1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1.5 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 word: Trust


2. Written, up to 4 TPE - Grab Bag: Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.

a. Seattle is back in the finals for the second time in a row. While last season was an unexpected run led by a miracle goalie performance-- this season's appearance comes at no surprise to those who watched their offseason closely. What roster changes do you think have put Seattle in this position again? Do you think it's enough for them to finish the job this time around?

b. Manhattan has charged from a ninth place regular season finish to an Eastern conference championship and a shot at the Challenge Cup. I don't think that it's out of line for me to say that not many saw this coming. How do you think they got to this point? Who's performing better than expected? Do you think they have enough gas to complete the Cinderella run?

a. I am writing this after the finals have finished so I have the miraculous gift of hindsight but I think the moves Seattle made in the offseason were clearly informed and had a plan behind them, and it's evident that they have paid off. I think going big in the way they did carries an element of risk if it doesn't come off, but in times like these where it proves successful, they look like the smartest team in the league.


b. Not sure that anyone knows what Manhattan did to change their fate from the regular season to the playoffs. We see it in sports a lot that teams can put together miraculous runs and I think that this is what happened here, the performance level the team demonstrating in the closely-contested, highly charged playoff games being a lot higher than they showed in the regular season. Ultimately it's unfortunate for the team to not get a ring out of it all but they did a great job getting as far as they did.



4. Written, 3 TPE, Tough to Swallow (150 words min.)
In your opinion, who was the best SHL or SMJHL team to NOT win the Challenge Cup / Four Star Cup? Who was on that team, and why do you think they deserved to win it all? What round did they lose in and how? Was it bad luck? A hot opposing goalie? Inexperience?

I think that the best team in the SHL this season to not win the Challenge Cup was the Buffalo Stampede. Look, people might not agree with this and might think that the numbers suggest something different but as someone who has been in and around this league for as long as I have, trust me, you get to know what a cup winning team should look like. And in this case, I think that the team that had that championship winning X-factor but ultimately fell short was the Stampede. Built on a foundation of exciting young players and experienced veterans, the Stampede were very well put together going into the season and enjoyed a steady regular season where they rested up to make a deep playoff run. Ultimately, fate was against the Stampede and the referees rigged them out of the playoffs. A first round exit was unthinkable but the league made their agenda very clear, not wanting the humble city of Buffalo to enjoy another championship and instead trying to justify their decision to expand to Seattle. Ultimately, a very sad day but the real fans of the league know what happened.



5. Written, 3 TPE, Hotel Rooms (150 words min)
During the playoffs it’s not uncommon to have to spend several days on the road in the same city. Whether you’re in the playoffs or not, who does your player share a room with on the road? What do you get up to? Are you the type to drag around a PS5 everywhere you go, or are you the first to hit the bar after the game? Are you a night owl or an early riser?

After spending as many seasons in the league as Kaarlo Kekkonen has, you earn a lot of money and you also earn the right to not have to share a hotel room when you're playing on the road. After 14 seasons playing in the SHL, Kaarlo has been everywhere and seen it all and had the chance to share a room with a lot of great people but that is something that he's not interested in anymore. Instead, Kaarlo now focuses on using his time in a hotel room to rest, talk to family and either read or watch a TV show. Given his advanced age, rest and relaxation is now more important than ever before, and he makes sure that he spends as much time as possible taking it easy to give his best performance on the ice. Travelling is a part of the job that nobody loves but all have to endure, so Kaarlo just focuses now on being as comfortable as possible when he's on the road.



7. Milestones

Center:
PIM: 24 or fewer (20)
Take Aways: 56 or more (57)

Total: 2 TPE


15. Written, 3 TPE, IIHF Round Up (150 words min.)
Write your predictions for this year's IIHF tournament or WJC! Tell me about your team! Are they up and coming? Win now mode? Entering into a re-build phase? What are your expectations for your player? What teams are you watching out for this time around?

As sure as night turns into day, I'm back to give some completely baseless predictions around what is going to happen in the upcoming IIHF tournament. Every year I do this task and every year I am a long way off, but I think I'll be even further off now that Team Finland has cast me aside after so many years of loyal service. With that being said, I am going to go with the same pick I make every year; Canada is the team to beat. Beyond them I really have no idea, I could see anyone realistically having a shot at the medal games, but lets go with my other trusty pick, Team USA. Seen as I don't have a team and ageism is real in this league, I can't answer to who plays there anymore, but I wish them all the best. Would be good to still be able to play in my final seasons but that's the way life goes and I'll have to experience IIHF as a spectator who doesn't actually watch!



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