Login

*RashfordU* · 01-07-2024, 05:56 PM

**Ready for Grading**

Hey Friends!

I feel that it’s been ages since I’ve done a media piece, and ever since changing jobs, I feel I haven’t been able to interact with the SHL community at large as much as I’d have liked to.

That being said, feels like a great time to do a Presser and get to interact with some of you amazing people!

So feel free to drop any questions you’d like to ask, if any.

Quote:Thoughts about the S62 draft class? -JamesT

My first thought is simply, I don't think I'd enjoy this league as much as I do if I was in another draft class. Nothing against the other classes, but simply I feel I've gelled well with our draft class and its deeply shaped the experience that I've had in the league. Part of that is probably the unique opportunity of sharing a large contingent of my draft class in both Newfoundland (one of 8 S62 players to be on that roster) as well as Winnipeg (one of 9 S62 players to end up in the Aurora organization, 5 of whom I would share winning a cup with)

I'd also love to say that many of the S62 class have taken on some key roles around the league. I'd just love to point out @CapnCooper who turned around Texas after being handed a team in a situation he truly never asked for. That kind of resilience is exceptional and I applaud any and all achievements that he's made with that crew.

I also look pretty fondly of the S62 Draft. There was a ton of trades leading up to the draft, and another 4 trades of 1st round picks being moved during the actual draft. Which, I don't think we've seen that sort of notable movement of draft assets leading up to, and during a draft since. We all share a unique experience and bond in this league, and I've been blessed to be part of it

- @JamesT

Quote:What do you have to say about the recent scandal? -Jexter

I truly cannot comment on the allegations at hand.
I am also not sure I understand the allegations at hand.
I am really not even sure why I have been given a microphone today.
Wait, aren't the allegations about you anyway?
Oh ... wait, you were supposed to remain anonymous

- @Jexter

Quote:Wow, you've worked with Ace for a long time! You're definitely someone that's had to deal with him the longest. How do you tolerate him? -Ace

Getting baited by my own GM...alright, I'll bite.
I think the biggest thing you and I have is a mutual respect for each other. We both are well aware of each other's passion for both the league, and the Aurora organization, and I think that truly is what has helped us work together. We don't always see eye to eye, and I think that's been a healthy aspect of what we do well. I've been blessed to work alongside you, and look forward to one day seeing your username head to the Hall of Fame for Managers around here. Very few people have given so much time and effort to this league. Thanks again for taking the chance on me back in the draft, it has been a fun ride

@Ace

Quote:I would also like to know how you plan to deal with the inevitable PR surrounding the recent scandal! -sköldpaddor

The first thing I plan to do is delegate the task to @Ace
but because I don't trust him with the PR, I'll delegate that to @Carpy48
but since they are not online right now, I'll have to ask @Sburbine to step in and ensure the Finns are happy.
but this is a league of many nations, so probably need the likes of many of the rest of the Aurora to keep the scandal under control

Quote:Which Pokémon would you be if you were one? -sköldpaddor

Growing up, I think my favourite was Suicune.
but I am not sure if they'd describe me or my player best.
I'd have to go with Farfetch'd - I'm definitely a wild duck.

Quote:Can I crochet hats for your family? -sköldpaddor

Yes. Yes. Yes please?

Quote:What is your favorite place you’ve ever been? -sköldpaddor

Two places come to mind. Zambia blew me away with how different it was compared to any other place I had ever been. The landscape, the culture, nature and the different species. It just blew me away (as I am sure many other places would as well). But it was just a blast to experience a place for two weeks that I so deeply wish I could go back to. And let me tell you, Victoria Falls absolutely blows away Niagara Falls, it's not even close.

The second place is Bermuda. I was fortunate to head there nearly a decade ago and it was such a unique experience. I had heard my grandparents talk fondly of it so many times growing up, but to experience it was extremely fun. Another place that I would go back to in a heartbeat.

