SPNHL, Season 37: Week Four – Players of the Week
By: ProdigyToLegend
 
Welcome back to SPNHL Players of the Week, week 4 edition. Apologies for missing last week I was out of town, but no matter, we are back! We’re on the last few weeks before the playoffs and this season is getting interesting. You can’t go a single game night without seeing some drama and controversy in the chat, and that’s what makes it hilarious! Anyways, here are your players of the week.
 
Forwards: 
Reapz2313: 9 GP, 24 G, 23 A, 47 P, 5.2 PPG, +31, 70 GV, 23 TK.
Reapz had an amazing week for Detroit. The leader of the organization not only led off the ice last week, but he led by example. Reapz put up incredible numbers, scoring 24 goals and adding 23 assists for a grand total of 47 points. An interesting stat I see is he took 52 shots last week and he still had a 46% shooting. Amazing shooting for Reapz to put the team on his back.
Honorable Mentions: 
LeCupidon: 9 GP, 17 G, 27 A, 44 P, 4.9 PPG, +32, 119 GV, 16 TK
toslick: 9 GP, 23 G, 19 A, 42 P, 4.7 PPG, +20, 117 GV, 26 TK.
Fluri37: 9 GP, 22 G, 19 A, 41 P, 4.6 PPG, +21, 104 GV, 31 TK.
 
Defence: 
PistolPete7788_: 9 GP, 6 G, 14 A, 20 P, 2.2 PPG, +15, 61 GV, 30 TK
In my opinion, one of the front runners for the Norris this season just based off the fact that he is putting up incredible offensive numbers, pistolpete takes home player of the week for defencemen this week. He put up 6 goals, including a game winner, and 14 assists for a total of 20 points. Some defenders don’t even put up those numbers in an entire season, so him doing this in a single week is incredible. 
Honorable Mentions:
AAli-21: 8 GP, 3 G, 9 A, 12 P, 1.5 PPG, +4, 106 GV, 25 TK.
curtisx18x: 6 GP, 2 G, 9 A, 11 P, 1.8 PPG, +26, 55 GV, 16 TK.
Faaa_Kueue: 6 GP, 2 G, 9 A, 11 P, 1.8 PPG, +26. 55 GV, 16 TK
 
Goalie:
Chadkillz134: 9 GP, 5-4, .880 SV%, 1.70 GAA, 1 SO.
Chadkillz earns player of the week among goaltenders for week 4, even despite an average record this week. His record has nothing to do with how he played though, as he had amazing numbers everywhere else and essentially kept his team in every game. He had to stand on his head for those 5 wins for his team and he was up to the task.
Honorable Mention:
Spencer_Knight30: 4 GP, 3-1, .915 SV%, 1.0 GAA, 1 SO.

SPNHL, Season 37: Week Two – Players of the Week
By: ProdigyToLegend
 
Welcome back to SPNHL Players of the Week, week 2 edition. Due to some unfortunate events in statistics tracking, we only have Tuesday and Fridays stats for week 2. We will make do with what we have and I apologize for the inconvenience. 
(DD edit: thanks Plisk! *flips him off*)
 
Forwards: 
hypey: 5 GP, 11 G, 19 A, 29 P, 5.8 PPG, +23, 71 GV, 25 TK.
Hypey returns this season and looks like he is a man on a mission. In 5 games this week, he had 11 goals and 19 assists, for a week leading 29 points. He is 1 member of the most offensive trio in SPNHL right now of himself, stamkos and bluedevil. These three are tearing up the league and hypey has led that trio offensively this week. Tampa is in good hands with hypey and the rest.
Honorable Mentions: 
i9i-stamkos-i1ic: 5 GP, 11 G, 16 A, 27 P, 5.4 PPG, +22, 46 GV, 23 TK.
DudNastyy: 3 GP, 8 G, 8 A, 16 P, 5.3 PPG, +3, 34 GV, 13 TK.
LeCupidon: 6 GP, 9 G, 18 A, 27 P, 4.5 PPG, +14, 81 GV, 16 TK.
 
Defence: 
curtisx18x: 5 GP, 1 G, 9 A, 10 P, 2.0 PPG, +13, 32 GV, 17 TK
Curtis, a front runner for rookie of the year in my opinion, takes player of the week for defencemen in week 2. Putting up 10 points in 5 games this week including a goal, curtis was the best defender by just a hair. Adding 17 takeaways and an overall +13 on the week, curtis will need more strong performances like these to keep adding to his rookie of the year resume, and potentially, his Norris nominee as well.
Honorable Mentions:
shepard-88-: 5 GP, 1 G, 9 A, 10 P, 2.0 PPG, +7, 33 GV, 13 TK.
ProdigyToLegend: 6 GP, 2 G, 8 A, 10 P, 1.7 PPG, +9, 45 GV, 22 TK.
DodgesBlueShells: 5 GP, 0 G, 8 A, 8 P, 1.6 PPG, +23. 17 GV, 17 TK
 
Goalie:
Shootersteele19: 5 GP, 4-1, .845 SV%, 1.80 GAA, 1 SO.
The best goaltender in week 2 comes to a newcomer to me, Shootersteele19. I honestly do not know this person but he has now caught my attention with the insane numbers he has put up this week. Benefiting from a strong Tampa Bay team, Shootersteele has numbers so good this week that screams Tampa Bay is not just all offence. Tampa Bay is a well rounded team with what seems like a very strong goaltender. From the start, teams have said Winnipeg may be the best, but Tampa Bay in my opinion is right on par. With a 1.80 GAA and an .845 save percentage this week, he just made Tampa’s week even that much easier.
Honorable Mention:
Eddie2708_: 6 GP, 5-1, .802 SV%, 2.80 GAA, 0 SO.
Mallia27: 4 GP, 1-3, .813 SV%, 3.00 GAA, 1 SO

SPNHL, Season 37: Week One – Players of the Week
By: ProdigyToLegend
 
Welcome back to SPNHL Players of the Week for Season 37. New GMs have been picked, captaincy has been given and new players are trying to prove a point as to why they are the absolute best in the league. Will this season show more dominant offence, defence or goaltending? Only one way to find out and that is to tune in every week to Players of the Week.
 
