1. reciprocity
4. A seminal moment in the playoffs, certainly a footnote in this season, was the Monarchs scratching and clawing their way to a Game 6 against Edmonton, without a doubt the best team in the league, with a roster of not-quite-ready for primetime players. Edmonton saw the writing on the wall, and before the season is over, it looks that the Edmonton run of dominance is coming to a quick end. Winnipeg also looks to be going for a youth movement, and Philly and New England seem prepared to run it back. It’s looking like Los Angeles, the definitive class of the new SHL, will be the team to beat moving forward. (111 Words)
11. Last season was the seminal triumph for Team Germany, a long-snakebitten group who rode Evan Winter, Red Kirkby, and Rikkert Biemans to a gold medal performance. While it’s easy to say the champion one year will repeat as champs again, teams like Norway, Switzerland, and upset teams like the United States and Japan will be chomping at the bit for a chance at revenge. In all likelihood, it’s the end of the road for the German dream team. The big question is what Team Great Britain will do to get back into the dance. Their junior team has dominated tournaments in the past, and that talent should be coming of age soon, and all that talent clearly isn’t going to Ireland. (121 Words)