn them into stars.

6. verification code: TheSparkyDee

16/16 TPE

RE: S55 Championship Week - Count Chocula - 09-05-2020

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?

The SHL should not expand out of the North American market. The travel times for teams would be a burden to anyone having to fly overseas for an away game. Logistically it makes no sense to do it. That's why there are no other major North American sports leagues that allow it. There are still plenty of US and Canadian cities that would be great fits for franchises, there is no demand to place a team outside of the continent. The IIHF is enough to give nations their time in the spotlight, and if the league wants to grow the sport they should host season openers in other countries.


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.

Buff

RE: S55 Championship Week - XLeafer - 09-05-2020

Code:
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Austin Roenick did almost meet his goal. His goal was to hit 50 points so that he can finally have a point per game season but he was 1 point away from his goal which is sad. But it was a goal that was almost accomplished rather than not even close. My other goal for Roenick was to hit 20 goals and I hit that very well. So that was a pretty good individual season for Roenick as he had a career season and hopefully, this isn't his peak season because next season, he should be doing even better. And finally, my last goal was to win the Challenge Cup and that failed. We made a lot of trades in the offseason acquiring superstars and yet we were eliminated in the 1st round by Hamilton once again. They never seem to just stop pissing me off so much. But yeah, next season, my goal is to end Hamilton's season. It must happen.

Code:
3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
I feel like the SHL should be only in North America because that seems to be pretty realistic if you ask me. SHL is a major league and pretty much, the most based major league for hockey is in North America mainly in the US and Canada so it should be those two countries only for the SHL. The SMJHL however, in my opinion, can go whenever they want because it is the minors and really, they are a development league. So yeah, I feel like the majors should just stay in North America. Also, lets not go to places where I have never heard of before because of reasons.

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. Buffalo has the best defensive core in the league and were the best defensive team in the league. So obviously, it is going to be Buffalo who has the defensive advantage. Plus, Buffalo has some dangerous forwards and that is tough for NOLA to defend against so there you go, an advantage for Buffalo.
b. Well, it is really because of their opponents being pretty good in away games so it might change depending on if they change their strats and not fuck it up again. There is such thing as home ice advantage because of the presence of the fans so the fans should do their job to fuck up the opponents. Buffalo has shit fans.
c. Lol, we are not playing in old hockey style anymore. Toughness, grit is no longer needed in this hockey era. Now it is just skill and speed that is needed in this hockey era. Lol, NOLA won't do shit with fighting and hitting because Buffalo can just skate away and score some nasty goals and break NOLA's hearts.
d. Poopity Scoop is my favourite name because it is such an epyc name that i would not be surprised to see him just turn it around and win the challenge cup for his team and carry his name. I like the name because it is such a memey name and you know how much I love memey names very much.
e. The sloth is my coolest one of out all those animals because it is so chill. A sloth does not give a fuck about anything, and it takes its sweet ass time to do anything. So yeah, a sloth definitely is the coolest out of those animals and I wish to have a pet sloth.


Code:
14. Written, 2 TPE - The Procrastinator Special! (100 words min)
Monkey D. Luffy being the MVP once again as he is the best player in the team and the MVP for the finals. He has played with his heart and grit and skill and speed and throwing them apples for his team. He is the best player in the league for a reason and he proved it here. Not sure how many points he had in the finals but he had the most points in the whole playoffs so there is that. So monkey coming in clutch for his team and not being cold as fuck during the important games like some players I know of. So there it is, Monkey D. Luffy is the series MVP.

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.
coys

PBE PT 3 TPE

RE: S55 Championship Week - StamkosFan - 09-05-2020

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?
Another disappointing season for Wagstrom, and with regression continually chipping away at his 2K TPE stockpile, time is running out to return to the record-setting 40+ goal mark of S53. Wagstrom barely scraped past 20 goals, a sign that his elite days are in the past, and he failed to hit 60 points. It was quite disappointing, especially given that he had a comfortable footing on line 1 with two elite players, yet he just failed to live up to expectations and to produce to the level of such a high TPE player. Players on the second line of their respective teams scored more than him in some instances. Next season, he needs to get his confidence back and start burying all those shots he’s taking; a dismal shooting percentage is what is hindering him. As they say, shots do not count on the scoresheet, and that is a lesson that Wagstrom learned the hard way in S55. He should hope not to let his new team in Manhattan downs again if he wants his contract extended; he is an aging and declining player after all.