Quote:Come play Valheim with me and JURT. -sköldpaddor

I'll be honest, I don't know what one does in Valheim, I've never seen any gameplay, I am not even sure I know what genre of game it is. But also, my Mid-2012 MacBook Pro just stopped working ... so I am currently borrowing my wife's work laptop to get these responses done. I am kinda shit outta luck with any gaming in the near future ... except maybe the Switch

Quote:if the Winnipeg Aurora got to bring Bob Bilby home for the weekend, what kind of activities would we do? -sköldpaddor

Oh he'll be the one taking over scouting for the Aurora.
Oh, wait you meant fun things that kids would enjoy.
Fairly certain my oldest would want to decorate the Christmas tree with Bob and line up his cars, whereas my youngest would just do his best to wrestle Bob for the entire time

- @sköldpaddor

Quote:What has been the secret to your players success? -spidey

I am not really sure I've had much more individual success than some of my other peers. There are a few unique things I have been blessed to do or be part of, but there are a lot of others who have done some notable things. That being said, I think a key for me has always been a willingness to learn. I recognized very early that I was not going to have the answers. @Nhamlet was a huge help when I first joined (and for whatever reason was crazy enough to take me 5th OA). Having users who had been around for a while and heavily invested really helped me learn things at a quicker pace than I might have otherwise.

Quote:Being a GM, if you could redo one trade or draft pick what would it be? -spidey

This is a question I have to be careful about answering. There are things I simply cannot say because of tampering rules and also out of respect for other individuals who might be involved. maybe if / when I step down or retire my player I could fully answer this better. So, I'll answer it another way.

There have been a couple trades that were really tough to make. I value the relationship with fellow teammates far more than I do the results of the sim or whether or not that player max earns. HO made a change to contracts quite a few seasons ago that really affected our organization in the short term. It was (if I remember correctly) a $14M change in our budget that we had to address and deal with. I believe leading up to that season, we moved 5 pieces of our organization to ensure that we would be cap compliant both that season, and into the future. Dealing away friends that I had come to know well was hard. I was very happy to see some of them eventually get their cup with another team after that trade, but there is always a deep desire to win with each and every team we have played with.

The worst pick we ever made was from this Draft at 67th Overall Smile

Sorry that I couldn't answer it differently, but I really want to make sure I respect the rules of the league, as well as respect any individual involved

@spidey

Quote:Say the Aurora had to be Relocated and rebranded, where would they move and what would thier new name be. -ThePyroAlpaca

As an Avalanche fan I've got a soft spot for putting a team in Denver, which others may dislike, but honestly the entire league is basically in a location where there is an NHL team, so why stop that trend right now. I love the Nordiques themed reverse retro jerseys from a few seasons ago so I would absolutely love that colour scheme. Id probably choose a regional name instead of Denver though. So let's go with the Red Rock Wanderers.

@ThePyroAlpaca

Quote:Rashford has had lots of great accomplishments throughout his career! What's your favorite accomplishment you've managed to achieve during your time in the league? -CapnCooper

This is a pretty fun question. There are two things that come to mind.
For one, I have been fortunate enough to achieve every possible "result" that a player / team could have when it comes to "winning" or "losing"

I am part of the Quad Gold Club, so Internationally I have won Golds in both competitions, but I also have a IIHF Silver and Bronze, as well as a WJC Silver and Bronze.
I have been fortunate to win a Challenge Cup (and finish runner-up 3 times) while also winning the 4 Star on 3 occassions (and finishing runner-up once). It's a pretty unique situation to be in where I've been able to feel both sides of the equation.

The second thing is that I currently hold the record for most assists in an SHL season at 82. I fully expect this to be broken, but to hold that record (and heck, currently hold 2 top 10 point seasons ever in the SHL) as a winger is pretty sweet. FHM truly loves centres when it comes to big point totals, so to even be in those conversations as a winger is a pretty unique spot to be in.

Quote:What's something you're still chasing and still hope to achieve before collectively retiring with the rest of the S62? -CapnCooper
Any records you’re gunning for/stats you’re trying to achieve? -mer

I have a few goals in mind that I'd love to achieve. One of those is to hit 1k games (which, barring anything crazy happening I should be able to achieve).
I think one thing I am "chasing" is the Career Playoff Points total. I recently entered the top 5 All-Time for Playoff Points, and have had a blast chatting with @JT3 and @Evil_AllBran who have also recently joined the Top 5 as well. It is a very fortunate spot to be in, but it has been fun to be able to be a consistent contributor to our organizations attempts at winning a championship. Again, as a winger, I feel it very fortunate to have performed well, and hope to keep it up long into the future.

