1.  I was pretty happy with how Roach’s season turned out, all things considered. While scoring less goals certainly isn’t great, Roach also doubled his assist totals, and put up nine more points than in the previous season. He also made good strides in his two way game, blocking more shots and throwing more hits than he did in the previous season. Next season, I would like to try and cut down on my giveaways a bit and just do better at puck possession in general.  Goals will come if I can hold on to the puck more often. This offseason is gonna be spent working on my puck handling skills, along with spending quite a bit of time working on my skating abilities. Those two things should make me a better player in all areas of the ice, and hopefully help me slide into the special teams units somewhere. I’d like to be on the power play next season, but I would take penalty kill time too.

6.  This season looks to be an interesting one for IIHF. As per usual, Canada and USA look to be the top teams, but there are a couple who will make their lives difficult. Great Britain has looked like an absolute powerhouse team over the last couple of seasons, and I would be surprised to see them walk away from the tournament empty handed. Japan and Czechia are also good teams who I would not be surprised to see end up with a medal when it is all said and done. As for my team in Ireland, we are hoping to build off of our medal round appearance last season, and continue working towards getting back into the medal games. We have a lot of young talent coming up, and some of them are even begging to really hit their strides and play big roles for us. It is also the last tournament for Ireland legends Tig Murphy and Jon Toner, so I’m hoping we can send them off with one last medal.

7.  A good NHL comparison for my player Alexander Roach would be Anthony Cirelli of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Both of them are good players who have their place on the roster, but aren’t necessarily game breakers. Both of them are good two way players who excel in all three areas of the ice, which sees them both deployed in all situations. In a similar vein, I think that a good NHL comparison to the Buffalo Stampede is the Tampa Bay Lightning. Both of them are teams who as of late have been expected to be cup contenders year in and year out. Both are good at finding great value in the later rounds of the draft, and then turning those guys into star players. Both teams have also come short in the playoffs a few times recently, but also have a recent cup to be proud of. I can see both teams still being very good for a long time, unless the salary cap has something to say about that.

12.
I expect this series to be very even. The regular season series is probably a very good indicator of how this one is gonna go. I think there is about a zero percent chance it ends up in a sweep, and a very good chance it ends up in a game 7. I don’t expect there to be any blowouts either, with every game being a one or two goal difference.
It is hard to deny how lethal the Hamilton Steelhawks top power play unit is. Gabe Johnson is a great point man, and Dick Clapper is a phenomenal net front presence. And with a couple of lethal snipers on each side of the ice in Wilson and Morgan, it is going to be critical for the Syndicate to shut these guys down on the power play. 
I prefer the Syndicate’s branding personally. It is a unique branding that pays homage to Chicago’s powerful gangsters of the early 1900’s. The logo looks very clean, and the color combination of yellow and black is a timeless classic. Not to say that Hamilton’s branding is bad, but I think Chicago’s is better.
My personal preference is playing league with Parker Smeb. I am ok at the game, and am always looking for people to play with regardless of their skill. Although you do have to feel bad for Dale Miller, he is so short and has such a hard time reaching things that are so high up. I hope he has a good stepping stool.

15. Flex