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.
While some expect expansion teams to go for younger players and wait for them to develop, I don’t think that’s the plan for tig’s Seattle Argonauts. I do not think this GM will shy away from picking older stars at the peak of their career and going for a Cup out of the gate. It is no big secret that Buffalo’s Cassius Darrow is likely on the move to Seattle, and he signals the start of the plan on expansion draft day. Darrow should make a fine captain, co-GM, or both; he brings a lot of intangibles off the ice and a lot of skill on it. Next, I think they snap up Aleister Cain; an aging goalie that his team decided to expose, but he still has a few good seasons left as one of the higher TPE goalies in the league. There are plenty of good S50 and lower pickings for them to choose from; Boris Poroshenko is a name that catches your eye, even though he would be a rental. Luca Vecceli would be a nice under the radar pick up from Manhattan; I think Seattle will be able to piece together a roster that looks pretty solid.

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?
Absolutely yes, there should be European or even Asian/African/South American/Australian teams. We have plenty of European members in our league, who deserves representation. It would be the actions of a truly international online community and help us to extend our appeal to hockey fans across the globe. More diversity and locations in all sorts of places can only help the league, so I think a European franchise would have a very positive impact on the league and would draw a lot of players to want to play for them. I for one would be thrilled to be able to play for a Swedish hockey club, carrying over my IIHF roots to actual regulation league play.

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?
The Manhattan Rage faced an uphill battle after an ill-timed suspension sent their newly acquired scorer out of the series, at least for most of it. They fought admirably, fighting tooth and nail against the tenacious Hamilton Steelhawks, proving themselves to be a worthy opponent even with their chemistry forced out of alignment and missing a key component of their roster. They just ran out of gas at the end, it added up by game 7 and sadly Hamilton prevailed. They were so close and I think that if things had played out a bit differently in one way or another, it could be a Rage player raising the Challenge Cup here today, or at least Manhattan would have been a strong contender to make the finals.

Code:
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'm certainly quite biased here but I think that Sweden is a major dark horse to compete for a medal at least. Of course as always the United States, Czechia, Great Britain, and Canada will be strong powerhouses, but many can forget Sweden as a middle of the pack team, because that is how we have been in the past. But now, with a fully uncapped roster for the first time....well, in my entire career as Fed Head, we will be a force to be reckoned with, without a weak spot for teams to break us down. Finding a way to beat us now will mean outmatching our speed and our strategy, and the other federations will have their hands full trying to do that. Watch out for Sweden, because we will be stronger than ever this year and out for blood. Our window is now and we are bound and determined to hang a medal around our necks.

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.
Trivia Verification: Sad

RE: S55 Championship Week - sulovilen - 09-05-2020

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

My player, Walton Stromberg, had overall an okay regular season in Maine. As a team we took big steps forward from the previous season, and there were many breakout players, so it was hard to “shine” in Maine. Individually speaking, the points total (6-25-31) was pretty good, although the 5.50 % shot percentage was pretty terrible. Having an average of over two shots on goal game, there just has to be more than 6 goals, whether you’re a playmaker or not. So shooting is definitely something to work on in the off-season.

Wanting to be a reliable two-way playmaking center, 25 assists and a +4 look pretty solid, however the plus/minus could’ve been even better without some of the bad stretches. Stromberg got a nice chunk of powerplay time (nearly 3 minutes per game), and managed to put up 15 powerplay points, so basically half of the points came on powerplay. Even strength production has to get better. Game ratings went from 57-57-57 to 65-63-63, so overall the season was a step in the right direction.

