Quote:1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is 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.

Verification: juke

+3 TPE

Quote:2. Written, 3 TPE, GM stands for Great Man (150 words min.)

There have been some good and some bad GMs in SHL history. (Mostly bad) Pick a GM you think was outstanding and explain why you think they were one of the better GMs in SHL history. Point to trades/signings/trophy wins/locker rooms to support your claim.

I'm obviously biased, but I'm here to spread the good word of Nham as an underrated pick for one of the better GMs on the site after 6 seasons in charge so far. I know that GMing at the SHL level is a whole different beast than the SMJHL, but in a league that's more prone to having cyclical ups/downs and rebuilds, he's been able to consistently keep the Berserkers as one of the best teams in the league. Aside from the first season he took over, NL has never finished lower than 3rd in the regular season standings, and in S60 the team won the Laurifer trophy, and holds the all time wins and points record for the SMJHL. He's been nominated for the Harrak GM of the year award in 4 straight seasons, has won the last 3, and I would be shocked if he wasn't nominated again this offseason. But in the end cups are all that really matter, and he's been to 3 finals in a row - winning 2 of them - most recently with only 5 425 players on the roster. Of course, one can (and should) argue that he was carried by his coGM, but still he deserves some credit for this question.

+3 TPE

Quote:3. Written, 3 TPE, Draft Busts (150 words min.)

There are a lot of "could-have-been" draft picks in the SHL, but let's have some fun thinking about someone that busted hard. Write about their potential and where they were picked, and how that franchise could look *if* they had in fact panned out.

One of my biggest 'what if' players comes from my own draft class - defenseman Bradley Barkov. Barkov was like a mirror image player for me early in our careers: both defensemen, both from Finland, both offensively built, and we even found ourselves drafted around the same time - him with the slighter edge at 14 vs. 17 overall in the SMJHL draft, as well as 9 vs. 10 in the SHL draft. Similar to me, he was a max earner and through media he started to accumulate a good bank account too. All signs pointed to him being a slam dunk pick, and I thought our careers would be compared to each other over the course of many years, as well as 'grow up' together in the rebuilding Finland international team. But he ended up going IA before ever being called up to the SHL, despite finishing at 9th for defenseman points in the FHM era during his tenure. CGY found themselves with multiple top 5 finishes in the league after S55 (when he would've been called up), as well as many playoff runs, so who knows if he could've been the difference maker. Regardless, I enjoyed my brief time with him in the league, and he's definitely someone that I wish ended up staying for the long haul and playing together every IIHF.

+3 TPE

Quote:11a. 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! Was it an exciting final, or predictable? Is one team the clear winner?

Despite it being a rematch of last season's finals, the series itself actually was quite exciting. It went the full 7 games, and 2 of those games were finished in overtime, including a game where HAM came back two goals in the last minute, then won in the extra frame. It also saw the renegades having to win 2 games while facing elimination after HAM went up 3-2 in the series. The teams were quite evenly matched, with HAM having the slight possession edge with approximately 55 CF% during the series, but TEX made the most of their opportunities and outscored the steelhawks 24 to 18 over the 7 games. So in the end, despite it not being an exciting matchup for 90% of the league, the series itself was actually entertaining. 

+2 TPE 

Quote:12. Milestones, up to 3 TPE
Milestones are folded in with CW. So just link your Milestone claim as task 12 for up to 3 TPE towards your 16 total.

Link to milestones

+3 TPE

Quote:15. Written, 2 TPE, The yearly IIHF task (100 words min.)

Write your predictions for this year's IIHF tournament or WJC if you care about that more. Will there be surprises? Will any players make their country proud? Who's gonna suck? Be bold!

Well let's just get the obvious out of the way first, by default CAN will likely find themselves among the top 2 of their group as usual, and will certainly be looking to avenge their finals loss last season. However, will they be the favorites? By TPE alone, team Sweden may get the edge, as this season they boast the number 1 team for both Forwards and Defenseman and thus the number 1 team in terms of skater TPE, with CAN trailing them at #2. I suspect USA - the 3rd ranked skater group - will safely make it out of groups, however it's been 5 seasons since they last played in a medal game, so can they break that bad luck streak? For my own team, Finland, we're optimistic after getting our first medal in literal years last season, and with the 4th ranked skater group I'm hopeful we can make another run. As for a bold prediction, I'll go with GB not making the finals. Bold because according to the index they've made the finals in all but 2 seasons in the FHM era, which is insanely impressive, and with the 2nd ranked forward group they definitely have the fire power to make it back again.

+2 TPE

16/16