09-03-2020, 03:18 AM(This post was last modified: 09-07-2020, 01:35 AM by MN_Moosey.)
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1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?
This year was a great year. A true offensive breakout if you will. Just a season ago, McMahon was sitting with just 7 points and a putrid -23. That is a big yikes and it really summarized the year that Vancouver was having. This season was the year. An offensive explosion of 7 goals and 23 assists for 30 points. McMahon got top line minutes with team veteran William Hartmann. It is certainly a year to build off of. Next season will be another with top line minutes and a chance to really prove that he has what it takes in this league. This will be the last year in the J and so it has to be a good one. The team is ready and so is McMahon. If there was a goal, it would likely be getting to 40+ points in the season. That would be a great cap to SMJHL career.
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2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
This offseason will be extra exciting, as it features the rare expansion draft! Write about how you think the expansion draft will play out, either for one or both of the expansion teams or from an SHL team's perspective.
Expansion draft is always exciting. New teams coming into the league and players being moved to head the fresh franchise. It is always a toss up as to what teams will do about protections. We all have seen what happened with Vegas in the NHL and how they took the expansion draft and ran with it, getting to the cup final. It will be harder to do that in this league but do not count out the new teams just yet. Lots of talent will be available to them with how the protection system will go. They will likely find themselves in possession of a couple top 6 forwards and a top 4 defenseman. Goalie will always be the hardest because every team will protect their star netminder. The two teams will likely not have enough depth at the start to truly compete for a title but they certainly could turn some heads with the emergence of new stars in the league.
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16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.
dunk
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5. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
What are your predictions for the upcoming IIHF or WJC tournament? What team do you think will win/surprise people/be bad/etc.?
In the World Junior Championship there are a ton of solid teams. Having a few solid classes will do that to the tournament. Some teams are more well equipped than others. DACH really has only one more chance at the gold with a majority of their core moving on up to IIHF next season. Team USA looks like they have a solid core up front but their goalie situation will have them come up short. Defense can only get you so far in this game. A team that could surprise a few people is Finland. They did go 6-5 last time around but they likely can make a hefty jump in the standings and will be fighting for that first seed. Of course I have to talk about the British Isles. Second to last in the standings yet they made it all the way to the final and earned themselves a nice silver medal. The roster has only gotten better so be on the look out for them this season.
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13. Written, up to 4 TPE Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.
a. Both of these teams have stacked defenses - which team do you think has the defensive advantage in this series?
b. In the two regular season matchups, each team won once at home. Do you expect the results to reflect a home ice advantage in this series?
c. Based on FHM player ratings, New Orleans has higher average ratings in bravery, aggression, and fighting? Will that toughness have any impact on this series?
d. What is your favorite name from a player appearing in this series? Why do you like that player's name?
e. There are several animal names in this series - which of these animals is the coolest? sloth, hippo, otter, monkey, fox, kirby.
b. Home field advantage can play a huge role in the moral of the players. Having the crowd behind you in the game can give you a huge boost. The cheering, the chirping, the chants. It all culminates into fuel for the fire in the home team. As far as the sim goes, it doesn't seem to really make too much of a difference so who knows.
c. Having an aggressive mindset could be the difference maker in this series. Checking leads to turnovers and space for offense to move. Fights can help boost morale and get the boys fired up. You gotta put the body on the line to win sometimes and having that gut to go out there and toss it around will certainly help.
d. Eko Van Otter is pretty cool for a name. It has a cool abbreviation in EVO and is also unique in that you rarely see "van" type names in the league. Plus it literally means "Eko of Otter" which is really cool. Sure you have funny names like Poopity Scoop but that's a name for childish minds.
e. Otters easy. Otters are like some of the coolest animals. They are basically water foxes which makes them even better than actual foxes. They hold hands when they sleep which is just the most adorable thing ever. But best of all is that these little buggers are tough as nails and will do some crazy stuff to protect themselves and their families. Best animal.
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.) Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?
Honestly? Hutton was a little disappointed in how his season went. As far as points went, he wasn't too bad in comparison to others around the league, and he has grown into a two-way force, but he was expecting a little more, and so were some of his teammates. It isn't to say he had a bad season, as his defensive game improved immensely and really helped Foley find his offensive game as well. However, with how much work he put in into improving his game IQ, senses, and even shooting and passing, it was hard to be happy. He felt his assists could've been higher, he felt he could've capitalized on his shots more than he did, and lastly, he started becoming undisciplined as the season went on. This included an outburst about a play in a game which resulted in him receiving a misconduct. If he is going to take in any way though, he is going to choose to have it motivate him, rather than frustrate him more, and he should be a force come next season.
2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.) This offseason will be extra exciting, as it features the rare expansion draft! Write about how you think the expansion draft will play out, either for one or both of the expansion teams or from an SHL team's perspective.
There are some pretty solid guys exposed from a couple teams, so it will be interesting to see how the first few picks play out. Personally, I think whichever team ends up getting the most of those better players will try to be a little competitive to start, which will be a very tall task. The next, might try and take some bribes, take some picks, sell out some players, and take some young guns, while building in the draft. I think this combination of strategy would work well for each team in the expansion draft, and make things interesting for the players that are actually drafted to each team. While my knowledge about the SHL is still not the greatest, especially with the players involved in being exposed, I don't think a team who goes for it while work out amazing. It worked with Vegas in a single team expansion, but having the work around another team while drafting might be hard. Plus, you have to fill your team to a certain extent through the draft still.
3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.) It's too late for this go-around of expansion, so hypothetically - should there be SHL franchises in other continents? I saw some interesting European proposals in the PT. Should these - or proposals for any other continent that's not North America - become a reality in the SHL?
Personally, I think the league is too small. I think there would have to be enough space to make an actual European division, but even then the out of division games could cause some costly flights there and back. Would also take a toll on those playing on the west coast. A team in Mexico could work, but I just don't think it is viable at the stage the SHL is currently at. Once the league is there though, I think it would be great to see. It would be interesting to play for one of those teams, and put a special twist on timezones, but give those European fans of the SHL an opportunity to watch games of their favourite teams in hours of the day that will not hurt their regular life.
4. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.) Which SHL or SMJHL team was the best team to not make the finals this season and why?
While the SMJHL finals are not decided at the time of my writing, I will say that either Newfoundland or Carolina will be the best teams to miss. Both were 1 and 2 in the regular season, and by an okay margin. Both were teams that others always had troubles against, and frankly, both of their season starts were scary good. Carolina is an offensive beast, including their defense, and with the emergence of Blunt Man as a very good goaltender, and a rookie sensation in RART taking over the games he played, they really don't have a weakness. Newfoundland is almost the same way, they don't have a weakness, but it has shown in their series they can dictate game speed, slow things down, and play incredible defense in front of an already crazy good Amundsen.
6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.) The world's hottest app is TikTok - which SHL or SMJHL player would have the biggest following on TikTok? What do they post there?
Believe it or not, Jimmy Wagner has a massive following. I didn't really know about it either until a couple days ago when he was making one with Friedland, the team stud, while in the locker room. I got on the app to see what he usually posted, and there was a disturbing amount of WAP dances, with a few videos of him and his wife scattered throughout his feed. To be honest, I regret going to check, but it is exactly what I deserved for being nosy. As for the video in question with Friedland, it was a little throwback dance (as far as TikTok goes) to Doja Cat's "Say So". Not what I expected either, and considering their height difference, who couldn't even see Friedland's face, just his chest in the video.
