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By-Tor · 11-25-2023, 06:53 PM

Close your eyes. Picture in your mind the SHL as it is today - the teams, the users, scandals and all. Now, which team are you imagining being the best in the league? Winnipeg? Edmonton? Why do you have some of those prolific teams in mind? Is it the continued success over a number of years? Mayhaps it's a logo that catches your eye or high profile users that merit some respect? Cups certainly help in any argument, but what truly is success, and how is it defined? No matter what appears in your mind's eye, it is subject to the biases of our own personas. Luckily for you, I have the final say and can let you in on a little truth today.

Now open your eyes. That team, the team that should have appeared at the forefront of your mind - the best team - is the Dragons

Calgary Dragons. Dragons

You may be saying to yourself at this moment, "Bollocks, Calgary has been a bottom 5 team the past three years!" and you have some credibility in those claims. But I retort that empires rise and fall all the time, seasons change, and teams go through rebuilds. Standings results are but one trunk in a forest of arguments of true success. Here's what I have to say:

History: check.

The Calgary franchise has been around since season 1, never changing who they are, THE CALGARY DRAGONS. Only a small handful of other teams could boast such consistency. With 8 Challenge Cups, Calgary also boasts one of the best hardware cabinets of the SHL teams. Through the ups and downs, Calgary has consistently shoved their way to the front of the conversations. The Hall of Famers spill over from Calgary, the logo is fire, and lets not forget that everyone knows who they are.

All-Star GM: check.

Coming from Edmonton, boom brings a wealth of experience and know-how to the Calgary front office. Boom knows what it takes to build a successful franchise and has all the tools to do it. Add in PossumQueen as the Co-GM and there is nothing this duo can't do. I have the highest confidence in their abilities and eagerly await the on-ice success of their brainpower.

Stacked Roster Pool: check.

While the team is admittedly thin on the ice today, there are a ton of quality prospects rearing to hit the ice for the Dragons very soon. Upfront, Ryland Murphy and the Solberg twins, Froya and Sonja, are oozing offensive skill. On the back end, Graham Schwartz, Oranj Kohne, and Kaarlo Koivunen make up three core pieces to the defensive future in Calgary. Add in any more young players selected in the next two seasons by Calgary top picks and you have some lethal weapons coming through the pipeline.

Amazing Locker Room: check.

I had the privilege of being added to the Dragons locker room for an inside look at the reinvented Calgary Dragons. I was not disappointed! Obviously alert and active are @boom and @Possum Queen, leading the team by example. But then there is so much conversation by @Juho, @Thunfish, @NaomiMannequeen, @Esso2264, and @MyLittleHexx and you have a solid base of users that contribute to a lively franchise. Multiple others chimed in too, and all I could see were signs of a healthy group of users. As we know, that's all you need to start the snowball of wins.

I think true success is having the pedigree in place and the ability to rise from the ashes of past scandal. Vets know the deal with Calgary of the past - this reinvented Calgary has shed the burden of it's past self and lives for a new, successful day. People of the SHL, if there is ever a place to take your talents and create the success story of the decade, it is with the Calgary Dragons. They are already well on their way and like a phoenix from the ashes look to grab the mantle of victory from the other teams of the SHL. So I say this: who is the best franchise in the SHL? It's the Calgary Dragons.

Where is the best destination for the prospects of S75? Calgary.

Where should people be looking in free agency to revive their career? Calgary.

Who should be on the lookout for the imminent rise of the Dragons? Everyone else. The next two seasons is an en masse collection of assets by the Dragons. Boom and the rest of the Dragons have the league's number and are just waiting until the pieces fit together. Wins or not, this team has one of the best groups of people in the league. So whether you agree with me or not, just remember that I am the overseer of Truth, and I deem it to be so.

Go Dragons Dragons

Credit to enigmatic, Merica, tweedledunn, and jaypc8237 for sigs

trella · 11-25-2023, 06:54 PM

Edmonton better

Thanks to @karey and @JSS for the sigs!

Former USA Fed Head, Carolina Kraken Co-GM, Tampa Bay Barracuda GM

***RAmenAmen*** · 11-25-2023, 07:10 PM

It's great to see new life in Calgary, and I hope it's here to stay! Edmonton still better though.

spidey · 11-25-2023, 08:21 PM

Slappydoodle · 11-25-2023, 09:32 PM

I'm not sure what all the scandal and burdens of the past are exactly. I must have missed all that.

I remember, primarily a great, active locker room, consistent playoff success and lots of cups being raised.

That being said, I wish Calgary all the success and love going forward

Cheers

***boom*** · 11-25-2023, 09:54 PM

11-25-2023, 07:10 PMRAmenAmen Wrote: It's great to see new life in Calgary, and I hope it's here to stay! Edmonton still better though.

That rivalry will return to being competitive soon and it’ll be awesome!

Thunfish · 11-26-2023, 08:55 AM

Well... I like doing my part but I think I could do more.

Truth be told when we had those draft interviews, the GM did ask a bit about locker room stuff and I did mention I remembered what happened in the past so it did sound like a thing I could help improve. Here's hoping we can keep going on that end too.

Tsunny · 11-26-2023, 11:45 AM

Calgary > Edmonton
And it's not even a debate

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