Forwards: 
Fluri37: 6 GP, 15 G, 16 A, 31 P, 5.2 PPG, +14, 92 GV, 25 TK.
After winning the Stanley Cup last season with the Calgary Flames, Fluri is now a member of the Vegas Golden Knights and has picked up right where he left off. Normally known more as a defensive forward, Fluri has stepped up his game to start the season and is at an astonishing 5.2 PPG. In just 6 games, he had 15 goals and 16 assists, so is doing his fair share of the scoring and setting up plays himself. Will this pace be sustainable for Fluri? Only time will tell.
Honorable Mentions: 
hypey-: 9 GP, 17 G, 16 A, 33 P, 3.7 PPG, +16, 141 GV, 22 TK.
vxWoytkiw8xv: 9 GP, 16 G, 16 A, 32 P, 3.6 PPG, +4, 119 GV, 11 TK.
LeCupidon: 8 GP, 17 G, 13 A, 30 P, 3.7 PPG, +11, 109 GV, 25 TK.
 
Defence: 
PistolPete7788_: 9 GP, 5 G, 8 A, 13 P, 1.4 PPG, +15, 67 GV, 32 TK
PistolPete not only changes teams this season going from Nashville back to Tampa, but he also changes his primary position to left defence. After one week of the season, the change seems to be a very good one. With 32 takeaways in week 1 and adding an outstanding 5 goals for a defenseman and 8 assists, there was no doubt Pete deserved player of the week for this week.
Honorable Mentions:
Bostonbruins_4_: 9 GP, 1 G, 9 A, 10 P, 1.1 PPG, -7, 39 GV, 13 TK.
Budz_780: 8 GP, 0 G, 9 A, 9 P, 1.1 PPG, +4, 52 GV, 21 TK.
ProdigyToLegend: 5 GP, 0 G, 8 A, 8 P, 1.6 PPG, +7. 39 GV, 13 TK

Goalie:
ciulla19: 6 GP, 5-1, .851 SV%, 1.67 GAA, 1 SO.
Last but not least, the player of the week for goaltenders goes to Ciulla19. This was a difficult decision to make, but what ultimately took it for me was Ciulla had a much better record than the honorable mentions and a much better goals against average. Whether that’s because of the team in front of him we’ll find out soon. But ciulla did enough and more to help his team to 5 wins this week and had a 1.67 GAA to prove it.
Honorable Mention:
chadkillz134: 7 GP, 4-3, .877 SV%, 2.57 GAA, 0 SO.
Spencer_Knight30: 5 GP, 1-4, 804 SV%, 3.6 GAA 1 SO.
 
 

SPNHL, Season 37: Week One Power Rankings – “As The Days Go By”
By: Dirty-Dietrich
 
Growing up, my Dad played a TON of Talking Heads. I didn’t really like them at first, as I was more partial to nu-metal and bands like Disturbed, Limp Bizkit (“Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water” is a classic and I will take that opinion with me to the grave), and Linkin Park (they released nothing worth listening to after “Meteora”). However, as I grew older and my musical palette became more diverse, I gained an appreciation for the Heads and their other new wave contemporaries.
New wave, maybe some darkwave, classic goth-pop, and other related subgenres will likely be the theme of this season’s pre-article album reviews. As I dive deeper into the respective catalogues of The Smiths/Morrissey, New Order/Joy Division, Depeche Mode, Bauhaus, the Cure, Sisters of Mercy, and more, I find new gems and new musical experiences on a day to day basis. I’m gonna save the review for next week, but there will be plenty of allusions to the Talking Heads song “Once In A Lifetime” throughout the article. Enjoy!
 
Week one of season 37 is in the books, and it’s like we entered an alternate timeline in comparison to last season! Bufford and the Bolts got as many wins in one night as they did all season (almost had a perfect week, but they got stuck in the Oil), while the Leafs, under new management, found themselves at the bottom of the league. Sportsgeek continues to prove his detractors wrong and is locked in a three way tie for first place in the western conference, and Woytkiw played all 9 games for the first time in… it’s gotta be years, as he helped Pittsburgh take the third seed in the east. 
Some stories remain the same, however, as Anaheim failed to live up to their expectations again and are currently 6th in the west (oH mY goD, tHeY’rE gOnNa WiN iT aLl). In the east, we find Ottawa near the bottom of the conference. A bubble team that could easily make the playoffs, but still in familiar territory. Speaking of familiar territory, Marv and the Flyers aren’t living up to expectations after a disappointing week, while the Canucks also stumbled out of the gate and still haven’t submitted stats for their third game from Monday (hmm?)
Let’s take a closer look at these teams and how they did this past week! We’ll discuss their record, their (objectively) best players, their trending trajectory in the standings, and some notable stats from the team. We’re following the same formula as last season, folks, because if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it!
Also because I’m too lazy to think of a different way to do it. I tossed and turned for four hours last night until I finally fell asleep for four hours. Good times!
Let’s start with the eastern conference!
 
EASTERN CONFERENCE
1. Tampa Bay Lightning.
Record: 8-1-0.
MVP: hypey-.
Trend: Upwards (W1).
Notable Stats: 47 goals for (2nd), 80% penalty kill (2nd).
Bufford80 went 6-0 in net this past week as his Lightning went 8-1 to start the season, more than doubling their win total from last season. With the highest goal differential in the league at +19, the Bolts have been great in both ends of the ice with a defensive core led by PistolPete7788_ (13 points in 9 games) and DodgesBlueShells. Offensively, i9i-stamkos-i1ic (19 points in 7 games), bluedevil631 (20 points in 5 games), and hypey- (17 goals and 33 points in 9 games, 1st in the league for goals and 2nd in the league for points) lived up to their expectation as the league’s most dominant top line, and if this week is any indication, Tampa Bay will have continuous success throughout season 37.
 