13. Written, up to 4 TPE Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words. b. In the two regular season matchups, each team won once at home. Do you expect the results to reflect a home ice advantage in this series?
I think there is always a home ice advantage of sorts. Being able to play with your fans in the building is such a great motivator, as long as you're able to manage the energy. It is a rink, and ice surface you are familiar with, along with benches and dressing rooms, which, as a player, made a difference for me. Plus, you get advantages in the game like last change, to get the matchups you want. Each team should do well at home this series.
c.Based on FHM player ratings, New Orleans has higher average ratings in bravery, aggression, and fighting? Will that toughness have any impact on this series?
Toughness in the playoffs makes a difference, and I will argue that to my grave. Being able to make opponents think twice, and having a good option to take momentum back, or even get the puck moving the other way is huge. However, if the Specters come in undisciplined, it could cost them against a top team if their penalty kill is less than amazing.
d.What is your favorite name from a player appearing in this series? Why do you like that player's name?
Might not be the most popular pick for the favourite name, but I am going Michael Fox. It is simple, and slick, nothing much else to it. It is the name of champions, the one that makes every goal call sound extraordinary. It rolls of the tongue, looks sharp on the back of the jersey, and lends the option to lie about dating Megan Fox.
e.There are several animal names in this series - which of these animals is the coolest? sloth, hippo, otter, monkey, fox, kirby.
Let's be real, Kirby will probably be the most picked, and I think that make him overhyped and therefore uncool. So my pick for the coolest animal name is Fox, because fox are badass. Sloth? Slow. Hippo? Just.. not the best.. Otter and monkey were definitely up there, but in the end, it is the fox for a good ol' Saskie boy. Plus, as a bonus for those who care, a fox is cute as all hell when it wants to be. Just like Fox.
16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.
Spaghetti
Obviously this counts to 19TPE, but I just did some extra in case a trivia is wrong, or one of my answer's are not up to expectations.
09-03-2020, 07:21 AM(This post was last modified: 09-07-2020, 07:59 PM by Zaitsev.)
Code: 1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?
Overall, it was a fairly solid season for Kwame Dakari in his 3rd year in the SMJHL. I think scoring 18 goals last season and only playing 41 games, vs. 22 this year in the full season is fairly similar. Essentially, scoring .44 goals per game in both years, which is certainly solid and has put me near the top of the league in both seasons. On top of that, I've been able to contribute on both ends, leading the Kraken in blocked shots for the forward group. While scoring goals is my primary focus obviously you cannot be a liability on the defensive side. We were not able to repeat as champs but Newfoundland is obviously a great team. I wish I had have been able to perform like I did in last year's playoffs. I think that would've been a huge swing in our favour but I think I came up short.
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3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
It's too late for this go-around of expansion, so hypothetically - should there be SHL franchises in other continents? I saw some interesting European proposals in the PT. Should these - or proposals for any other continent that's not North America -
become a reality in the SHL?
I don't see why not. Expanding outside of our continent is a must. The players in this league come from all over, there's no reason teams can't be based in other countries. We had a team based in West Kendall for lord's sake, we can't put one in a major European city? I think creating a separate division or maybe even moving our junior leagues to a new continent could be a cool way to mix in some new locations. Europe I think would make most sense to dip into from the early going.
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6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.) The world's hottest app is TikTok - which SHL or SMJHL player would have the biggest following on TikTok? What do they post there?
Honestly, I'm 29 IRL and TikTok is mind blowing to me, it's what has made me finally really feel old. The entire Kraken roster has jumped on board obviously though and Jimmy Wagner has a huge following clearly, the leader of our team, Vitek Vitecek likes to jump on there with some dances. Kwame Dakari has been gaining some traction lately posting TikToks of hockey skills such as stickhandling and target shooting. Including some fancy dangles and shootout moves as well. Trying to ensure there's more than just kids flossing on there. Flossing I know probably isn't cool anymore.
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7. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.) The two finals teams have decided to team up for a fundraising opportunity to benefit both cities. What noble cause will the teams decide to benefit? What sort of fundraiser will the teams hold together? How will the two teams mesh before the finals start?
I think unlike the NHL it would be great if the SHL was able to make a bigger jump and support the BLM movement. Too often, in the game of hockey, a sport where it's predominately played by middle class white children, messages like this are completely lost and simply not understood. Offering support and just an ear to listen at times like this is extremely powerful. Rather than looking for fault in their arguments or forcing opinions of your own down their throat, hearing and learning is what this is truly about before we're able to move forward and make real change. The SHL should be championing this cause much like the NBA and truly support a portion of their player base and fans. Committing budgets towards helping make the change happen and beginning fundraising at the premier event of the season, the Challenge Cup, would be a huge move.
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16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?
I think that this most recent season has been the best overall season I have had so far. I took a bit of decline in the offensive department but not enough to bother me or the Platoon. Offensive production has always been a secondary part of my game anyway. Defensively I think I cemented myself as one of the best defenders in the game. I finished second overall in blocked shots and takeaways, first among defenders in takeaways, ( Damn you Gibbles!) and in the top ten for hits. I won’t know if I have reached my goals for the year because my personal goal was getting at least nominated for the Bojo and that won’t be known until after a champion has been crowned. I’ve excelled defensively since hitting regression through focusing on my positioning and checking rather than trying to reach the top of the charts in points. Next season is all about playing another strong defensive game to help my man Luca in net and set a good example for the young defenders on the Platoon.
(178)
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2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
This offseason will be extra exciting, as it features the rare expansion draft! Write about how you think the expansion draft will play out, either for one or both of the expansion teams or from an SHL team's perspective.
I think that the expansion draft will play out much as most expect it to. I don’t think there are going to be any real surprises. Both teams have the chance to hit the ground running with a strong back end with players like defenseman Cassius Darrow and goalie Aleister Cain being available. I think both teams will probably try and go for up and coming youth in general rather than a compete now kind of team. In the end I think both teams end up being decent now and strong in the future and will be set up to be stronger than teams like Tampa Bay, Minnesota, and Baltimore. As for the SHL itself it is great. Expansion is always great. It brings new fans into the league and hopefully will help balance out some of the teams at the top a tad. Parity is good for both newcomers and old heads alike. Nobody likes seeing the same 2 or 3 teams at the top every year.
(168)
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3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
It's too late for this go-around of expansion, so hypothetically - should there be SHL franchises in other continents? I saw some interesting European proposals in the PT. Should these - or proposals for any other continent that's not North America -
become a reality in the SHL?
There should be SHL on other continents 100 percent. As a sim league we are tethered to the realities of travel time or the cost associated with it. Some may argue about keeping the league real and believable but there is a literal cow playing in the league. The KHL has teams on two continents and that is real life. Opening the SHL up and making it a global league would just be fun plain and simple. We have players and users from every corner of the globe and it would be a great idea to cultivate that diversity in the SHL.
(102)
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6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.) The world's hottest app is TikTok - which SHL or SMJHL player would have the biggest following on TikTok? What do they post there?