(176 words)

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3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
I think they should not. I think imitating NHL is the way to go, and unless they expand to other continents, we should stick to North America too. The fun thing about SHL is that with the North American teams, conferences, drafts, junior leagues, all the different team and league roles, everything just feels like it’s a real, NHL-like league. If there were teams from Europe, Asia etc., it would take away from that NHL-like system and feeling.

Like I said, if NHL did expand, then why not. It would then be realistic. The only continent-expansion scenario I see would be something like dividing the SMJHL into two: then there could be a North American junior league and a European junior league. That would be interesting as then there would be kind of two possible paths for junior players and then we could also for example compare how the “Euro rookies” compare to NA rookies when making the jump to the SHL. That would be a somewhat realistic scenario, as for European players that’s already a decision they make: they can play the junior leagues in Europe or US/Canada.

(189 words)

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4. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
In the SMJHL I think the team that would’ve most deserved to be in the finals was Carolina Kraken. The reigning champions had a great season, where they were just one point behind the Berserkers and even got most wins out of the whole league. They had some great offensive depth, with 10 of their players scoring at least 30 points, and especially their top guys, Grimstad, Wagner and Vitecek had huge seasons and were all at least +30.

They were just unlucky in having to face Berserkers in the semi-finals, and even that was a super tight series that went to seven games, which shows that they were definitely one of the top teams and were definitely the best team that was left out of the finals.

(128 words)

Code:
7. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
The Buffalo Stampede and New Orleans Specters teamed up for a common effort to promote great spirit and good manner in sports to young hockey players. Both teams expressed, that they are disappointed that in today’s SHL teams are trying to find ways to win by intentionally bending or simply not following the rules, that the league has put together. The teams hosted an event where a motivational speaker was talking to thousands of youth hockey players, and the speech focused on ethics in sports.

The main message to the kids was to teach them how to channel their will to win so that they won’t be tempted to cheat or use questionable manners. The motivational speaker ended the speech by stating that if you cheat and still end up losing, it’s way more embarrassing than to just lose – and if you win by cheating, you will always know it in your heart. The teams also donated together 50 000 $ to support universities that study sport ethics.

(168 words)

Code:
10. Graphic, 3 TPE
[Image: WQVBGjz.png]

Code:
16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE

Verification word: halvalla

RE: S55 Championship Week - Nokazoa - 09-05-2020

PH

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?

Jean Paul really came into his own this season. While I didnt go PPG like I wanted, or the 60= pts Tommy told me about, I think I played a larger role for our offense. What I contribute most of my success to is how well management and I communicated with each other on expectations. Mainly my own. When I made JPB I wanted to make someone who was a grinder. I liked watching the numbers get big, but as I learned STHS I found my build lacking in almost every way. So i decided to do a rebuild for my callup and make a scoring monster. Then we switched to FHM, but I decided I still wanted to hit shit, but score. I told Tommy this, and he helped me make a build that was best for both Edmonton and me. Sometimes, communication is key to success, and while I didn't get to the top of the list, EDM was stacked this year. I wouldn't trade it. Except for a season where we beat NOLA in the playoffs.
Code:
179

Code:
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?
The man with the hottest Tik Tok has to be my boy Jack Kanoff. Though his only fans is way more poppin'. The man truly lives up to his namesake as a solo cam man. I'm surprised you haven't seen the headlines. "Jack Kanoff: Stud ON and OFF the ice" was a recent one put together by his PR team. Of course there are your detractors, but those are just hosers that don't believe in self love. But yea Jack Kanoff is always online, he is always on the pulse of pop culture, and he is young. Those are all hard things to beat. I hear Jack Kanoff has the moves too. Though he mainly does lip syncs.
Code:
118

Code:
9. Graphic, 3 TPE
Design a Challenge Cup championship ring for one of the teams in the finals. (A four-star cup championship ring for the SMJHL is ok as well.)
[Image: ring_cw.png]
Code:
10. Graphic, 3 TPE
Create a magazine cover that highlights either a player in the finals or a standout player from the regular season.
[Image: rsz_cw_kholin.png]
Code:
11. Graphic, 3 TPE
Design a Challenge Cup/Four Star Cup Championship banner for one of the teams in the finals, like those which appear on the side of the site.
[Image: cw_banner.png]


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.
[/quote]
Sent? Verification: Verfythis

3+3+3+3+2+3=18 I know its only 16 given

RE: S55 Championship Week - Hallsy - 09-05-2020

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?