2. Detroit Red Wings.
Record: 7-2-0.
MVP: LeCupidon.
Trend: Upwards (W4).
Notable Stats: 40 goals for (3rd), 46.2% penalty kill (13th).
“Same as it ever was…” is a great way of describing Detroit’s start to their season. Winning 7 of their 9 games, the Red Wings were all-systems-go on offense, including 16 points from the blue line (curtisx18x leads the way with 6 points, while Faaa_Kueue and Dedstarks put up 4 each). Eddie2708_ continues to thrive in net, winning 4 of his 5 games this week and stopping 82.57% of shots. Meanwhile, KIDMON3Y, Reapz2313, and LeCupidon are up to their old tricks, as Reap and Cupe are both averaging 3.5 PPG and over (Cupe leads the team with 17 goals (tied for the league lead) and 30 points) and continue to be the driving force of offense for the Red Wings.
 
3. Pittsburgh Penguins.
Record: 5-3-1.
MVP: vxWoytkiw8xv.
Trend: Upwards (W1).
Notable Stats: 46.4% powerplay conversion (1st), 38 goals for (4th).
“And you may find yourself in another part of the world!” is what Woy must be feeling, not wearing an Avalanche jersey for the first time in recent memory. Cookie_man_412 returned as a GM after narrowly missing the playoffs last season, and kept up the momentum that the Penguins had before their season ended prematurely. Bostonbruins_4_ (let’s hope he doesn’t quit on this team too) has excelled at defense thus far, while wade-belak also returns to Pittsburgh, but hasn’t been as successful as he was last season. ACK-stonerboy continues to be one of the best pivots in the league, winning 59.46% of his faceoffs, and vxWoytkiw8xv (with 16 goals and 16 assists for a team leading 32 points) is looking to cement his legacy as one of SP’s all-time best players.
 
4. New Jersey Devils.
Record: 4-2-2 (?).
MVP: TrueLegend07.
Trend: Upwards (W2).
Notable Stats: 75% penalty kill (4th), 30 goals against (6th).
It feels weird not being a Devil this season, but TrueLegend07 and bstieboydp are carrying on the slow start-strong finish tradition we set last season. AAli-21, DJ_DeaThSlapz85, and MayhemX113 adequately handled defensive duties, while goaltending was a struggle with Pensrul066 and dreamteamm66 not being able to get past the 75% threshold (why not use X-_-Pulver-_-X?). Meanwhile, bstie (13 points? Cmon, Betz!), toslick (26 points), and Legend (13 goals and 28 points) continue to be a force offensively and will have to score a lot to make up for New Jersey’s lackluster goaltending. 
 
5. Ottawa Senators.
Record: 3-4-2.
MVP: SA_Pliskin.
Trend: Sideways (W1).
Notable Stats: 78.6% penalty kill (3rd), 44 goals against (12th).
While the Senators got their clique this season, that didn’t bring first week success (even though they squeaked out a 4-3 victory against us after Plisk pushed rharmer into the net and got the tying goal called back, but I digress). The Senators had 6 defenders play this past week, with malf922 and PghFANATIC playing the majority of games. Wheelchairdevon8 won 2 of his 5 games while allowing 4.6 goals a game, while Fivestarcoock allowed 5 a game. Lo-Maximus and SA_Pliskin played 9 games a piece, with the latter scoring 14 goals in 9 games to go with his 126 hits. The Senators will grind you into the ground, but let’s see if their forecheck brings some success this season.
 
6. Philadelphia Flyers.
Record: 3-5-1.
MVP: Servnspike.
Trend: Downwards (W1).
Notable Stats: 44.4% powerplay conversion (4th), 20 goals for (14th).
I thought that availability would plague some other teams, but I don’t think any team suffered more this week than Philadelphia. Nobody on this team played more than 5 games at a categorical position, with Eggman–1 and Servnspike putting in 3 and 4 games respectively at defense. PEACEKEEPER500- and Carbeen- combined for 6 out of 9 games in net for the Flyers, struggling to keep their GAA below 3.5 and a save percentage below 75%. Pfarrcyde23 played 5 games and put up 9 points, while GrammyHands, this team’s first round pick, only played 3 games and added 4 points. Serv also played 2 games at forward and put up 5 points, and his versatility helped the Flyers keep their heads above water this week.
 
7. Toronto Maple Leafs.

Record: 2-7-0.
MVP: the724sniper.
Trend: Downwards (L2).
Notable Stats: 25% powerplay conversion  (11th), 45 goals against (13th).

“And you may ask yourself ‘how do I work this?’” Well, the question marks turned into exclamation points this past week, as Toronto only won 2 of their 9 games this past week. While their offense was respectable this past week with 31 goals, their defense and goaltending were not up to par. Dynasty1989 and GaMeRzBrOknThMbZ only played 5 games, but Dynasty finished with a +13 and it makes you wonder if the Leafs did their stats correctly. SgtVandoos only played two games this past week, but somehow obtained 3 losses but saved 80% of shots. xSalda- averaged 3.5 points in gis 2 games, and while Imperial_Blaze94 led the team in points, the724sniper averaged 2.5 points in his 4 games and was the shining star for the Leafs during a tumultuous week. If Imperial_Blaze94 starts doing stats correctly, we may see some more ugly and realistic numbers from Toronto.
 