Based off the media that he produces I think the safe bet for who would have the biggest following on TikTok would be Tampa Bay’s Michael Fitted. This guy is an absolute mad man when it comes to speaking his mind and would drop the wildest three in the morning and I’m drunk videos the world has ever seen. People would question his sanity, if it is an act or not. The league may not like it but the entire internet would be fascinated and let’s face it the league could use the attention. And don’t get it twisted, I’m not trying to disrespect the face of Tampa Bay. Just straight from my experience on the site he would kill it.
(121)
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13. Written, up to 4 TPE Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.
a. Both of these teams have stacked defenses - which team do you think has the defensive advantage in this series?
Although I think Rex Kirkby is the best defenseman in the league considering all the talent on the back end for Buffalo they have the edge. Darrow and Scoop have proven themselves as one of the best pairings in the league and then you have Selich and Wang following them up. It is wild that those four could all be argued into the top ten defensemen in the league.
(69)
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c. Based on FHM player ratings, New Orleans has higher average ratings in bravery, aggression, and fighting? Will that toughness have any impact on this series?
I don’t know jack when it comes to how FHM works but I’m going to say yes. In the real world when it comes to winning the cup, teams need that extra bit of grit and nasty to push them over the edge. There was some stink at the beginning of the season over rolling on enforcers or something like that so it makes sense that these kind of stats do have a place in giving an edge to the nastier team.
(82)
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e. There are several animal names in this series - which of these animals is the coolest? sloth, hippo, otter, monkey, fox, kirby.
If there was ever an animal that would be a total bro it would be the sloth. They are chill as fuck and would be supremely cool with hang with. You’d never have to worry about it wigging out and getting nasty. It would just sit there with that adorable little face and just reassure you that everything will be ok even though the world is falling apart.
(68)
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16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.
09-03-2020, 11:37 AM(This post was last modified: 09-03-2020, 11:37 AM by st4rface.)
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.) Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?
Aumy Jr. had pretty decent season. He was more player for his team who didn't had season of the career, but he did pretty well. Statistics wise, he did almost the same as last season, scoring one goal more than in S54 and getting two less assists than in previous season. Better plus/minus, but much bigger amount of penalty minutes. Play-Offs have been his weakness for first two seasons, but this season he did well in Play-Offs. Last season only one point, in first season no points in Play-Offs, but now five points in six games in Play-Offs. Lost in Play-Offs first round, so that was the most dissapointing thing about this season. Individual goals were okay, but most important thing hasn't been completed. Next season is his last SMJHL season, because of SMJHL rules, so goal is simple - help Raptors to win Four Star Cup and best individual season possible points wise. Need to continue work and train, so he can improve before SHL and that's pretty much it. Long story short: keep improving. [176 words]
2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.) This offseason will be extra exciting, as it features the rare expansion draft! Write about how you think the expansion draft will play out, either for one or both of the expansion teams or from an SHL team's perspective.
Drafts are unpredictable. Specially, when it's expansion draft. It's hard to say which players gonna be protected and who's not gonna be protected. Plus, both teams have to choose which of them to pick. I think it's really interesting and league will just gain from the fact that there are two new teams and expansion draft. Teams like North Stars and Barracuda will not be so bad anymore, there will be new teams where new and active, but not so good players can land. I think it will go pretty simple - similar to SMJHL last season. One of teams will do pretty well while other will perform not so well in expansion draft. Anyway - it's new chapter of SHL and only thing what we really need to hope for is that there will not be less activity, because then new teams will start to struggle with activity and that's the point of league going down. Need to hope that all teams will perform good, activity will increase and we will have fun. [172 words]
3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.) It's too late for this go-around of expansion, so hypothetically - should there be SHL franchises in other continents? I saw some interesting European proposals in the PT. Should these - or proposals for any other continent that's not North America - become a reality in the SHL?
I don't know what other people think about this, but I would love to see teams based in other continents and countries. I think Canada and USA is okay, but there are players from Europe, so team based in Stockholm, Helsinki or Moscow would be cool aswell. Bigger market, more interesting to fight for championship title and just more colorful league. That's in my opinion, of course. I don't think that it's needed yet, because we already had expansion in SMJHL and SHL, but after five to ten season, when there will be next expansion, they should allow to make teams in Europe and maybe even Asia or other regions. [110 words]
4. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.) Which SHL or SMJHL team was the best team to not make the finals this season and why?
This is pretty interesting topic to talk about, because this season was pretty similar statistics wise. There were many teams who did pretty well and deserved spot in finals. Unfortunately, there are only two spots. As SMJHL player, it's hard to talk about SHL, because I don't look up to there so much. I am just happy to see Buffalo Stampede in finals there. If we talk about SMJHL finals, I think team in which I play deserved finals - Colorado Raptors. Edmonton Blizzard did well in regular season and their appearance in finals would have been only logical. Berserkers and Kraken finals in SMJHL are pretty logical, but Armada or Raptors could have been there aswell. [116 words]
5. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.) What are your predictions for the upcoming IIHF or WJC tournament? What team do you think will win/surprise people/be bad/etc.?
Another interesting topic to talk about and once again - hard to predict anything. I think that IIHF and WJC will go without any surprises and will win teams who are supposed to win. In IIHF that could be Japan or Canada or even United Kingdom, while in WJC I will put odds in favor to my home country - Finland. Anyway - it's hard to predict any of these two upcoming tournaments. Each nation have new players on players who have really improved. They have aswell players who have retired or players who have regressed. Not even talking about the fact that coaching stuff for few countries have changed in IIHF and in WJC it changes every season. In my opinion, that's a two way street. It's hard to predict these type of tournaments, because this ain't SHL. It's not so important for users, coaches and players. It's just off-season tournament where you get better and get ready for next season. It's pretty unpredictable, but I would say that all teams will perform as usual, but gold will go to Japan in IIHF and to Finland in WJC. [186 words]
6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.) The world's hottest app is TikTok - which SHL or SMJHL player would have the biggest following on TikTok? What do they post there?
This is more funny topic to talk about, because TikTok might get banned in United States of America at any moment. But I think that Ola Wagstrom would perform on TikTok pretty well and have the biggest following there between SHL and SMJHL players. That's because he is the greatest active player and because of latest drama he was included in. It doesn't even matter what he would post - just being great and involved drama would help him to gain followers there. But I think that Wagstrom is pretty funny dude and he would post some cringy dances with popular songs in background. Plus, that would be great ad for team he is playing for. [115 words]
16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.
09-03-2020, 11:57 AM(This post was last modified: 09-03-2020, 11:57 AM by HanTheMan_.)
Code:
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.) (160 Words)
Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?
This season was a definite improvement from the last! This season the Whalers made it into the playoffs unlike my first season. I wracked up 2 goals and 19 assists of the course of the regular season, with an additional 1 goal and 4 assists in the playoffs. I doubled my total points and beyond from last season being 9 points. That’s more than I can ask for. I also doubled my whale points from 4 to 8 in the Whalers Whale Haul. Next season I hope to maybe double my points again or get another 10 added onto it to triple my first season. Scoring some more goals would be pretty sweet too. I want to use my time on the ice to do as much as possible for my team. The Whalers has always been a supportive team and an amazing team to grow with and I hope in my next season with them to do just that.
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3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.) (114 Words)
It's too late for this go-around of expansion, so hypothetically - should there be SHL franchises in other continents? I saw some interesting European proposals in the PT. Should these - or proposals for any other continent that's not North America -become a reality in the SHL?
