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***RAmenAmen*** · 11-12-2023, 03:25 AM

S73 has come to a close, and the Edmonton Blizzard are Challenge Cup Champions! I thought about waiting until tomorrow to write this with a clear head, but the words (and the whiskey, mostly the whiskey) are flowing so here we go.

I couldn’t be happier to be a part of this Blizzard team, and that goes all the way back to the S64 draft when @boom and @Hordle were crazy enough to take a chance on a first gen goalie with the 6th overall pick. As a new user, I was blown away by the faith that you both put in me that early, and now that I’ve been around for a while and know the impact (or lack thereof) that goalies can have in the sim, I’m even more honored that you saw enough in me to bring me in with such a valuable pick. You built the groundwork for this franchise, and set the stage for the opportunity we had going into S65.

Speaking of S65... Wow. Just, wow. I still remember the day @HabsFanFromOntario took charge, and the way that draft shaped the future of this team. Faced with a “not quite there” team and an impossible choice to try to win now or commit to a long term plan, what blew me away was not just the commitment to a big change but the respect that went with it toward the roster at the time. Not only did HFFO begin what was at the time the biggest blow-up rebuild in the SHL, but he did so in a way that kept the outgoing players involved in the decisions and landing in places that not only served the Edmonton rebuild but also gave them the best opportunity to win and see their careers out in the way each of them deserved. It’s a testament to the care that went into the takeover that so many of our alumni from the rebuild fire sale are still active in the locker room, and it set the stage for what was to come.

The next few drafts would see Edmonton commit hard to the future, and it came at a cost. A deep playoff team found themselves as an early first round speedbump, and in S66 we not only snapped the SHL’s longest consecutive playoff appearance streak, but we did so in an embarrassing fashion, recording just 5 wins and placing dead last in the league. Edmonton was synonymous with failure around the league, but the locker room had never been more active. The ugly season let us bring back @CrazyMojito with the 2nd overall pick, and the rest was history. With a strong (but very young) core, Edmonton returned to the playoffs with nothing but hope and a commitment to our team culture, and the belief that our hard work would pay off.

We suffered tough losses in the playoffs to Winnipeg and Calgary, but got our first playoff series win in the post-rebuild era in S69 with a sweep of our bitter rival Dragons, the first evidence that things were starting to come together. Then, in S71, we ran headfirst into a brick wall. The Winnipeg Aurora dismantled us in five games, en route to their third straight finals appearance. They’d do it again the following season, on their way to their first title win and yet another reminder that we were playing a game that they’d long since mastered. As a team, we were forced to take a hard look at the roster we’d built, the timeline we had in mind, and what it might take to push us over the edge with contending teams seemingly loaded with top talent at every position.

This season came down to two things: A team-wide trust in the process that had brought us to this point, and a love for the locker room and the players in it. In all my seasons in the SHL, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a group show so much support for each other, win or lose, than this team. From the start of the season, this felt like our year, and there was never a doubt in the room that we’d be playing for a championship. Every player on the Blizzard had a different path to putting on the blue and playing for this team, from the draft to trades to free agency, but I’ve never seen an SHL team more committed to one goal and one team. Your enthusiasm, your drive, and your patience might not be seen around the league, but I see them every day and I couldn’t be more proud of what we’ve done.

So here we are, Challenge Cup champions after all this time. I’d be lying if I said it hadn’t sunk in yet, because I’ve been screaming to just about anyone who’d listen since the moment that winning goal hit the back of the net, but the adrenaline is finally starting to fade and I’m a sentimental mood, so it wouldn’t be right if I closed this out without thanking everyone one the team for getting us to where we are. To win a Challenge Cup is something special that most players never experience, and to do it with a team that’s 100% active just makes it all the more special.

@HoltzFan10 and @blix900: You two are the heart and soul of this team. If the S65 draft was the start of this team, you two are the reason it worked. You came into an organization that was nothing more than a hope and a plan for a long-distant future, and you bought in immediately. Watching you hit the 2k mark this season by pushing each other day in and day out was a joy to see, and the energy you brought to this team when it needed it most has meant more than even the absurd amount of points you put on the scoreboard. You aren’t just the cornerstone of the Blizzard roster, you are the culture that we’ve built over so many seasons. I couldn’t separate you if I tried, and it’s only fitting that you share this spot like you do everything else.

@RomanesEuntDomus: You could have gone anywhere you wanted nearing the peak of your career, but you chose to come to Edmonton after being on the other side of our biggest rivalry. I don’t have the words to say how much it means to all of us that you saw this team for what we knew it to be, or to express just how much you added to a locker room we already called home. Winter is our MVP, and so much more. Oh, and you’re welcome for this season’s fantasy draft.

@Dangles13: Everyone loves the flashy goal scorer, but it takes a goalie to appreciate the guy who commits to defense above all else, and you’ve been keeping my crease safe since the moment you arrived from Toronto. If I ever win a McBride, they’d better etch your name there beside mine. Thank you for doing everything that doesn’t end up on the scoresheet, but has to happen to lift the cup.

@Valpix: I couldn’t find the words if you gave me a lifetime. Thank you for finding your way back to me after two devastating finals runs in the J. Thank you for a million obscure collegiate and international hockey facts. Thank you for burying a cup winner I’ll never forget. Thank you for everything.

@The__Y-man__100: To Mr. Playoff himself, what is there to add? You’ve quietly done the hard work and rarely seen the reward, but you kept coming back and put on a show in this run that nobody can deny. You were a steal when we drafted you, and the best is yet to come.

@jeffie43: What a privilege it was to have you in QCC for even a season, and now to share a team with you in Edmonton. FHM is a fickle beast, and I mean it when I say adding you to the coaching staff saved this team from my constant despair. Having you as a sounding board, coach, and a hero on the ice has been a gift.