WESTERN CONFERENCE
 
1. Edmonton Oilers.
Record: 6-3-0.
MVP: Buckleyx18.
Trend: Upwards (W3).
Notable Stats: 17 goals against (1st), 19% powerplay conversion (13th).
“And you may ask yourself ‘Well, how did I get here?’” That’s how I’m feeling after week one, as the Oilers are in a three way tie for first place in the western conference. After a 3-3 start, we won 3 straight games to conclude the week. rharmer3, DUPERMAN13, and ChiefTrout stepped it up on defence this past week and finished with a minimum +5. Ciulla19 won 5 of his 6 games in net (with a nice little shutty) while posting a 1.66 GAA and a .85 save percentage. DeathClxwn and I each broke double digits with a handful of games played, while Buckleyx18 scored 9 goals in 4 games and led our team in goals and points. With availabilities from our top players only getting better, expect Edmonton to do damage this season.
 
2. Minnesota Wild.
Record: 6-3-0.
MVP: chadkillz134.
Trend: Upwards (W3).
Notable Stats: 18 goals against (2nd), 82.4% penalty kill (13th).
Keep doubting Sportsgeek and he’ll keep surprising you, as the offensively challenged Wild (they would have scored more if San Jose and Anaheim didn’t forfeit on Friday) surged to a 6-3 record this past week. Sportsgeek5, shepard-88-, and SNAKE_-_PLISSKIN each scored three points from the blueline but combined for 48 takeaways, while the offense was handled by ItsNotEzPz, Beantwn_beatdwn, and CSM0419_ (who leads the team with 9 goals and 12 points in 5 games). chadkillz134 has returned to Vezina form, with a 2.57 GAA and an incredible .878% save percentage, and will likely backstop this team to the playoffs this season.
 
3. Winnipeg Jets.
Record: 5-2-2.
MVP: BRANN-THE-MANN.
Trend: Upwards (L1).
Notable Stats: 36 goals for (5th), 33% powerplay conversion (5th).
Bennie and the Jets were plagued by availability this week, not getting any games out of their first round pick in PBM_TroyJ or the highly touted Gallagher_11x. Nonetheless, they still managed to get 12 out of 18 points and make it a three-way tie for first in the west. ProdigyToLegend put up 8 points in 5 games from the point, and after I questioned their effectiveness, BROKEN9216 and Notorious250 delivered 10 points in their combined 10 games. Dophares2000 didn’t have the best week in net, so expect to see Glachs (.750%, SV 2.75 GAA) take over the starting job. iTzBartholomew scored 13 points in 6 games, while FatSxyCanadian, a TC, scored 13 points in 3 games, to complement BRANN-THE-MANN’s 18 points in 5 games. If Winnipeg’s depth is this good, imagine what will happen when they have their big guns out.
 
4. Vegas Golden Knights.

Record: 5-3-1.
MVP: Fluri37.
Trend: Sideways (L1).
Notable Stats: 50 goals for (1st), 22.2% penalty kill (14th).
Going into Friday’s games 4-2, the Knights seemed primed to finish first in the west after the first week, but a 1-1-1 night derailed their momentum heading into the weekend. The Knights relied heavily on Budz_780 this past week (he scored 9 points), as CaptCanada_ only played 4 games and Fluri37 put in 2 games (scoring 4 points). IceyAsylum23 played all but 1 game this past week, with a 4.0 GAA in his eight games. Not the best for a starting goaltender, but when you have JonFromEarth (13 goals and 22 points in 6 games), mjvoell4 (10 goals and 25 points in 6 games), and Fluri37 (15 goals and 31 points in 6 games, add that to his defensive totals for the league lead in points) as your top line, you only need to stop a few. Vegas might be taking a big gamble on Icey as their starter, but their top line will yield a large payout.
 
5. San Jose Sharks.
Record: 3-6-0.
MVP: NowYoDead.
Trend: Downwards (L5).
Notable Stats: 26 goals against (3rd), 24 goals for (11th).
“Visibility12 🦈 🏆03/08/2020 @Dirty-Dietrich – GM EDM: how you doing with the 6th in the west predictions?”
Almost got it, don’t chirp after your decent start to the season, as you may go on a 5 game losing streak like the Sharks here. After starting 3-1, these guys put on Hüsker Dü’s “Everything Falls Apart” and didn’t win a game for the rest of the week. Spencer_Knight30 and WakeDog19 had a respectable performance as a 1-2 duo (somebody fix Spencer’s stats, please), while Visibility12 and teamrun420 formed a cohesive defensive pairing for a team that didn’t give up many goals. WakeDog19 also put in 5 games on offense (only scoring 5 points, yikes) while NowYoDead guided the offense with 6 goals and 15 points in 6 games. Where is the rest of their team? Where’s Duchesne_x_10? Where’s Xx_Kapanen_Xx? They need to show up and start scoring for San Jose.
 
6. Anaheim Ducks.
Record: 3-6-0.
MVP: DudNastyy.
Trend: Downwards (L4).
Notable Stats: 45.5% powerplay conversion (t-1st), 22 goals for (13th).
“Same as it ever was…” Anaheim finds themselves not living up to their high expectations for the second season in a row, and finds themselves in the 6th seed after a rough start. Another team that simply isn’t scoring (or showing up, from what I hear), PXSTRNAK-_- and xSilky93 put in the most work at defense for the Ducks, which is 7 games/7 assists. Defaults-Potato won 3 of his 4 starts for Anaheim, while his backup in NHLBEAST- saved 80% of shots, but I believe we’re still waiting for stats from the 10-1 game they lost. Diirty_triix_13 had 9 points combined from his 3 games at forward and 1 game at defense, while DudNastyy scored just under half of this team’s goals with 10 in 5 games (to go along with 7 assists). Will Triix act quick to turn his season around, or have the same fate as last season?
 