I think SHL franchises in other continents would be something super interesting! Give we already have IIHF and WJC for the player’s home countries, I think with franchises in other continents would be a great addition to the league. Europe would be the place to start since most of the countries in IIHF and WJC are from North America or Europe with a few Asian teams. Having European/Asian located teams gives others the chance to recognize their heritage and make it something important to the player vs just selecting it because you can. It could also give us more PT opportunities like talking about moving countries, favourite food or activity from home, etc.
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6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.) (Words 111)
The world's hottest app is TikTok - which SHL or SMJHL player would have the biggest following on TikTok? What do they post there?
The SHL or SMJHL player with the biggest TikTok following would no doubt be Jason Desrouleaux who is currently playing for Vancouver Whalers but will be joining the Hamilton Steelhawks soon. Desrouleaux would have the biggest following because he is Jason Desrouleaux. Amassing almost 35 million followers on the app already, his content is mostly him dancing to Savage Love over and over again. He’s got some videos of his two dogs Ice and Ghost, as well as general trends on the app. Each of his videos gets at least over 5 million views doing whatever his heart desires. The man has some weird content mixed into the content mentioned above.
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7. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.) (162 words)
The two finals teams have decided to team up for a fundraising opportunity to benefit both cities. What noble cause will the teams decide to benefit? What sort of fundraiser will the teams hold together? How will the two teams mesh before the finals start?
The Buffalo Stampede and New Orleans Specters have decided to team up to fundraise to benefit both of their cities. As protests erupt across the continent, the two teams decide to raise money for their cities bail funds, repairs to the cities and to the Black Lives Matter organizations of their respective states and cities. The two teams will have BLM exclusive jerseys that will be all black, a matte black lettering for the numbers and names, and the only colour will be on their patches on the front for their logos. All the proceeds from the jerseys would go directly to BLM related organizations. This would ideally begin a movement across all the teams to do something similar to show their support for something that is so crucial right now. It’s important to stand up for each other. Sports are a way to bring people together but have also been known to divide. Let’s change that by coming together as one.
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13. Written, up to 4 TPE Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words. (3 TPE)
b. In the two regular season matchups, each team won once at home. Do you expect the results to reflect a home ice advantage in this series? (52 words)
With teams as strong as these, I think the home ice advantage might reflect into the results and how the games play out. Especially since both have won at home. The games will be tight, it might end up being down to who has the stronger crowd energy to secure the win.
d. What is your favorite name from a player appearing in this series? Why do you like that player's name? (55 words)
I may be biased, but Wile Coyote is one of my favourite names of the players in this series. Coming in a close second would be Grapefruit Lizard as those are my favourite citrus fruit and reptile. However, the rhyming of Wile Coyote, as well as personal memories of the name make it my favourite.
e. There are several animal names in this series - which of these animals is the coolest? sloth, hippo, otter, monkey, fox, kirby. (54 words)
All these animals are strong contenders for being the coolest, no doubt. The sloth’s patience, the hippo’s mighty strength, the otter’s cuteness, the monkey’s variety, the fox’s cunning. But Kirby? Kirby is above all and can be all of those. The round, pink creature is unmatched in his innocent, yet chaotic power he holds.
09-03-2020, 12:22 PM(This post was last modified: 09-03-2020, 01:48 PM by DrunkenTeddy.)
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1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?
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2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
This offseason will be extra exciting, as it features the rare expansion draft! Write about how you think the expansion draft will play out, either for one or both of the expansion teams or from an SHL team's perspective.
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3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
It's too late for this go-around of expansion, so hypothetically - should there be SHL franchises in other continents? I saw some interesting European proposals in the PT. Should these - or proposals for any other continent that's not North America -
become a reality in the SHL?
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4. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
Which SHL or SMJHL team was the best team to not make the finals this season and why?
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5. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
What are your predictions for the upcoming IIHF or WJC tournament? What team do you think will win/surprise people/be bad/etc.?
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6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.) The world's hottest app is TikTok - which SHL or SMJHL player would have the biggest following on TikTok? What do they post there?
The retired player Nour Harrak made waves in the league when he snuck into a Hamilton Steelhawks practice to record his tiktok, not only did he catch a certain manager of the team using slurs he also caught many of the team's top players goofing off and not paying attention to the coach at all, most of them seemed to care more about some cat gif than hockey. Harrak was able to get into the practice pretty easily as an alumni of the team, but his tiktok made him very popular very quickly. The Steelhawks ended up releasing some lame press release after claiming they had disciplined everyone involved in the scandals, but the manager that was caught using racial slurs still has his job, so I don't believe they really did anything to anyone in the organization over it. At least Harrak gained himself a decently large following on tiktok out of it.
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7. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.) The two finals teams have decided to team up for a fundraising opportunity to benefit both cities. What noble cause will the teams decide to benefit? What sort of fundraiser will the teams hold together? How will the two teams mesh before the finals start?
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8. Graphic, 3 TPE. Think you can do better? Design a new logo for the Buffalo Stampede or the New Orleans Specters or either of the teams in the SMJHL finals.
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11. Graphic, 3 TPE
Design a Challenge Cup/Four Star Cup Championship banner for one of the teams in the finals, like those which appear on the side of the site.
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12. Podcast, 3 or 4 TPE
Record a mini-podcast on any of the below topics!
- Highlights of the S55 season (on or off the ice)
- S55 playoff round-up
- S55 Challenge Cup/Four Star Cup finals Breakdown
- S56 predictions
1 person Mini-Pod: 4 TPE for 7 Minutes
Post the direct link to your podcast.
Link coming
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13. Written, up to 4 TPE Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.
a. Both of these teams have stacked defenses - which team do you think has the defensive advantage in this series?
b. In the two regular season matchups, each team won once at home. Do you expect the results to reflect a home ice advantage in this series?
c. Based on FHM player ratings, New Orleans has higher average ratings in bravery, aggression, and fighting? Will that toughness have any impact on this series?
d. What is your favorite name from a player appearing in this series? Why do you like that player's name?
e. There are several animal names in this series - which of these animals is the coolest? sloth, hippo, otter, monkey, fox, kirby.
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14. 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! Reflecting back on the series, who gets your vote for series MVP? Make the case why this player deserves it over any other.
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15. Graphic, 3 TPE - The Procrastinator Special!
Welp, you waited until the last day to grind out your CW and you also like doing graphics instead of writing. That's cool, too! Create a Series Recap broadcast graphic - the contents can be whatever you want, but your graphic must list both teams and at least 3 stats for each.
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16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.
09-03-2020, 12:27 PM(This post was last modified: 09-03-2020, 12:29 PM by mastersheep.)
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1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?
Just like last season, my first half was extremely disappointing, but I managed to hit 30 points which is a little short of my career high of 32 last season. I attribute a fair amount of this to the minutes I played compared to last season as I bounced around between the second and third lines, but the whole team seemed to be in a funk this season too and while we won our fair share of games, we haven’t really gotten it going offensively despite having a much better group of forwards than in previous seasons.
This is my last season in the SMJHL and will be heading to Baltimore to compete in the SHL where I will be one of the top line players for the foreseeable future. While I don’t have amazing expectations for the team just right yet, I hope that I can be one of the better players on the Platoon no matter what role I am placed in.