Hugh Jazz had a career high in goals however, Hamilton didn't go as far as last season in the post-season. He wants to play a better two way game next season, and he wants to score my goals next season too. I think I could be better getting more shots on net and stop missing so much. Also I want to get faster, stronger and play a strong defensive game so I can help the team prevent goals getting scored on and get less shots per game against for my team. I want to be a better checker too and be a better player for the Steelhawks so I can win more games and go deeper in the playoffs. Last season, I felt like we could have done better as a team and I think my improvement scoring this season and i feel like thats one area where I improved a lot.

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 the Hamilton Steelhawks were the best team to make the finals this season, they made the finals last season and added 2 2k players onto their roster and they should have gotten a big improvement. They played a strong buffalo team and i feel like things could have been better if they had more time to get their new players into their system and I feel like they will have a stronger team next season and will have a large improvement going forward. Also I feel if Buffalo didnt have hotdog, I dont think Buffalo beats Hamilton this season and You see a rematch of last season.


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 think Canada is going to be able to win both tournaments this season. They have a great young core and they might have one of the better rosters in the IIHF right now. They have a lot of talent that is quite deep and is going to be very hard to deal with in todays hockey world. They can roll 4 lines, play defense, play realistically any style of hockey that is possible. I think Aaron Wilson will dominate the tournament and lead the league in points once again. I know people talk about usa being the top roster in the iihf and how last season was a fluke for canada but I think times have changed back to Canada being the most dominate iihf team again and I think teams will now look to copy what canada did to develop these stars. They were out of the iihf contending for awhile but it looks like hockey is back in canada.

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?

I think Hugh Jazz would have the biggest following on Tiktok because of his size. I think a guy with this size and his ability to move on the ice. Also I think that ass is considered to be Canada's Ass and is one of the nicest things about him. I dont think there has ever been a man with that big butt. Hes thick like aple syrup. Its insane that he can skate as good as he can. He would have the biggest following due to his body type and I think he will post dances that showcase his ass the most.

task 13:
a. Both of these teams have stacked defenses - which team do you think has the defensive advantage in this series?
Buffalo their D is insane and is going to be a tough matchup for NOLA. I dont think you can get a lot of shots on net against them. I think NOLA is at an disadvantage their and I think Buffalo will need to just play their game and play a strong two way game to stop NOLAs offence.

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?
Home Ice is always important and is going to be a big thing and its going to decide the series. Its a lot easier to win a home playoff game than it is a road playoff game. You got the crowd on your side and its very easy to gain momentum during the game. Its something that we have taken advantage of often during the past playoffs.

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 dont think that toughness will play a factor in the series. Hockey is a skilled game now, you need to be able to skate fast, and play with skill and if you are going to just fight and be useless on the ice, well I think you will get outplayed on the ice and you won't be able to win a lot of playoff hockey games. NOLA in my mind has gotten lucky to get to this point.