7. Vancouver Canucks.
Record: 2-6-0 (man, these GMs are getting lazy).
MVP: Myles_Mayfield96.
Trend: Downwards (L2).
Notable Stats: 20 goals for (t-14th), 48 goals against (14th).
Vancouver were a team we worried about in previous articles and broadcasts, citing their lack of offensive talent. Well, they didn’t do as bad as Tampa did last season, but didn’t have the best start here as they find themselves at the bottom of the conference and the league. Steelersfan26 and Cuban1616 handled the majority of the duty at defense, combining for -27 after a poor first week. tripZ504 played 2 games at defense and 6 games in net, allowing 33 goals against (5.5 GAA) and stopping 70% of shots. xHAC_Rambo scored 5 points in his 3 games, while TopCheeseNeon averaged a point in his 4 games. Myles_Mayfield96 scored 5 goals in his 4 games to lead the team in goals and points, but they’ll need more contributions from zzzRy0 and Heroic_veil2 going forward if they want to escape from the basement.
 
While having a bad first week can be critical for some teams, resulting in blowing the team up and making questionable trades, teams must regroup after a poor performance in their first 9 games. Conversely, teams who had a great first week must not get too arrogant; 9 games is a small sample and doesn’t dictate a team’s performance over their whole season. A good start can be quite beneficial, but can leave you complacent and not willing to improve. I’ve been guilty of that in the past with teams in other leagues, and want to make sure that others learn the lessons that I have.
Make sure to join us for SPNHL: Off the Ice every Saturday, live on twitch at https://twitch.tv/thespnhl_media. Fluri, Pliskin, some guests (if we actually take the time to prepare), and I will cover the events that unfolded in the league this past week, answer questions for the commissioner, and chat about general nonsense. If you missed any episodes (trust me, you want to hear the week one recap, we pulled no punches), you can watch the archived footage and while you’re there, subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss a show!
With that being said, I wish all teams the best of luck in week two! May the basement dwellers turn their luck, and may the kings fall!
See you on the ice!
– DD.



 

SPNHL, Season 37: Season Preview – “It’s Good To Be Back!”
By: Dirty-Dietrich.

It’s a cloudy afternoon in Mississauga, Ontario. The birds are chirping outside my window and are barely audible over the sound of my unnecessarily large fan. It’s quite cloudy outside, looking like it’s going to rain, and a small lamp illuminates my (basement) apartment. It feels very much like a day in autumn, albeit in the middle of summer, and one element is key to this experience: HOCKEY IS BACK! 
 
In a bubble world, the NHL has commenced their Stanley Cup qualifiers as they continue the season after an almost five-month hiatus. While it hasn’t been as long of a break for those of us in the SPNHL, the excitement of the return of both leagues is overwhelming: some of the best players in the world are playing in my backyard, and some of the biggest scrubs in the community are ready to take to the virtual ice.
 
After an incredibly competitive 36th season, the Sony Playstation Hockey League has returned for it’s 37th installment! Going 9 years strong, we here in the SPNHL were anticipating 36 being the last season before the move to NHL 21, but due to the unique circumstances that developers have found themselves subject to, we have another summer season in the SPNHL. Contrary to the usual 5 week season, this 6 week marathon will carry into September and will crown our Stanley Cup champions in the beginning of October.
Season 36 was one of the largest seasons we had seen in quite some time, reaching 14 teams for the first time in a couple of years after falling below double digits near the end of last year. Season 37 continues the trend from last season, with 7 teams in each conference vying for one of the 4 playoff spots in each conference. There’s no byes, there’s no qualifiers, you just have to play your best hockey for six weeks amidst a race against 13 other challenging teams.
You’ve got a good mix of new, returning, and experienced GMs at the helm for teams that have drafted some fairly competent squads. Bufford80, Diirty_triix_13, and Wheelchairdevon8 are looking to rebound from last season’s disappointments, while Reapz2313, TrueLegend07, and Xx_Kapanen_Xx look to continue their success in the league. IceyAsylum23, Imperial_Blaze94, and tripZ504 are looking to make names for themselves as new owners in the league, while Cookie_man_412, Dirty-Dietrich, ProdigyToLegend, sportsgeek5, and XYuhMarvDuhManX are looking to remind people of how good they are at captaining teams in this league.
Speaking of those GMs, let’s see who they drafted, their probable starting line, their strengths and weaknesses, and all that jazz! We’ll start with the eastern conference.
 
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Detroit Red Wings
 
GM: Reapz2313.
Starting 6
LW: Reapz2313.
C: KIDMON3Y.
RW: LeCupidon.
LD: Faaa_Kueue.
RD: curtisx18x.
G: Eddie2708_.
X-Factor: LeCupidon.
 
Strength: chemistry. This forward trio seems inseparable, and it’s remarkable that no other GMs try to take KID or Cupidon away from Reapz. These three know each other inside and out, and with a good puck moving defender like FK, they’ll be more potent than ever.
Weakness: defense. It’s not a glaring weakness by any means, but I had to find something. Curtis has had success in other leagues, while matrik and dedstarks have toiled in the lower levels of other leagues. Joe is a viable backup option at D, but expect to see him play more forward.
Overall: once again, Reapz has put together a competent team that has a chance of making the playoffs. Their offense is established, their defense has potential, and Eddie and Clark compose a talented duo that will backstop this team to victory. These balanced Red Wings will be a challenge for any team in a talented eastern conference.
 
Projected finish: 3rd in the east.
 
New Jersey Devils
 
GM: TrueLegend07.
Starting 6
LW: TrueLegend07.
C: bstieboydp.
RW: toslick.
LD: AAli-21.
RD: DJ_DeaThSlapz85.
G: dreamteamm66.
X-Factor: bstieboydp.
 
Strength: offense. This entire top line broke the 100 point threshold last season, with toslick leading the way with 145 points. A feat rarely achieved, but those performances are likely to be duplicated with AAli back there moving the puck up to these guys. Don’t be surprised if AAli joins them in the century club.
 