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3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
It's too late for this go-around of expansion, so hypothetically - should there be SHL franchises in other continents? I saw some interesting European proposals in the PT. Should these - or proposals for any other continent that's not North America - become a reality in the SHL?
Since this really is a simulation league and not tied in any way to reality, I think there is really no reason to continue to avoid expanding outside of Canada and the United States. I really like the idea of putting a team in Scandinavia as hockey is very popular there. Specifically I think putting a team in Helsinki, Finland would be a great idea as Finland’s number one sport is, in fact, hockey. I also think putting teams in Oslo, Stockholm, and Riga would round out the beginning of a European expansion and could potentially attract more Europeans to the site and of course to those teams as well.
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4. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
Which SHL or SMJHL team was the best team to not make the finals this season and why?
This is so easy to pick for the SMJHL. The Anchorage Armada absolutely should have made the finals, but choked three games in a row after going up 3-1 in their series against Maine. Until that moment, the Armada had everything going for them. They had the least goals against in the regular season and the third best goals for, which gave them the best goal differential of all teams. Scoochie Stratton, who led the league in GAA, save percentage, shutouts, and wins, was a shell of himself in the postseason and was even pulled in the critical Game 7 in the 2nd period, winding up with a 4.08 GAA and 0.849 Save % as the team was shelled by Maine’s stellar offense.
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5. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
What are your predictions for the upcoming IIHF or WJC tournament? What team do you think will win/surprise people/be bad/etc.?
Along with Jumbobone, I am Team USA’s WJC GM and I’m really hoping that we can repeat as champions. We have a much better lineup this time around and plan on utilizing it to the best we can in the tournament. We should once again be a top contender for the title having so many returning players, instead of a huge field of rookies. I think UCORCAL will be one of the biggest threats once again with the emergence of the Petrovs. I think Canada also makes a big comeback after failing to reach the final four last season and that the biggest surprise will be Team World. Despite the shortcomings to their roster, they have some talented managers and I think they will be great at strategy. Also no disrespect to DACH, but I think they will get bounced early once again. They have a stacked roster, but I don’t think it will carry them.
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13. Written, up to 4 TPE Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.
a. Both of these teams have stacked defenses - which team do you think has the defensive advantage in this series?
Despite both teams being great defensively, Buffalo has a slight edge having better top end players in Cassius Darrow, Alexander Selich, and Poopity Scoop. While Kirkby has been an absolute force this season, he hasn’t even been the best on defense compared to DeMaricus Smyth and Lyle Odelein III, while Alexander Selich has a decent chance at getting a Bojo nomination.
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b. In the two regular season matchups, each team won once at home. Do you expect the results to reflect a home ice advantage in this series?
For the Stampede, this is absolutely the case. They are a much better team at home than on the road having only lost two games in Buffalo in the regular season and so far only one game in the playoffs. On the other hand, New Orleans, is just about as good on the road as they are at home, so they really need to steal one or two games on the road if they are going to have any chance at winning this series.
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c. Based on FHM player ratings, New Orleans has higher average ratings in bravery, aggression, and fighting? Will that toughness have any impact on this series?
I don’t really think there will be much impact at all. While this may keep the Stampede from getting a lot of net front presence and perhaps back down from the physical play, I don’t see it being a huge factor since they have a much easier time at getting open and are in general a stronger team that would not be easily knocked off the puck once they control it. As long as the Stampede can play their game and avoid the physical aspect, they should cruise in this series.
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16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?
This season was really rough for Mika and the Stars team as a whole. I thought Mika’s performance would be so much better this season after a few big upgrades to his offensive game. It didn’t turn out that way and he ended up having the worst season of his career. I think the team as a whole underperformed in a season we really thought we would start taking a step forward in. It’s unfortunate but that’s the way it goes sometimes. Mika is going to train up and get ready for the next season with an attitude of trying to help the team as much as possible to win. I think Mika can be a point per game player and I’d like to see him reach that peak in the FHM days. Next season, Mika needs to start generating some serious offense for his team. He has always been a solid defender of the puck, but now he needs to start generating offense to help his team win some more games.
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3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
It's too late for this go-around of expansion, so hypothetically - should there be SHL franchises in other continents? I saw some interesting European proposals in the PT. Should these - or proposals for any other continent that's not North America -
become a reality in the SHL?
I don’t think North American leagues expanding out to other continents is a good idea. It would create too much travel for teams unnecessarily. I would see that as being a big burden on the teams that need to travel over to just play one game and then also on the other team that needs to travel to NA and probably stay for quite some time. It’s also a logistical nightmare for scheduling a season. Maybe it won’t be so bad for east coast teams going to Europe, but for West coast teams it would be a nightmare for them. Also, there already leagues overseas and I don’t see a need to try and compete with them.
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5. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
What are your predictions for the upcoming IIHF or WJC tournament? What team do you think will win/surprise people/be bad/etc.?
I think this years IIHF tournament will be a lot like last years. I don’t see too much movement happening in the standings. Last season I thought Russia was going to make a big move and probably medal, and that didn’t happen. I think it takes a long time for teams to change in the FHM era and so we might see a pretty similar tournament this year. USA, and England will probably continue to do well. Russia is a bit of a wild card because I still think they should be able to be competitive but last year went so poorly for them that I’m hesitant to say that they could be a surprise team. Although, I think they are the most likely team to be a surprise and put on a good showing this year. I just don’t think the likeliness of it happening is looking very high. Maybe Canada will be able to have a good run and win the whole thing this year.
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6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.) The world's hottest app is TikTok - which SHL or SMJHL player would have the biggest following on TikTok? What do they post there?
I think Mike Izzy would probably have one of the most popular tik toks in the whole SHL. His video submissions are usually pretty dope and professional looking. I think he could gain a big following on the app posting a bunch of hype videos for him and his team. I think that would be mostly what he uses it for. It would probably be a bunch of heavily edited videos of his highlights showing everyone what a great player he is. But because they look good and are exciting, people would be really into them. That or cat videos, either way it’d be off the hook.
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7. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.) The two finals teams have decided to team up for a fundraising opportunity to benefit both cities. What noble cause will the teams decide to benefit? What sort of fundraiser will the teams hold together? How will the two teams mesh before the finals start?
I think it's great that the two teams in the finals this season, the New Orleans Spectors and the Buffalo Stampede have decided to do a joint benefit for people who are displaced by hurricanes. There have a been a lot of storms making their way towards NOLA recently and seeing as half of the finals will be played there, the Stampede thought it would be a good idea to reach out to NOLA and see if they can’t raise a few funds. The two teams decided to do a good old fashioned dunk tank where the members of the Stampede volunteered to be dunked by NOLA fans outside of the stadium. The NOLA players ran the event while the Stampede were getting dunked by the rowdy fans each paying 5 bucks to throw three balls at their favorite (most hated) Stampede players. The event was great fun and raised a whopping 55,000 dollars! Wow, those NOLA fans sure don’t like the Stampede! Needless to say, this only served to rile up the Stampede before the series.
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16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
I really am kind of disappointed with how my season went this year. My player, Thomas Vanice, is slowly becoming relevant in the league. I am earning TPE at a decent rate and yet somehow I am still not doing super well. I reached the 1000 TPE threshold this season and I am still far outperforming my atrocious draft position here in the SHL. That being said, I am still not super happy. With the New Orleans Specters being as great as they are sadly also comes the fact that I am not playing up to my potential in a different way. They have better players and I am basically the 9th best forward in TPE and therefore also getting the 9th most points, which seems fair enough really. That being said, on some other teams I would definitely be in the first two lines and therefore honestly have a better shot at better stats. Maybe next season!