Quote:When are are collectively retiring with S62? -CapnCooper

From what I remember, James *Tamper* Truong told us we have to wait until he is ready, so I guess that's our indicator? Whenever he decides to hang it up.
In all reality, we've already seen a few of the S62 crew retire, so there are probably a few more on the horizon if I had to guess. I do hope to share a draft class with some of you in the future, but that'll be pretty rare to happen given all of our unique circumstances we are in.

@CapnCooper

Quote:What’s been your favorite job in the league? -mer

Outside of being a Manager, which has easily been the most challenging and rewarding role I have taken on on the site. I'd have to say my favourite was when I was helping out with awarding team and individual awards on the forum. It was very fun being able to congratulate GMs and players on their achievements and let them know they had been awarded a new badge on the forum.

Quote:Best tips for staying motivated to keep earning? -mer

Be okay with missing some or not always earning the most on a task. Most of the time I just "go with my gut" on any prediction. It doesn't bug me when I am wrong, and If I don't even have an idea, I always look to someone who I think might have a good idea. Maybe lastly, try and realize early that it is a Marathon and not a Sprint. Getting to 1700 TPE is far more valuable than being the first few people to 800. There are quite a few people who have gone full steam ahead and burnt themselves out. Take the steady approach and it will bode well for someone long term.

@mer

Quote:Favorite SHL season? -By-Tor

If you are talking favourite season on the site, nothing beats the S62 SMJHL Season for me. Barely 4 months into my time on the site and my player successfully wins a 4-star cup with the Newfoundland Berserkers. That first big break was a pretty euphoric experience and it was really a fantastic thing to share with a lively locker-room. Some of those individuals I have been able to stay close with even to today!

If you specifically mean SHL Seasons, I am not 100% sure. Our shared Cup was an amazing experience, but I've honestly been learning to enjoy the league in new and different ways each season. Lately, I've loved celebrating players who have been able to finish off their career. My favourite moment might be seeing @Chevy win a cup with Winnipeg (yes same season as I've already mentioned). But that was just awesome!

Quote:Also, (tea time) did you ever almost trade someone then end up not trading them? Happy or regret? Lol -By-Tor

If you are referencing something specific I have definitely forgot about this Tongue

. But in all honesty, I don't think there has even been a time that Ace and I have had an agreed upon deal and then didn't end up following through. Hopefully I haven't forgot about something.

@By-Tor

Quote:Do you think Lias' relationship with party animal and troublemaker Conner Snooks distracts him from on ice play? Does Lias spend too much time in Conner's Austrian Alps villa during the offseason? -Aleris

Just looking at these playoffs, and our specific Snooki-themed Ice, I think it was really hard for LEG to properly win a face-off, especially at centre-ice. We are really hoping that as LEG matures as a player they will choose to focus on the Aurora when they are at the rink instead of their love outside of the rink. I hope they don't read this though, they might not like what I've said

@Aleris

Quote:Who's on your top 5 GOATs list from the time you've played in the league, ones you've been with or played against. -Accka

I think I want to answer this twice. Once with the top 5(lets say 6 since Goalies matter ... right?) players I have ever played with and the other being players that have played while Rashford has been in the SHL. Let's call it the All-SHL-Opponent Team, and the All-WPG-Team

F - Ryuuji Minamino @Nhamlet (arguably the best goal scoring season ever, before points inflation, and a key cog in multiple CHI championships)
F - Konstantin Sleigh @Tomen (4 points shy of 1000 after 11 seasons, that's just pure insanity)
F - Theo Morgan @Otrebor13 (multiple time MVP, always elite seemingly every season, finished top 3 in playoff scoring when they retired)
D - Lyle Odelein III @Huck24 (I hope I tagged the right user, fantasy goat when I joined the league, I don't think we've ever chatted, but I was always hyped to see your player on a stat sheet)
D - Jukka Timonen @juke (not here for his point scoring Wink

, but seriously, Juke has been one of my favourite people to meet. The site / communities here are so much better because you decided to be here. Thanks for being amazing! <3
G - Olof Karsikko @Accka + Willie Miller @Sebster (you two have probably cause WPG more pain than any other, heck, you've caused a lot of team's pain over the years. You both play exceptional when it matters. But massive shoutout to some absolute gems over the years, like Smith, Carpet, Chamberlain, Montagne, Time, etc)