Weakness: depth. With a $35 million salary cap, the Devils have $28 million tied up in 4 players. While they have value players that are established in other league like DJ and dreamteam, they may face some adversity if they’re forced to play their backups consistently.
Overall: this team will light teams up. True and bstie have chemistry that will be complemented by the finishing abilities of toslick, while AAli and and DJ will shut down counter offenses and will make dreamteam’s life as easy as possible.
Projected finish: 1st in the east.
 
Ottawa Senators
 
GM: Wheelchairdevon8.
Starting 6
LW: Bunzy-62.
C: Lo-Maximus    .
RW: Randymarsh2012.
LD: SA_Pliskin.
RD: malf922.
G: Wheelchairdevon8.
X-Factor: Bunzy-62.
 
Strength: chemistry. As Plisk mentioned, getting Randy was completing their little circle. Malf and Plisk have plaed defense together before, while Lomax and Randy have had success playing together that will be complemented by Bunzy.
Weakness: top-tier talent. Bunzy and Lomax are good players, but not that elite player that most other teams seem to have that will drive their offense. This team will rely on their depth a lot, but when it comes to those big games, they don’t have the player that can step up and change the game.
Overall: the Senators look like they’ll have a lot of fun playing games. They have a good group of guys that are serviceable, but in a stacked eastern conference, that’s not gonna cut it. If they find a way to upgrade their defense, and maybe goaltending, then they’ll achieve more success in the east. Otherwise, I don’t think they’ll be a contender.
 
Projected finish: 6th in the east.
Philadelphia Flyers
 
GM: XYuhMarvDuhManX.
Starting 6
LW: GrammyHands.
C: Pfarrcyde23.
RW: Servnspike.
LD: Eggman–1.   
RD: M1keal.
G: XYuhMarvDuhManX.
X-Factor: GrammyHands.
 
Strength: depth. For drafting late in rounds, Marv put together an incredibly solid team with a lot of depth at each position. They’re set offensively with backup options in Shockers and Ernie, and Carbeen and Beaster will fortify their back end quite effectively.
Weakness: the right side. Serv can make an effective RW if needed, but he is better suited down the middle. Grammy is not a natural RW but can play it, while the only natural right defender on their roster is signed up at RW and may want to play there more.
Overall: albeit they may have some trouble on their right side, this team will more than make up for it with the even spread of talent at all positions. With talented offense and a solid defensive core, expect the Flyers to be very competitive in a tough alignment of teams.
Projected finish: 4th in the east.
Pittsburgh Penguins

GM: Cookie_man_412.
Starting 6
LW: vxWoytkiw8xv.
C: ACK-stonerboy.
RW: MAGIC_MIKEY1.
LD: Cookie_man_412.
RD: Bostonbruins_4_.
G: wade-belak    .
X-Factor: vxWoytkiw8xv.
 
Strength: offense. Woy and Stoner together? That’s absurd. Stoner is a former first overall pick in this league and one of the best two way forwards in the league, while Woy is one of the most offensively dynamic players in SP history. What more could you ask for?
Weakness: defense. I think Sleez has the ability to surprise some people and take over the starting job from Cookie, but otherwise, this team may run into some problems at the position. Bruins and Cookie are a serviceable defensive pairing, but don’t compare against other teams.
 
Overall: Woy and Stoner will have to carry this team. They have some decent depth options, but if this team has any chance of competing, they’re going to have to rely heavily on that duo. I see the Penguins in a similar position to last season: a bubble playoff team, just missing it.
 
Tampa Bay Lightning

GM: Bufford80.
Starting 6
LW: bluedevil631.
C: i9i-stamkos-i1ic.
RW: hypey-.
LD: PistolPete7788_.
RD: DodgesBlueShells.
G: Bufford80.
X-Factor: hypey-.
 
Strength: offense. Bufford had a much better draft than last season, taking Stamkos with the first pick, then two solid puck moving defenders in DBS and Pete, and filling out their top 6 with Bluedevil. When it comes to pure offense, there may be no better team than Tampa Bay.
 
Weakness: goaltending. Bufford is not a starting caliber goaltender, at least according to his previous performances. Duhaime and Steele as backup goaltenders are serviceable, but this team will need a better netminder if they want to be a favourite to win it all.
 
Overall: while I wouldn’t list them as a favourite to win it all yet, I would definitely list them as a contender and one of the better teams in the east. If they trade an offensive asset for a goaltender (hey Buff, let’s chat!), then they may cross that threshold into a favourite.
Projected finish: 2nd in the east.
Toronto Maple Leafs
 
GM: Imperial_Blaze94.
Starting 6
LW: xSalda.
C: Imperial_Blaze94.
RW: Yesc__.
LD: GaMeRzBrOknThMbZ.
RD: Dynasty1989.
G: SgtVandoos.
X-Factor: Yesc__.
 
Strength: defense. Dynasty and Gamer could be one of the most underrated defensive duos in the league, and if Yesc and Patrick play together up front, you have two talented forwards who will back check and contribute to this team’s defensive performance.
 
Weakness: goaltending. Vandoos has rebounded in recent seasons, but I don’t think he’s gonna thrive as the only goaltender on this roster. The defense in front of him will be fine, but unless Imperial helps out Vandoos in the pipes by either acquiring another netminder or putting in some time himself, the Leafs will be weak in net.
Overall: the Leafs have solid offensive and defensive depth, but there are too many question marks on this roster. Salda is a great player, but will he mesh with this locker room? Will Yesc play D or F? The uncertainty of this team makes me question their chance at success.
Projected finish: 7th in the east.
 
WESTERN CONFERENCE
 
Anaheim Ducks
 
GM: Diirty_triix_13.
Starting 6
LW: PXSTRNAK-_-.
C: Diirty_triix_13.
RW: henny_16.
LD: DudNastyy.
RD: IsaacRixon.
G: Defaults-Potato.
X-Factor: DudNastyy.
 