@CrazyMojito: You’re a Blizzard legend through and through, and I have the special chance to thank you not once, but twice. You stuck through the rebuild and represented the Blizzard proudly when we were at our worst, and you wore the jersey with pride. Then, with the chance for a new start on a new team with a new player, you chose to come back. That means the world to all of us in Edmonton, and especially to me. You’re an amazing person, and if I can give JSC anywhere close to the career he deserves I’ll be proud to have played a small part.

@Big Newff: No, you’re not allowed to retire yet. We’ve been lucky to have you as our secret weapon on defense for a long time now, and we’ll continue to be lucky for as long as you choose to hang around with us. Every day you pop in to say hello brings a smile, and I hope you know how loved you are here and around the league.

@TheGreatToeJam: Boy do I owe you an apology for last season. Nothing I tried seemed to work, and I know how frustrating that has to be as a player. This season everything finally clicked, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Thank you for everything you do for this team on and off the ice, and for helping keep our tyrant GM from trading everything with a pulse.

@MN_Moosey: I didn’t think a moose could be cool until I met you. I was wrong. Thank you for bringing style to the locker room, and for leading the third line against the best the SHL has to offer season in and season out. Cup winning goals get the glory, but cup winning faceoff wins get pinned in the locker room for time immemorial.

@Aleris: Someday, I will play Runescape again, and when I do you’ll be the first to know. Today is not that day. It’s not often you get to build a rivalry with a J GM and then find yourselves teammates in the SHL, but I’m so grateful I had the chance to share a locker room with you here. The Time/Snooks rivalry was easily my favorite season of PTs, and I’m as happy I got to share a cup win with you as I am sad to see you go. Conner is still a punk, but he’s our punk, and I wish him all the best.

@Raven: You came to us as an aging player, and watched your former team win a cup after taking us out of the playoffs. You could’ve left to chase a cup, or retired like so many others. Instead, you stepped up and asked what you could do to win Edmonton a cup. When that meant changing player roles, you embraced it and led us to a deep run. When it meant changing positions late in your career, you took on the role with pride. There will never be a stat in the index that reflects how important you were to this run, or to making this team what it is today.

@CampinKiller: To my IIHF co-head and rental bum on defense, I still can’t believe we did it. This team had exactly one hole in the roster going into this season, and not only did you fill it but you turned it into a strength. To the player with the best +/- in the playoffs, thanks for the ride, and I hope you stick around in the LR to see where we go from here.

@thevoicelesscreator: Thank you for being the best goalie partner I could ask for. You've taken on some tough games to keep me fresh, and still managed to look better than me in most of them. Thanks for finally letting me be the better goalie this season, and I hope this cup means as much to you as it does to me.

@Eggcracker: For what we paid for you, a point per game season had better be the floor! But for real, the impact you’ve had on this organization has been amazing since day one. As someone lucky enough to see what goes on behind the scenes, and as someone lucky enough to be one of your players, I know how much you mean to us here. Our success, our activity, and our championship season are only a reality because of what you’ve done here. 10/10, would let you whip the team again.

@HabsFanFromOntario: I don’t even know where to begin. I wouldn’t have the SHL career I’ve lucked into without you, but more importantly I wouldn’t be the person I am today without you either. When you took the reins in Edmonton, I wasn’t sure what to expect or how long I’d keep Time around. The blood, sweat and tears you’ve poured into this team don’t get nearly the recognition or respect that they deserve, and that goes far beyond the job of SHL GM. The last year and a half have been some of the hardest days of my life, and you gave me a place to vent, to feel heard, and to make a difference. And now, finally, we’re here at the top.

To everyone, past, present and future, who make the Blizzard great, it's been an honor to be your captain. We’re finally here at the top of the mountain, and with some hard work and a bit of luck, maybe we’ll be here for a while to come.

Valpix · 11-12-2023, 04:50 AM

<3

**The__Y-man__100** · 11-12-2023, 09:35 AM

Hell yeah! Glad we could finally have our fairy tale playoff run come true!

First ever Yukon Malamute draft pick (1st overall S65)

***Ace*** · 11-12-2023, 10:27 AM

Well deserved, Blizz!

***Seany148*** · 11-12-2023, 11:47 AM

I'm gonna assume the "Seany, you're amazing" was implied
Gratz gang let's see you run it back next year!!!! (Either that or we win, both work for me) <3

HoltzFan10 · 11-12-2023, 12:01 PM

We love u ramen

blix900 · 11-12-2023, 12:21 PM

Without a goalie we couldn't have won it... Ramen we love you

**RomanesEuntDomus** · 11-12-2023, 01:33 PM

Fantasy Draft still my biggest achievement this season, ngl.

What an achievement my fellow Snowflakes and amazing words by our spiritual leader an on-ice beast Ramen Smile

*RashfordU* · 11-12-2023, 03:05 PM

Well deserved friend!!

***boom*** · 11-12-2023, 03:24 PM

Happy to, uh, help?

*Eggcracker* · 11-12-2023, 03:27 PM

Great! Now you've gone and made me cry....

<3

*CrazyMojito* · 11-12-2023, 03:53 PM

You're an incredible person and I've been so fortunate to share the same locker rooms as you <3

HabsFanFromOntario · 11-13-2023, 12:07 PM

I'm not crying, you're crying <3

Every nice thing you said about me you know it only true because you were there with me. There's no shot I'd have stuck around if you weren't here helping me every step of the way.

Aleris · 11-14-2023, 10:36 AM

I'm just happy I get to scored against you again hehe

steveoiscool · 11-14-2023, 02:25 PM

Really glad you guys were able to turn it around so well

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