1. Brandon
2.a) I would choose Chicago and go with the Vets. The ability to stay calm and collected in highly stressful situations plays a key role. The Players have been here for CHI and the experience is there. For ATL, I can see them coming out with this, since underdogs are often overlooked.
  b) I think a highly skilled defensive team like CHI is hard to work around. The skill level is really tough to scheme against. The best way I can think of is making sure the players you have with good puck movement and players with getting open to try and make space to avoid the stick work from CHI.
  c) I really think the discipline is going to be a big factor. The 32 to 45 is hard to compare not a big difference between the two. The penalties are really going to play a factor in each game. The PK and PP are the winners of this series, just going to have to see which unit steps up for which team.
  d) The difference in the balanced attack and targeted really depends on team. The balance attack is really for a team like CHI who have a lineup from top to bottom you can rely on. While ATL is targeted so the top of their lineup would seem to limit lower lines minutes since they aren't quite up to competing against other lines so limiting their time to prevent bad mismatches.

3. a) This is a tough situation, having offensive D-men are a very special player. I would probably start with adjusting my defensive formation to keep my wingers high to keep a shadow effect on their defensemen so that cant get room to be active in the offense. Then I would use my center and as the slot man to cover the middle. It would keep the puck to the boards in the D zone and once we gain possession I would have the wings break fast to push the defense out and open space for a break out.
  b) This is a bit easier, I would play more of a shell around the goalie and push the puck to the perimeter. They have a good shooting percentage so to counter that you push them farther out and make them take shots at a bigger range. The farther you are out the lower your accuracy is.
  c) I believe NF will get back that luck this series. I can't see the streak of bad luck continuing especially for a team like NF. I see this is a really tough series for QCC and I just don't see them getting it this year. I feel the luck is bound to run out and especially against the leagues hands down best team this year.
  d) Going into this series I would feel really comfortable as NF, though I would not sleep on QCC. I feel you need to play each game as if you are playing the best team in the league. If you come out and not play to the top level QCC can take it to you. If I was QCC I would promote staying calm and not look at it like a David and Goliath. You need to stay calm and be confident that you can win this.

6. This is such a hard questions, considering there are SO many great players right now. I would stay in the J for my dream team. I think it would consist of some "obvious" choices and some "not so obvious". I am also staying with the present players (though some are moving up this coming year). To start I would have Sconnie McHits on the LW, this is a obvious pick. McHits lead the league in goals and blew away the playoffs points race. He is a solid Wing and should easily be in everyones dream team. Next would be Alexander MacKenzie. This is another one of those "obvious" picks. Leading by far the best team in the J for the last few years, Mackenzie was top points getter for NF and one the the prolific scoring centers in the league. The last wing is your "not so obvious" pick. I am taking Lesgo Brandon on the RW. He has played 3 years now in ANA and been a solid point getter for them in all 3 years. The reason to add him with the other 2 is he is not afraid to use the body. He had a drastic change to his physical play this last year jumping from 56 hits to 80! He will give this line then big body presence they need and lose 0 offense doing so, since he was in the top 10 in PP goals this year. The last 2 are the defense. This is your "obvious" picks again I am going Rand al'Thor and Mikko Rashford from NF. This is a no brainer for this line, so much offensive ability and the key aggression they bring they will have 100% zone control their whole shift.

7. Milestones

22. This one is tough, there are so man people who deserve thanks and praise. I am going to say 2. First, I want to say Jess for their amazing job as mentor. I came into this experience 100% in the dark and they have made the process of learning this site and tasks/updates incredibly easy. They have done such a great job with my rookie class and I just can not thank them enough. Second is Fluw. I was really happy with how they treated me when I was with ANA. They asked me how I felt about being traded first and kept me updated through the whole process and let me have a say. I know some just trade people away like numbers in a spreadsheet and really appreciated the way they treated me in the process.

+17 TPE (max 16)