Task 16
asdfg

RE: S55 Championship Week - MegaSkuci - 09-05-2020

16. 3TPE
Word: as
1. 3TPE
My player definitely didn't live up to my expectations. They are always high. This season I wanted to score more goals(which I barely achievied) and be a point per guy, since I play with Grimstad and Wagner on my line. They are one of the best forwards in the Js, so I was quite dissapointed in my production. I also expected my player to show up more in the playoffs. Unfortunalety I let my team down and now I can only hope for better in the next one. Assists-wise my player never disappoints. I never expect any and yet he somehow manages to get much more of them than goals. I definitely want to work on being a reliable consistent player in the offense. Our team will need that next season, so I hope I can deliver. Some players will be leaving and there will be void spots. My line will change too, so will have to adjust to something new.
4. 2TPE
It's obviously the Carolina Kraken from the juniors. They were the second in the team in the Js, just one point behind the actual leaders. The difference between Carolina and the first team was one point. They have strong players in the offense, on the defense, and in the net as well. Carolina feels like the most complete team. They have all types of roles among their players. Snipers, playmakers, enforcers, grinders, etc. Last season they came on top, this year they didn't. It kind of seems fair, since Newfoundland and Carolina were and still are the top 2 teams in the league. It's time to regroup and go for one last cup run with their current core.
6. 2TPE
I'm not really into TikTok, but I think my teammate Adam Friedland would excel there. The sex man himself. It's just not his hot body, but also the magnetic personality that just pulls your attention towards him. He's the best at whatever he touches. He could showcase all types of his talents. That would gain great following even outside of the hockey community. And it just doesn't have to be his talents. Basically any normal activity he does is ten times more exciting just because it's him doing it, imagine watching someone chopping wood. Pretty boring, right? Now imagine Adam Friedland doing it. I know. Best thing you could have ever seen in your life.

RE: S55 Championship Week - Rancidbudgie - 09-05-2020

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?

Overall, S55 was a rough year for Nicolae Antonescu, who succumbed to a bit of a sophomore slump in comparison to his admirable rookie season, where he took over the starting position as a first-year netmider. While he did play far more games than his rookie season, his second year as the starter for the St. Louis Scarecrows saw him perform worse in every major goaltending category.
While Antonescu appeared in a league-high 45 games,he has a career-low 3.22 GAA, a 0.894 Sv%, and only 1 shutout. With a game rating of only 62 this season, Antonescu was a factor in the Scarecrow’s overall struggles this season, not advancing any further in the playoffs than last season. Looking to next season, Antonescu hopes to take a forward step in his development next season, applying his newly-earned 425 capped-build to improve his fundamentals. Overall, this season is an unpleasant result that will hopefully rebound into long-terms success for later seasons.

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.

Either of the new expansion GM’s can look to the last expansion for inspiration on how to build a team through the New Orleans Specters. Having appeared in the Challenge Cup finals in their inaugural season, as well as winning the Challenge Cup last season with less than 10 years into the league, NOLA has arguably been the most successful franchise given an average season for them. The wisdom they can take? Build from the net out. Drafting Aleister Cain was the excellent choice, as he has been the franchise's main starting goalie and one of the highest TPE earners of the league. Credit to the rest of the players drafted and developed by NOLA over the years, but not having to worry about your starting goaltender for 10 seasons helps the focus go to drafting a formidable defense and high-octane offense. My bet will be that the first goalie off of the board will be Samat Beibitzhanov, and if he develops close to the way Cain did, building a stingy defense will go far in making a potential expansion club competitive not only in quick order, but set up for long-term success too.


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?

In my argument, no, there shouldn’t be expansions outside of North America. While a sim league is thankfully spared the inconvenience of actually having to travel, the aesthetic of having a sports league that demonstrates some practical realism is something I can always appreciate. If there were a large enough expansion all in one go, perhaps, but that will likely never happen, with expansion only coming in two teams at a time. Having only two teams outside of North America seems odd, and unappealing. Besides, there are still many untapped markets within the realms of North America, with a sim league giving opportunities to have teams in places not quite big enough for typical IRL markets, like Anchorage and Kelowna. I anticipate a team will eventually be placed in the state of Pennsylvania, and as for the Phoenix Screamin’ Cacti… well, HO has to approve it one day, right?

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 could be really biased on this one, as I’m heading up Team DACH for this upcoming WJC, but I’ll tip my hat to the UCORCAL team roster. All but their 4th line forwards are capped to 425 TPE, and the bottom line players are all at 340 TPE or above, which is insanely stacked. Their defense is not any weaker, with the top two pairings all at the 425 cap, and the bottom pairing sits at the 350 cap or above. Finally, they have two transferred goalies parachuting into this tournament that are well over the 425 cap. Out of the 22 players named to the UCORCAL roster, 17 of them are above the 425 cap, and 21 out of the 22 are above the 350 cap. This is one of the most stacked rosters I’ve seen for a WJC, and I’ll vouch that they make it to the final. I’m hoping DACH will be there against them, and if I want to push DACH to glory, I’m almost sure I’ll have to go through UCORCAL at some point of the tournament.