2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Expansion drafts are always a very exciting time. It is a very special time in sim leagues in general, as somehow all three leagues (The PBE, the ISFL and the SHL) all find themselves in expansion scenarios practically at the same time. It is specificlly fascinating for those of us that are involved in one way or another in all three leagues. In the PBE i am a GM and therefore want to protect my own team. In the ISFL I am a former GM who just recreated and therefore is in the regular draft this season, with expansion teams potentially looking at my player. And in the SHL there is the expectation that I will likely be one of the people looked at who might end up on an expansion team. I really think that could be a fun epxerience, one I have not had in the past and I could help a team from the bottom up to help them build a team and get a title here down the road.
3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
I absolutely think that there should be an SHL team internationally. It is actually bizarre that this has not yet happened here. We have obviously seen the same happen in the ISFL now a few times and in the PBE we are also seeing international teams for the first time. It is bizarre that hockey was not the frontrunner with this, as hockey is by far the most international sport of the three. Why has the SHL not already had a European team? It seems funny to me that this has not happened. I wonder if we will still see it this time around and where they might end up!
09-03-2020, 02:32 PM(This post was last modified: 09-03-2020, 04:07 PM by Zoone16.)
Quote:1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?
In S55, Luca Del Vecchio fared slightly better than in S54. Posting a couple extra wins (and a couple of overtime losses more) than the previous season. Both his save percentage & goals against average improved. This however, is a reflection of the team’s global performance, as the Platoon remained near the bottom of the league. There is only so much a goalie can do to help their team win but if the team in front of him does not score then games cannot be won.
So overall, Luca was satisfied with the season in comparison to the previous one, but still dissatisfied as he believes that his game is reaching elite levels whereas the team is still building up the future. Hopefully the team will be in place before it’s too late for him and he starts regressing. The SHL is a cruel environment and time is a cruel mistress. Winning early is important.
(155 words)
Quote:5. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
What are your predictions for the upcoming IIHF or WJC tournament? What team do you think will win/surprise people/be bad/etc.?
The upcoming IIHF tournament will in many ways resemble last season’s tournament. Coming in, we’ll have both Canada and USA as the favourites, their depth and talent being unrivalled, even in a simulation game. Great Britain will not far behind, having medalled at the past 3 tournaments and not having too many players regress as of yet. Right behind this top 3 we’ll have Czechia, Japan, Austria, Switzerland whom are all rising in the world rankings and having players at peak levels of TPE for this tournament. Former powerhouses such as Russia, Sweden, Finland have had a bit of a rough time as of late and will struggle, battling for the final playoffs spots. Smaller nations such as Norway, Latvia will have a hard time getting wins. Finally, we have Ireland and Germany as wildcards. Both are capable of creating upsets and going far in the tournament, but also just as apt to crash and burn in the group stages. (160 words)
Quote:7. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.) The two finals teams have decided to team up for a fundraising opportunity to benefit both cities. What noble cause will the teams decide to benefit? What sort of fundraiser will the teams hold together? How will the two teams mesh before the finals start?
In light of the current global situation, the Specters and the Stampede have united to donate all the proceeds from merchandise sales to Doctors Without Borders to help lesser countries have better access to medical healthcare. Plans are still being finalized but on top of having the logo of the Doctors Without Borders featured as a shoulder patch on both jerseys, both teams plan to donate $10,000 dollars per goal scored from their team. Furthermore, the league has pledged to match the total donation of both teams in order to purchase more ventilators and masks for the less fortunate areas of the world.
When questioned, SHL commissioner SDCore had this to say: “We are privileged to be in countries that are able to access top notch medical care within the hour. Some places around the world do not have this luxury. We must all do our part to help our fellow men and women all over the planet.” (158 words)
Quote:13. Written, up to 4 TPE Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.
a. Both of these teams have stacked defenses - which team do you think has the defensive advantage in this series?
b. In the two regular season matchups, each team won once at home. Do you expect the results to reflect a home ice advantage in this series?
d. What is your favorite name from a player appearing in this series? Why do you like that player's name?
e. There are several animal names in this series - which of these animals is the coolest? sloth, hippo, otter, monkey, fox, kirby.
The Specters have won the cup last season with the same defensive core. I believe that they’ll be able to rise up to the challenge once more and hold off the Stampede’s offense. Buffalo meanwhile will be a tough matchup and either way it will be a defensive battle. If we take goalies into the defensive brigade, I would give a minor advantage to New Orleans. (66 words)
From last season, we saw the regular season results be reflected quite well in the cup finals. I believe that the series could go all the way. It’ll be interesting to see who, if anyone, can win away in this series. If anyone does, expect them to have the advantage for the rest of the series. (56 words)
I do enjoy the name Eko van Otter for several reasons. Eko is pronounced the same way as Ecco. Ecco was a great video game where you played as a dolphin. Eko is also similar to Ekko, the League of Legends character who is as cool as annoying to play against. Otters are awesome end of story. All this played by a guy named hotdog, who may or may not be a taco or a sandwich. (76 words)
This is a close call between Otter and Kirby. First of all, otters are awesome and versatile animals that live both in water and on land. They live in gangs and have been historically not afraid of humans. Kirby, albeit not being an actual animal, is an awesome bubble-gum coloured black hole that sucks everything in his path. Quite apt name judging how he sucked all TPE possible pre-regression. (69 words)
Quote:16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.
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1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?
My player Nick Connolly didn’t do too poorly this season. While I have been falling behind a bit due to being absolutely shit poor and not being able to afford equipment, it’s nice to see my player still perform and score points. Although, this year I certainly had a significantly less plus minus but some argue that the stat is useless. Unfortunately, Chicago as a team performed what I would consider significantly worse considering a great season last season and our homegrown talent only getting better. So while I am fairly excited at the thought of my player putting up a good chunk of points, I’d much rather see the team win as a whole. Even if that meant playing less minutes or a different role, maybe geared towards a more defensive approach. I’ll try to maybe crank out some media so I can make an equipment purchase for the first time since my second season.
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2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
This offseason will be extra exciting, as it features the rare expansion draft! Write about how you think the expansion draft will play out, either for one or both of the expansion teams or from an SHL team's perspective.
I honestly think both expansion teams are coming at a time when the league is really stacked. The top teams are pretty much insane. Buffalo, for example, has just an unbelievable roster which no one can really consistently compete with outside variance where they may lose a game here or there due to non-optimal strategies. But, since there’s so much talent, the players they will lose will be ready to contribute at a high level for their expansion team. There are a lot of good players that will combine to form solid rosters right off the bat. I think both teams will be in a good position to compete in the short term. Maybe not for the cup right away, but they might be able to sneak into playoffs if they draft right. Once they have that sorted, they just have to think about stock piling the cupboards with picks and prospects and they’ll have a very bright future ahead.
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7. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.) The two finals teams have decided to team up for a fundraising opportunity to benefit both cities. What noble cause will the teams decide to benefit? What sort of fundraiser will the teams hold together? How will the two teams mesh before the finals start?