Strength: back end. Starting off with the Dud on defense, the Ducks already had one of the best defenders in the league. They rounded out their core by adding last season’s Norris winner ExE, while adding Rixon and Silky as depth options. Those four defenders will be playing in front of Potato/Starfox and Beast, one of the better goaltending duos in the league.
Weakness: combustible elements. Jclaus once called Dud one of the most toxic players he has ever had to play with, ExE and Dud are not the best of friends, Silky has been traded twice before the season has even started, and I don’t think Triix is going to be in the mood to deal with any BS after a frustrating campaign last season.
Overall: I see this team having no problem co-existing, as their natural talent will force everybody to get along for the greater good. Their team is well rounded with excellent depth and will definitely be a team to watch for in the west. If Henny and Triix can mesh well together, these guys could be a favourite to win the whole thing.
Projected finish: 3rd in the west.
Edmonton Oilers
 
GM: Dirty-Dietrich.
Starting 6
LW: XIPASSUSCOREX.
C: DeathClxwn.
RW: Dirty-Dietrich.
LD: l9lTKJOSl8l.
RD: rharmer3.
G: ciulla19.
X-Factor: DeathClxwn.
Strength: back end. Much like the Ducks, the Oilers prioritized defense and goaltending in this draft. TK and rharmer are established defenders that have achieved success in other leagues, while Duper and Trout add depth to a talented defensive core. With ciulla in net, and mallia as their backup, Edmonton will not have to worry about a poor performance between the pipes.
 
Weakness: availability. Looking at Edmonton’s lines for the week, and players are all over the place. With the playoffs underway in multiple leagues, it may be a rarity to see the Oilers’ top line playing together consistently for the first few weeks. Without a consistent lineup for the majority of their first three nights, will the Oilers falter out of the gate?
Overall: in my honest and totally unbiased opinion, the Oilers have too much talent and experience on their roster to let some mixed lineups negatively affect their performance and attitudes. They have talent and depth at each position and will have no problems winning games no matter who they put out on the ice.
Projected finish: 4th in the West.
 
Minnesota Wild
 
GM: sportsgeek5.
Starting 6
LW: Papadamou_l88l.
C: BarDownskii_90.
RW: shepard-88-.
LD: SNAKE_-_PLISSKIN.
RD: sportsgeek5.
G: chadkillz134.
X-Factor: chadkillz134.
 
Strength: back end. This is becoming a recurring theme in the western conference, isn’t it? Sportsgeek drafted two defenders and a goalie in the first three rounds of the draft, an interesting decision when he himself plays D and G. However, he got one of the best goalies in SP in Chad and two of the best defenders in Snake and Shepard. They’ll be more than fine back there.
Weakness: offense. What you gain in defense and goaltending, you must sacrifice in offense. Beantwn may not have been the best forward to resign out of what he had available, and I don’t expect to see BarDownskii make it a full season on this roster. LW is solid with Papadamou, CSM, and EzPz as options, but they lack talent down the middle and right side.
Overall: Minnesota did the same thing last season and prioritized defense and goaltending. While this is a new core of players, it looks like the identity stays the same, and the Wild’s success this season will depend on how well they fare in their own zone. I doubted them before, and they excelled last season, but I don’t see them replicating that success.
Projected finish: 5th in the west.
San Jose Sharks
 
GM: Xx_Kapanen_Xx.
Starting 6
LW: Xxdiistortedxx.
C: Xx_Kapanen_Xx.
RW: Duchesne_x_10.
LD: Visibility12.
RD: NowYoDead.
G: Spencer_Knight30.
X-Factor: Spencer_Knight30.
 
Strength: offense. Kapanen is a good two-way C who could have won the Selke a few seasons ago (not last season, jackass), and has a good core of wingers around him in Duchesne (a top scorer in other leagues), diistorted, neeposh, and breckzy. San Jose has the offensive depth to be a problem for many teams in this league.
 
Weakness: defense. The Sharks made a very questionable decision by drafting Visibility in the second round when names like Cuban, Shepard, and Eggman were on the board. Teamrun could have a rebound season, and if NYD focuses more on D this season, this team could thrive. I don’t see either of those scenarios happening, unfortunately.
Overall: unlike the other teams covered in this conference thus far, this team focused on offense first. It may come to bite them in the backside, as I don’t believe they have the defensive ability to shut down some of the stronger teams in the league. Spencer will have to play even better than last season if San Jose wants to make it into the playoffs.
Projected finish: 6th in the west (will Duchesne be this season’s whitetees?)
Vancouver Canucks
 
GM: tripZ504.
Starting 6
LW: C-McAvoy73.
C: zzzRy0.
RW: Heroic_veil2.
LD: Cuban1616.
RD: steelersfan26.
G: Fivestarcoock.
X-Factor: zzzRy0.
 
Strength: defense. The trend in the west continues, as Vancouver started out with two defenders in tripz and steelers. While some may have questioned this pick in the resign draft, they drafted zzzRy0 and Cuban in the first two rounds. A former defender turned C in Ry0, he’ll be able to support the defense when called upon as an elite two-way player.
Weakness: while they have a great C in Ry0, they don’t have much around him. Heroic (aka Steel) is a decent RW but not the top line talent you would want to compliment this C. With no natural LW on their roster, McAvoy will have to step up, and their depth options in Mayfield, Cors, and Rambo may not hold up in comparison to other teams.
Overall: we played these guys last week and the result was not pretty. It may be an exhibition game (against an incomplete lineup, to be fair), but if that game is any telling of how their season is going to go, it’s going to be a long one. Outside of Cuban, zzzRy0, and maybe fivestar, Vancouver doesn’t have that high-level talent that is needed to succeed in this league.
 
Projected finish: 7th in the west.
Vegas Golden Knights
 
GM: IceyAsylum23.
Starting 6
LW: mjvoell4.
C: JonFromEarth.
RW: Vanisk-.
LD: Fluri37.
RD: CaptCanada_.
G: IceyAsylum23.
X-Factor: mjvoell4.