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.

Honestly, when is Cain going to get some playoff-related hardware (Besides the Challenge Cup, of course)? Yes, his regular season statistics are usually better than his playoff ones, but the finals have shown how vital it is to have a star goalie. In such a close-scoring series, where most games have been 1-goal difference-making thrillers, Cain has kept his team in it after going down in the series 2-0. Being outshot most games by one of the best teams on paper I’ve seen since the Calgary heydays (and Buffalo’s team from last year), Cain and the Specters have come back for 3 games straight to take a series lead. No fault of Elizabeth Doyle, who is an emerging superstar already, but Cain has nearly double the TPE, and the advantage in net is showing, despite both goalies playing great this series. If the Specters finish off the Stampede within the next one or two games and repeat as champions, I would argue on behalf of Cain for playoff MVP, let alone the series MVP.

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.

Confirmation word: Crows


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

RE: S55 Championship Week - JayWhy - 09-05-2020

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 honestly awful. After last season was my best in my career, I had some expectations coming into this one. Sure, I ended up still having a nearly 40 point season, which was pretty good for us. However, I just couldn't get any puck luck to go my way. I ended up with a 98.2 PDO, and while that isn't terrible beyond repair it's just enough to hold me down. I had a GF/60 of just 2.6 while having a SF/60 of 37.1 for crying out loud! I had a Corsi north of 58%, we could dominate possession, take shots on goal and ... well, nothing would connect. It was one of the most frustrating seasons of my career, easily. However, there was some success to this season as we broke records for wins in a season in Manhattan and nearly got ourselves to the President's Trophy which would have been the first in franchise history. Coming so close, just like all my near goals before, was frustrating, but we have to hold our heads high for what was our best season ever as a team.

Quote:Word Count: 188

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'm going to look at it from my own perspective with Manhattan. We're likely going to be losing our top goaltending prospect, and possibly one of the best prospects in the league in net. That's going to be painful for us, but we anticipated this happening and held another in the wings specifically for this situation happening. The big pain for us is that we don't know what else we lose. My ultimate goal is that they don't take Reginald MacIntyre, let him break the record for games played as a Rage and ride out the end of his career with the team he made history with.

The most frustrating part of this for me is that it ends up being exactly what I anticipated and being the same as last time. We had expansion for Chicago and New Orleans when I had just traded some assets for Clint Eastwood. Immediately the protections set up in a way that I couldn't then protect Eastwood just as we were about to make our push to the playoffs. Now here we are, pushing for a President's Trophy, pushing teams to 7 games in the playoffs and being competitive ... and we may be losing one of our best defensemen in Geoff "Greg" Moore, who we just traded for in the most recent off-season. It's painful, but it's the path we're on.

Quote:Word Count: 228

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?

While I love the idea of Euro-SHL, I just don't see it as a viable option. I would argue there are many more North American cities to visit before considering European options. Likewise, if we want to really develop into Europe, maybe we should just re-open the European Elite League, also known as the EEL. There has been discussion about having a league between the SMJHL and the SHL, which while I disagree with it, the EEL would be a fantastic option to utilize and to have teams in abnormal locations that can be more inclusive to the european audience we've developed.

Quote:Word Count: 102

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 mean, this is the most obvious answer yet in my opinion -- the Edmonton Blizzard were in my opinion robbed. I blame the referees, or something like that. I don't know, this is simulation hockey so it's not like I watched a game happen to find the place to blame. @Keygan built to me the most impressive team for this season. They put up 39 wins, they only lost the President's Trophy on a tie. This team had such a dominant stretch, and without a doubt was better than any other team in the West to me. I had them as my pick to win the Cup over Buffalo, which would have been an amazing series. Unfortunately, we didn't quite get that, but that team is and was something special and deserves to get attention as easily the best of the rest, and possibly better than the other two, too.