Being as September just started, I think it would be really fitting to have a fundraiser benefitting Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and really any mental illness cause. September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month which is a time to share resources and stories in an effort to shed light on this highly stigmatized topic. We use this month to reach out to those affected by suicide, raise awareness and connect individuals with suicidal ideation to helpful services. It is also important to make sure that individuals, friends, and families have access to the resources they need to discuss suicide prevention. And I know this is supposed to be relevant to the finals and the two teams, but I feel like this goes beyond that and into the users of the site. Do not feel ashamed of having these thoughts and please seek help if you do. Asking for help is not admitting defeat or embarrassing. It’s understanding there’s a greater underlying issue that needs to be addressed and is the first step to feeling better about yourself. A lot of us use this site as an escape from real life as our day to day lives are filled with stress and anxiety. In today’s times, mental health needs to be paramount for every individual.
13. Written, up to 4 TPE Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.
a. Both of these teams have stacked defenses - which team do you think has the defensive advantage in this series?
Both of these teams having stacked defenses is almost an understatement. By far the two best defenses in the league in my opinion. If I had to give an advantage to one team in the series though it would be Buffalo. I think they just squeak out the win in terms of defensemen and analytics.
b. In the two regular season matchups, each team won once at home. Do you expect the results to reflect a home ice advantage in this series?
I always think that home ice advantage plays a huge part in the play of individual teams. When the crowd is cheering for you, it feels like you’re a super hero and can run through a brick wall. I would expect much of the same in the series. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the home team win every game.
c. Based on FHM player ratings, New Orleans has higher average ratings in bravery, aggression, and fighting? Will that toughness have any impact on this series?
Playoff games are just a different beast entirely than the regular season. They slow down and become much more defensive. They usually favor teams who can throw the body and wear down their opponents late into the game. I could definitely see these stats affecting the outcomes in some way or another. If they rile Buffalo up for them to just take one or two extra penalties, those might determine a winner.
d. What is your favorite name from a player appearing in this series? Why do you like that player's name?
e. There are several animal names in this series - which of these animals is the coolest? sloth, hippo, otter, monkey, fox, kirby.
I’m partial to a fox. There’s just something about them that’s so cool. Except for their screams at night. That’s a little off putting. I’ve heard owning them as a pet is insane. Like they have ridiculous amounts of energy and just destroy everything. My favorite pokemon is also Ninetails so that doesn’t hurt.
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16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.
yer
1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?
After a couple of strong seasons in the FHM era Karlstraße Scholz absolutely went off in S55 and I couldn't be happier. In his final year before regression hits his TPE is at it's highest point so it was nice to see him perform to his best ability yet. Finishing the regular season with 56 points he led all defensemen in assists and points, which were both career highs for him as well. On the other end of the ice Scholz was equally dominant finishing the regular season top 5 in takeaways, corsi and fenwick ratings. As a result he is a sure fire nominee for some hardware this offseason. Sadly the season ended on a low note with a game 7 loss in the western finals to the Specters. Scholz was a shell of the player he was in the regular season in the playoffs and could easily done more to help his team this post season. What's in store for next season? I'd like to see another 40+ point season, hell maybe even 50+, but the main goal is a more productive post season.
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2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
This offseason will be extra exciting, as it features the rare expansion draft! Write about how you think the expansion draft will play out, either for one or both of the expansion teams or from an SHL team's perspective.
Having been a part of this league for some time now I've been able to witness a couple expansion drafts now. This one is particularly exciting because there is so much talent available to the two new teams in Seattle and Atlanta. A 2k TPE defender?! No knock to Buffalo if hhh wants to be involved in the expansion process but it's wild to see a player of his calibre up for grabs. Beyond him there are a number of high TPE players, including the reigning goal scoring leader of S55 and Challenge Cup champion and MVP goaltender from last playoffs. There are a number of ways you can go but I anticipate one team to go hard right from the get go similar to what New Orleans did back in S46. Will the other team opt to go the slow and steady route similar to Chicago or will they go hard too and make the expansion draft an absolute bloodbath? Stay tuned.
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3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
It's too late for this go-around of expansion, so hypothetically - should there be SHL franchises in other continents? I saw some interesting European proposals in the PT. Should these - or proposals for any other continent that's not North America - become a reality in the SHL?
I'm going to be lame here and say no. I know this isn't real life and we have no limitations, but one of the biggest draws for me on this league is the realism factor. I love how passionate some of the users are and introducing teams on other continents really deters from the realism factor for me. Like honestly, how the hell does one team play back to back games when one is in Hamilton and the next on is in Berlin. Now a league made entirely of European countries... that could be a thing. That would be a huge ask but it would be cool from a draft standpoint to compare the north american juniors to the European ones.
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4. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
Which SHL or SMJHL team was the best team to not make the finals this season and why?
From the West I'm going to be a homer and say the Edmonton Blizzard. Finished the season with 70 points, tied with Buffalo for the most in the league. They had an absolutely stacked line up and if the puck luck was a bit more in their favor they'd be in the finals instead of going home after a disappointing end in a game 7 loss to New Orleans in the western conference finals. From the east I'll say the Manhattan Rage. Already a cup contender they went out and added an absolute stud in Wagstrom. It propelled them to 2nd place in the regular season standings in the east and they got bumped in round 1 again. I think if given another best of 7 they could go deep.
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13. Written, up to 4 TPE Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.
a. Both of these teams have stacked defenses - which team do you think has the defensive advantage in this series?
b. In the two regular season matchups, each team won once at home. Do you expect the results to reflect a home ice advantage in this series?
c. Based on FHM player ratings, New Orleans has higher average ratings in bravery, aggression, and fighting? Will that toughness have any impact on this series?
d. What is your favorite name from a player appearing in this series? Why do you like that player's name?
e. There are several animal names in this series - which of these animals is the coolest? sloth, hippo, otter, monkey, fox, kirby.
a. I'm going to give the edge to Buffalo. No knock to NOLA here, but Buffalo has a pairing with two 2k TPE players and they're second pairing isn't too far behind. Statistically speaking Buffalo was the superior defensive team in the regular season as well allowing just 98 goals against, the fewest in the SHL.
b. I don't believe so no. I can't speak to whether or not home ice advantage is even a thing in FHM, but what this does show us is that the two teams are very well matched and this could be a very tight series. Both teams have proven they know what it takes to win so I anticipate a long series between these two teams.
c. I don't believe so no. When we all sat down to transition our players from STHS to FHM it seems like it was the consensus that bravery, aggression and fighting were effectively dump stats. Nice to have, but not critical to your performance. After some more digging it was found bravery was sneaky effective, but the other two remain a dump stat so I doubt it makes a significant impact, if any, in this matchup.
d. For the Buffalo Stampede I'm going to go with Cassius Darrow. It's not goofy or weird, but just fun to say and dripping with sexiness. For the New Orleans Specters I'll go with Boris "The Beast" Poroshenko. A name like that just instills fear in the opposition and it's too funny his nickname is included in the subject line for his player page.
e. If we're going to include kirby in the category of animals I'll lock him in as the coolest. Dude is literally made of bubblegum and can turn in to anyone! If we're going off the board I'll say Poroshenko. Dude is straight up animal on and off the ice. He is a beast!
Quote:1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?
