1. 1+ TPE
hello

2. 4 TPE
a) I'd go for Atlanta. There's just something about rooting for the underdog, or at least, the seemingly inexperienced team. Especially considering we have had this recent (or not so recent?) wave of hating on teams that regularly do well. Most of that is focused on HAM, but BUF, TEX, and CHI probably fall in that same category. So, Atlanta all the way. Might lose some money, but worth it.
b) I think Atlanta will play safer with the puck against the more experienced CHI anyways. They should focus on playing well defensively, not giving away dumb chances, and then take full advantage of when CHI messes up. Look for those openings and make sure there aren't any on your side. Also, to be fair, 79 takeaways is solid as well. CHI needs to be on their toes as well.
c) Oh, for sure! Emotions play a huge role in any game, especially playoff series. Turn that into a Finals series, dial everything up. At the end of the day, your team could have the lead, but then throw it all away with some badly timed penalties. Whichever team can use those emotions to translate into scoring opportunities as opposed to taking penalties will definitely have the upper hand in this series.
d) I think the balanced attack will win out ultimately. Not sure if this really says that the balanced attack itself is better than the top-heavy attack though. Same goes for defense. If you think about it, the reason CHI is able to run a balanced attack is because they can trust their entire lineup, top to bottom. They're stacked, basically. So, they have 4 lines that are as good as ATL's top lines. Same goes for defense likely. So, that's the reason the balanced attack will win. You have a complete team. If CHI ran a lineup like ATL, they'd just be wasting their lower lines' potentials.

3. 4 TPE
a) As Quebec's coach, you need to pay attention to your wingers' defense during practice. Make sure they're fully committed to coming back for defense and putting their body on the line for blocking shots. It might be worth it to give more icetime to your more experienced wingers. Is this a winger that will shut it down on defense (covering the point) while contributing on offense as well? That's your guy. If they don't buy in, sit down. This is playoffs.
b) Force those shots to the outside and trust your goalie. You simply can't let any of those 3 walk in and take a shot from within a few feet of the net. Force them to have to make a great play to get to the middle or be forced to take a shot from a long ways off or a weird angle shot. Your goalie better step up beyond that.
c) This is a fool's errand. There's no way of knowing if the hot streak will continue or if the other team will heat up right on time. We'll just have to see! Depending on whose side you're on, you can change your answer here and be correct. As for me, I'll say Quebec stays hot and gets it done. They seem to have their forwards riding hot scoring streaks as well, count on that to make things happen.
d) As Newfoundland, you need to continue believing in yourself. If you could get it done the past 3-4 seasons, there's no reason you can't do it now. As for Quebec, you need to focus on the fact that Newfoundland may have had recent success, but it wasn't against you. You ARE the David to their Goliath, it just took you some time to get this battle.

6. 3 TPE
This one is mainly based on being able to play with friends and what COULD have been. All 3 of us were actually on NOLA (or at least, drafted to it) at one point in time. But, one of us decided to up and leave the SHL before actually graduating the SMJHL and playing their first game in the SHL. So, you'd have me on the LW of course. Malik has been a force to be reckoned with, improving each season. Those fantasy points been racking up! On the other wing, we'll put Pythonic's Valterri Kauppinen. We're great frenemies and make up two thirds of NOLA's top line right now. We can keep that chemistry going. Now, in the middle, let's have Titan's Cian McFelter. Who? That's right. You don't know him, cause he was drafted to NOLA in the top 10, the same year as me. But, he decided to finish his career in the SMJHL on KEL and then retire. Guess he didn't love me enough. But yeah, if he was still here, this line would actually be running on NOLA right now.

7. 3 TPE
+3 TPE - S64 Milestones

22. 2 TPE
This one's fairly easy. @trashae has been there for me and other HD guys since the beginning. That's been consistent as he's gone from KEL Coach/Captain to AGM to GM. Dude's a legend. Even now, with me having graduated to NOLA awhile ago, we still talk every now and then and it's like I never left. It's been great to see him flourish after I stole his SMJHL HO Intern job. Remember that bro? I like to think that lit a fire under him and motivated him to achieve all he's accomplished from then on. Agreed? Jokes aside, trashae is a great guy, always been there for me, helped me get started in the SHL, always gave me opportunities to contribute to the team. Forever grateful. We need to play together in the SHL at some point!