Quote:Word Count: 150

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 fairly easy to me. While New Orleans definitely has a deep, strong defensive group, I don't think anybody can compare to the defense that Buffalo has. Just look at that top unit of Poopity Scoop and Cassius Darrow. The duo is dangerous in so many ways, terrifying in so many ways. I have nightmares of them, and for great reason. There is nothing getting by them, there is nothing that can stop them.
Quote:Word Count: 75

D. There are many great names. So you can go the that's a cool guy name route with someone like Cassius Darrow, you can be like that's an interesting name with Hippo Passamus. However, the the best one to me is Rex Kirby. First because it isn't even his name, it's Kirkby. Second because I love Kirby games, they're fun, lighthearted and the exact opposite of @Acsolap. It's a pretty funny oxymoron at the least.
Quote:Word Count: 74

E. The greatest animal is fairly simple -- Kirby. Think about it, he sucks up anything that is he can find, just like the player. He's able to turn into whatever he needs to be, opposite of the player. He's adorable, people love him, but he's dangerous and terrifying. Legitimately, if we're counting Kirby as an animal, he's just too much better than the rest.
Quote:Word Count: 63

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.

BibbidyBobbidy

RE: S55 Championship Week - Vandy - 09-05-2020

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?

I'd say looking back at my career so far it was an average year. I came close to career bests in Goals and Assists and tied my career best in points.I'd like to think I exceeded where I thought I would be personally. As a veteran Defensive Defenseman, just maintaining the status quo should be considered a win considering how fast the league is getting now that we've gone to FHM. I'm happy to see that I've maintained my current rate of production and am able to give my team a 100% effort for the entire 50 game season and post season. I attribute my success as I always do to my teammates and friends in Buffalo. I wouldn't be half the player I am without their encouragement, friendship and guidance. I am extremely grateful to everyone in Buffalo for having my back and helping me to do my very best this season. It was truly a season of greatness for all of us.

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 am pretty excited for the expansion draft for both Seattle and Atlanta. I think regardless of who is drafted or by which team, everyone has something to be excited for. Seattle I think has the first pick and they will probably use it to take a defenseman or a goaltender and if it is indeed a defenseman I would wager it would be Darrow. Which, I will personally be bummed about because I would miss him a ton in Buffalo but it would be a great cornerstone pick for Seattle. Atlanta would probably take a goalie and it will probably be Alister Cain who we just beat in the finals. He's a brick wall and someone the team can build around and use to mentor their goalie pick in the upcoming prospect draft. Regardless of who is picked, I think both Seattle and Atlanta are going to get quality for their choices.

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.?

Every year I hear the rumors that this is the year the US Dynasty dies off. Though that was said about Ireland half as much when they went on their run. I would expect with a lot of top notch Americans retiring that the window may indeed be closing on our hopes for another gold, but I still have hope. Canada of course always remains a threat and I think with the emergence of William Hartmann in the Swiss camp, that Switzerland may surprise this year after an abysmal year last year. You can also never count out Germany which is led by Cass Darrow, a former Top Defenseman of the Tournament and of course any team that has Elizabeth Doyle (GB or Ireland, I am drawing a blank here) has a chance to run the table and be amazing, regardless of the caliber of player in front of her.

Quote: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?

The noble cause that every team can get behind is cancer. Cancer sucks, my mom suffered from it and many others die from it each day and its something that should be eradicated from the earth. Both teams as well as all teams across the SHL can get behind it. The best kind of fundraiser to have is something that is fun for everyone including the players and to that end I think a carnival would be the way to go. It could include autograph signings, a silent auction, meet and greet, pictures with the challenge cup. As far as how the teams would mesh, I don't think there is any real 'rivalry' between the teams and like I said everyone can get behind fighting cancer. Even going into a final, its an event that benefits everyone from sufferers to survivors and is great PR not only for the teams involved but also for the league as a whole.

Quote: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?