Season 55 has been fruitful for Augustus Wang, as we saw him grow into a more offensive role on the President’s Trophy winning, Buffalo Stampede. The Big Wanger had 13 goals and 39 points which tied him for 6th place in points by a defenseman this season. Last season he only had 4 goals and 27 points. The big factor in his improvement has been his confidence in himself in all aspects of the game. We’ve seen him be more trigger happy this season when manning the point in the offensive zone and getting those shots on the net has been important in the Stampede’s offense. This improvement has led to the Wanger quarterbacking the second pairing of one of the top powerplay teams in the entire league. Wang still leaves a lot to be desired defensively, but his offensive maturation has skyrocketed himself into the conversation of some of the elite talent we have in the SHL.
(158 Words)
3/16
Quote:3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
It's too late for this go-around of expansion, so hypothetically - should there be SHL franchises in other continents? I saw some interesting European proposals in the PT. Should these - or proposals for any other continent that's not North America - become a reality in the SHL?
The rise in popularity of Buffalo Stampede defenseman, Augustus Wang, should spark interest in expanding into the Chinese market. Wang’s social media presence has led people to become interested in the sport of hockey and Wang’s success this season has only added more buzz into getting into the game. This is why the SHL should tap into the lucrative markets in China by adding a Chinese team to the league. For example, the team could be called the Tiananmen Liberty with their logo of Winnie the Pooh symbolizing the social and democratic freedoms that China has instilled across the nation.
(100 Words)
5/16
Quote:4. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
Which SHL or SMJHL team was the best team to not make the finals this season and why?
The Tampa Bay Barracuda should have advanced directly to the SHL finals given that they are the best at being terrible. Due to being the best at being the worst, we should discourage tanking by placing them in the SHL finals as a “final boss”. Not only do future teams have less incentive to tank, but it’ll also make it fun to celebrate the slaughtering of a subordinate team. Besides, the Hamilton Steelhawks have ruined the prestige of winning the Challenge Cup through their illegal antics, so we might as well make some fun out of it. We could put all of the revenue gained from the SHL finals towards paying for the imprisonment and prompt execution of international fugitive, Gabriel Johnson.
(122 Words)
7/16
Quote:10. Graphic, 3 TPE
Create a magazine cover that highlights either a player in the finals or a standout player from the regular season.
10/16
Quote:8. Graphic, 3 TPE. Think you can do better? Design a new logo for the Buffalo Stampede or the New Orleans Specters or either of the teams in the SMJHL finals.
13/16
Quote:16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.
09-03-2020, 07:01 PM(This post was last modified: 09-06-2020, 12:13 PM by honkerrs.)
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1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
Reflection on your season - how did your player fare on the ice this season? Did you meet or surpass your individual player goals or did you come up short? Whether you excelled or disappointed - what can you attribute that to? What will you try to do better next season?
I mean I really can’t put into words how insane my season went, especially when comparing to my horrific first two seasons in the J. To be able to break the all time record in most shutouts, save percentage, and 2nd best GAA ever is going to be pretty tough to beat next season. I'm just going to try to keep building as much as I can. Considering my first two seasons were .869 and .906, it is safe to say I was pretty excited that my hard work the past two seasons paid off. It also helped that myself and 4 of our defensemen have been together now for 3 seasons so I think this season our chemistry really took to another level and it showed by how amazing our defense was in the regular season. Unfortunately it didn’t go well in the playoffs but that’s just how playoffs be sometimes. We gained some valuable lessons this season and are looking forward to making a deeper run next season.
3/16
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3. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.)
It's too late for this go-around of expansion, so hypothetically - should there be SHL franchises in other continents? I saw some interesting European proposals in the PT. Should these - or proposals for any other continent that's not North America -
become a reality in the SHL?
We have a lot of Europeans on this site so I can definitely see why it is a popular idea but there is a reason why no professional sports have teams in different continents playing in one league. It’s because it would be miserable to travel to a vastly different timezone in a sport that plays many games per week such as hockey. It just wouldn’t be realistic to include another team elsewhere because of that reason alone. Honestly I don’t even think a team should be in Mexico either because I’m not even sure if that county knows what hockey is? I appreciate the HO keeping the team time zones reasonable because it already is bad enough to travel to Alaska in the J let alone another country.
5/16
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6. Written, 2 TPE (100 words min.) The world's hottest app is TikTok - which SHL or SMJHL player would have the biggest following on TikTok? What do they post there?
Oh easily the best TikTok in the league would belong to the one and only chad of the SHL/SMJHL, Bork Lazer. The dude only knows how to make jokes and I think would bring some great insight to what goes on behind the scenes plus I’m sure his daily routine is a riot as well. I could see the content ranging from calling out who he wants to challenge in a fight next to just him telling you what kind of groceries he usually gets for his pre game meals. Dude is a chad at everything and would be a great follow for all the tik tok users out there.
7/16
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13. Written, up to 4 TPE Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.
a. Both of these teams have stacked defenses - which team do you think has the defensive advantage in this series?
b. In the two regular season matchups, each team won once at home. Do you expect the results to reflect a home ice advantage in this series?
c. Based on FHM player ratings, New Orleans has higher average ratings in bravery, aggression, and fighting? Will that toughness have any impact on this series?
d. What is your favorite name from a player appearing in this series? Why do you like that player's name?
e. There are several animal names in this series - which of these animals is the coolest? sloth, hippo, otter, monkey, fox, kirby.
a) I think NOLA has the defensive edge in this one just solely based on experience only. During the regular season BUF only gave up 98 goals to NOLA’s 120 but BUF was also playing in a much weaker division so I’m sure that helped some. The goalie experience level (Cain vs Doyle) is going to be interesting to see and I think Cain’s championship experience swings this one to NOLA defensively
c) I don’t think the fighting and aggression will matter much in this series. During the regular season NOLA only got into 2 fights and BUF only got into 1 fight. No one won a fight either so I’m not sure the team would be really willing to try and get a momentum swing going their way when they’re not confident about their fighting abilities.
d) This is an extremely hard one to pick because there are lots of good names but I’m going to go with Eko van Otter. First, the name Eko I have never heard before and think it’s a great unique name. Always a fan of uniqueness. Then van Otter just sounds like a strong family name that used to be musical composers in like the 1400s. Pretty awesome
e) The coolest animal is definitely Kirby. I mean all the animals on the list are definitely awesome animals but even though Kirby is a strange Nintendo animal, it can literally turn into any animal, or thing, it wants to. So all those other animals that are listed in the list could be also a Kirby therefore Kirby is definitely the superior animal here.
11/16
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14. 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! Reflecting back on the series, who gets your vote for series MVP? Make the case why this player deserves it over any other.
It is safe to say that Monkey D. Luffy is quite easily the MVP of not only the SHL season but the Finals and Playoffs as well. The beastly winger led the regular season in points, the playoffs in points, and the finals in points. A pretty insane stat and I wonder how many other times that has happened before. He even won the series with the game winner in game 7 IN OVERTIME. Pretty awesome storyline to be honest. Another shoutout to Elizabeth Doyle as well who also had an incredible breakaway save to keep the game tied in overtime. Goalies don’t get a lot of love in MVP votes but had to give a mention to that there.
13/16
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16. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is now 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.
MN_Moosey![[Image: 3MtyuZk.gif]](https://i.imgur.com/3MtyuZk.gif)
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