Now for the Aurora team

F - Noel Blanchet @JT3 (top 5 all time in playoff scoring, an absolute gem of a user in any Locker-Room, may be nearing the end of their career, but easily one of the best players Rashford has ever suited up with)
F - Lias Ekholm-Gunnarsson @sköldpaddor (I'd be amiss to not include my linemate for the bulk of my career. Top tier user, deeply dedicated to the growth of the SHL, the league is a better place with them involved and I am thankful they've committed their time to our team.
F - Gudmundur Kristjansson @Fluw (another gem, if you've ever shared an LR with them you know exactly what I mean. Blessed to know Fluw!)
D - Jay O'Neil @Sburbine (we've spent basically our entire time in the SHL sharing a team together, NL, Finland, and here in Winnipeg. Top tier friend, top tier user, worth getting to know them if you haven't!)
D - Ethan Duncan @mastersheep (Extremely fortunate to get to win a cup with the one and only sheep! I hope to see them come back to the SHL one day, but until then, I'll enjoy the time we got to spend together. Oh, and what an amazing career!!!)
G - Rebecca Montagne @OrbitingDeath + Strom Chamberlain @Chevy (our cup winning duo, both have been amazing to share an LR with, Montagne with some exceptional stats in their career so far, and Chevy with some unreal longevity and final triumph).

@Accka

**Ready for Grading**

JamesT · 01-07-2024, 06:12 PM

Thoughts about the S62 draft class?

Jexter · 01-07-2024, 06:21 PM

What do you have to say about the recent scandal?

***Ace*** · 01-07-2024, 06:22 PM

Wow, you've worked with Ace for a long time! You're definitely someone that's had to deal with him the longest. How do you tolerate him?

*sköldpaddor* · 01-07-2024, 06:30 PM

I would also like to know how you plan to deal with the inevitable PR surrounding the recent scandal!

Which Pokémon would you be if you were one?

Can I crochet hats for your family?

What is your favorite place you’ve ever been?

Come play Valheim with me and JURT.

if the Winnipeg Aurora got to bring Bob Bilby home for the weekend, what kind of activities would we do?

spidey · 01-07-2024, 07:24 PM

What has been the secret to your players success?

Being a GM, if you could redo one trade or draft pick what would it be?

ThePyroAlpaca · 01-07-2024, 07:56 PM

Say the Aurora had to be Relocated and rebranded, where would they move and what would thier new name be.

*CapnCooper* · 01-07-2024, 08:07 PM

Rashford has had lots of great accomplishments throughout his career! What's your favorite accomplishment you've managed to achieve during your time in the league?

What's something you're still chasing and still hope to achieve before collectively retiring with the rest of the S62?

When are are collectively retiring with S62?

***mer*** · 01-07-2024, 08:32 PM

What’s been your favorite job in the league?

Any records you’re gunning for/stats you’re trying to achieve?

Best tips for staying motivated to keep earning?

*RashfordU* · 01-08-2024, 12:45 AM

Updated to here

***By-Tor*** · 01-08-2024, 10:05 PM

Favorite SHL season?

Also, (tea time) did you ever almost trade someone then end up not trading them? Happy or regret? Lol

Credit to enigmatic, Merica, and tweedledunn for sigs

Aleris · 01-15-2024, 01:03 AM

Do you think Lias' relationship with party animal and troublemaker Conner Snooks distracts him from on ice play? Does Lias spend too much time in Conner's Austrian Alps villa during the offseason?

*Accka* · 01-15-2024, 11:00 AM

Who's on your top 5 GOATs list from the time you've played in the league, ones you've been with or played against. Interview

/

Big thanks to Pythonic(first sig evah), Sloth(first LAP sig<3) and Ragnar for their sigs<3

Two time playoffs MVP and two time nominee

Triple gold club

Discord: asska

*RashfordU* · 01-15-2024, 10:28 PM

Updated to here

*Accka* · 01-16-2024, 05:52 AM

That's a good list right there! Shoutout to all my brothers in arms(or brothers in net? in the crease?). That Olof guy a bust though, wouldn't put him in there smh..

/

Big thanks to Pythonic(first sig evah), Sloth(first LAP sig<3) and Ragnar for their sigs<3

Two time playoffs MVP and two time nominee

Triple gold club

Discord: asska

Navigation

Extra Menu

About us