This is the easiest one to answer, its gotta be Poop Scoop from Buffalo. Anyone with the name Poop is gonna be a star on Tiktok or anywhere for that matter. He's a great player and his name or just doing skits involving someone calling his name at Starbucks or going to the movies or just out and about would be comedy gold. Either him or Monkey. Maybe both of them together, a duo called Monkey Poop would put my ass in the seats to watch whatever comedy or hi-jinks they get up to on the daily. Monkey Poop. coming to a tiktok near you.

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?

You know it wouldn't be too far fetched to place a team in Mexico, either right over the line in Tijuana or Juarez. Perhaps even Mexico City or Cozumel. Before we go branching out abroad we should consider three things, travel time for the players, fan base and safety. Is there a big enough fan base where ever were going to expand to? I'd wager Latin America is a ripe fan base that is just starting to pick up Hockey. Mexico is close enough to our base of operations in America and while Safety is a concern due to cartel violence, additional security can always be provided by the teams themselves.

RE: S55 Championship Week - Duff101 - 09-05-2020

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 was basically an off year for me, being that I was a backup behind longtime starter at Manhattan Peter Larson. However, in the games I did start, I performed very well, and had a very good season, though other backups did better than me, they had less games. There seems to be a general correlation between less games and statistically better performances, so I don't know if I can really say I performed well or not. When working on this season, I just tried to update things to how I felt would be good. Overall I was happy I at least did pretty well this season, even if it was a very small sample size. With me presumably being an expansion draft pick, I hope wherever I go next year gives me more playing time or a starting job somewhere, but I guess it's up to whoever drafts me, if I get picked at all. 


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.

As said before, I think there's a pretty strong chance that I will be taken this expansion draft. To add onto this, I really think there are two goalies that represent the metaphorical ways in which each of the two teams can go when drafting for the future. Aleister (I probably butchered the spelling) Cain and myself, Samat Beibitzhanov. Cain represents part of a win now at all costs attitude, with a goalie entering regression but who still has maybe one or two years left in the tank. It's a very risky play but one which could pay off in the short term and get over the loss of old players with a good draft plan. The other option is draft young players and build for the future while sacrificing success up front. Both of these require good drafting.


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?

I think having an expansion on other continents is too far. What I MIGHT be in favor of, however, is once the J grows to 20 or so teams, to split the J in half and have half of the teams move to Europe to form a new JHL. I think having an intercontinental Junior or SHL league would be too much in regards to breaking realism. I'm all for having teams in Mexico, I think it's more than reasonable, or expanding into Canada more, but I think there's plenty of untapped hockey markets in North America alone that we should fill up here before considering moving to other continents.


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?

I am incredibly biased in this but I do think Manhattan was the best team to not make the finals. The Ola Wagstrom suspension completely killed any momentum that Manhattan had, and it really affected the team in a negative way. If that suspension had happened during the regular season, I think Manhattan beats Hamilton and completely changes the game in the eastern conference. I still think the result is the same, but I do think it would have made things a lot more interesting. Buffalo is probably the best team in the east and New Orleans is probably the best team in the west, I don't think the results would have changed.


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.

b. I don't recall if FHM has any home ice advantage or away ice disadvantage, and a season or so ago I was going to do a media analysis on whether home and away teams really had any sort of difference on the result. At the end of the day, we humans are pattern seeking creatures, and we like to look for patterns in stuff that may or may not actually be present.

d. I actually think this is some of the weaker name lineups we've had over the past few seasons. I think a lot of the names lack the real oomph that made me laugh out loud like in previous years. When looking through none of them really stuck out to me and none of them made me laugh out loud like one every year always does. If I had to pick it would be Michael Scarn but it's a really weak lineup this year. For shame.

e. I would like to point out firstly that Kirby is a cartoon and not an animal and that one animal is not mentioned on this list. Alexander Roach on Buffalo, the lowly cockroach snubbed yet again. I hate cockroaches as much as the next person, but as perpetual underdogs they have thrived and will continue to do so, seeing as they are near indestructible, the perfect hockey player in the animal kingdom.


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.

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