Strength: offense. Vegas made good use of their two first round picks and snatched up mjvoell and Jon, one of the most talented top line duos in this league. Vanisk will learn a lot on a line with them, and with Fluri playing his first full season in quite some time at LD, the Knights are going to be putting up high goal totals all season.
Weakness: depth. I was gonna go goaltending on this one but I feel like I should stop giving Icey so much hell. Imcensored and kingtom have experience in other leagues without much success, while Budz and spank don’t have the same caliber of talent as their starters in Fluri and Icey. Vegas needs their full top line out there for at least 4 or 5 games per week.
Overall: in his first season as a GM, and with some help from Fluri, Icey drafted a very good team that, in my opinion, will be a contender for the cup, or maybe even a favourite. They have a great top line, and solid defensive duo (hi Capt), and a goalie looking to make a statement. Watch out for Vegas this season.
Projected finish: 2nd in the west.
Winnipeg Jets
 
GM: ProdigyToLegend.
Starting 6
LW: i_Zinczy_i_TV.
C: PBM_TroyJ.
RW: Glachs.
LD: ProdigyToLegend.
RD: ttommyboiii.
G: dophares2000.
X-Factor: PBM_TroyJ.
 
Strength: offense. You have two of the best puck moving defenders in the game at your blueline in ttommy and Prodigy. You have two of the most dynamic scorers in the game in zinczy and Troy. With depth options in Bart, Gallagher, and Brann, the Jets will be flying high on the scoresheets all season long.
 
Weakness: this one is a hard one. I’m going to get super specific here and say defensive depth. Noto and Broken are both big question marks: Broken played very inconsistently in Calgary’s cup run last season, and Noto can be a great defender or a garbage defender. There’s no middle ground for him.
Overall: I think this team has the best chance out of the gate at winning the Stanley Cup this season. That might be a bold statement, but as an amateur eSports journalist, that’s how you build a career. They have the best top 6 in the league right now, and out of the top 4 teams in the league, I think they have the edge when it comes down to big games.
 
Projected finish: 1st in the West.
Let’s review our pre-season power rankings.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
 

1. New Jersey Devils.
2. Tampa Bay Lightning.
3. Detroit Red Wings.
4. Philadelphia Flyers.
5. Pittsburgh Penguins.
6. Ottawa Senators.
7. Toronto Maple Leafs.

 
WESTERN CONFERENCE
 

1. Winnipeg Jets.
2. Vegas Golden Knights.
3. Anaheim Ducks.
4. Edmonton Oilers.
5. Minnesota Wild.
6. San Jose Sharks.
7. Vancouver Canucks.

 
As we begin our 37th season, I would like to share a few tidbits of advice I have gathered from being in this league for 10 seasons.
1.) Don’t be a dick to your teammates. This will do nothing at all. Give them advice or coach them if they’re playing sub-par. I’ve been fortunate enough to play with some great players and learn a lot from them.
2.) Have fun out there. At the end of it all, it’s a video game at a competitive level. It’s not life or death, so don’t let a few goals or a few losses discourage you.
3.) Respect the boss. Whether you’re a player or a GM, show a bit of respect to your superior. It will go a long way in making your career or season a bit easier or more successful.
As always, we’ll be reviewing the week of action on SPNHL: Off the Ice! Join us at https://twitch.tv/thespnhl_media where Pliskin, Fluri, an assortment of guests, and myself will be discussing all of what happened in the league in the past 7 days. From big trades to blowouts, from great games to gripes, and everything in between, we’ll be covering it on saturday nights around the 9 pm mark. Follow and turn on notifications to see when we go live, we try to schedule it for saturday nights but life gets in the way sometimes.
 
Good luck to everybody this season, we’ll see you on the ice!
 

• DD. 

Welcome to the SPNHL! if you get tired of reading your own stats and are no longer impressed by how amazing you are, feel free to join our community on discord and remind us all how great you are at chel.  https://discord.gg/XP5gsEe two free bragging vouchers for new members.  We look forward to seeing you… probably!  🙂

SPNHL, Season 36 Playoffs: Round 1 – Players of the Week
By: ProdigyToLegend
 
Welcome to Players of the Week: Round 1 Edition. Playoffs have finally come, and we now see 8 teams in an all out war to win the Stanley Cup, and 4 teams have now been eliminated. New Jersey, Boston, Nashville and Calgary have all kept their hopes alive, and this week’s players of the week will feature players from those teams.
Forwards: 
Capitalsfan_08: 3 GP, 11 G, 5 A, 16 P, 5.3 PPG, +9, 15 GV, 4 TK.
The player not talked much about in Boston, Capitalsfan proves that he is a huge playoff performer for the Boston Bruins. In just 3 games, Capitalsfan averaged over a hat trick per game with 11 goals in those 3 games, adding 5 assists to his total for an amazing round 1. If Boston wants to take out the in my opinion cup favourites in New Jersey, Capsfan is going to need another type of performance like this to go along with DeathClxn and potential rookie of the year, iyzcniZi. 
Honorable Mentions: 
Whitetees41: 4 GP, 7 G, 8 A, 15 P, 3.8 PPG, +9, 15 GV, 4 TK.
Dirty-Dietrich: 5 GP, 5 G, 10 A, 15 P, 3.0 PPG, +3, 17 GV, 13 TK.
iyzcniZi: 4 GP, 3 G, 8 A, 11 P, 2.8 PPG, +7, 44 GV, 13 TK.
 
Defence: 
ProdigyToLegend: 4 GP, 1 G, 9 A, 10 P, 2.5 PPG, +12, 37 GV, 16 TK
Prodigy gets his first player of the week since the first week of the season, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. With 1 goal and 9 assists in the 4 game sweep of Minnesota, Nashville was led by Prodigy to the second round for a matchup with the Calgary Flames. Add on the 16 takeaways which was second among all defenders in round 1, Prodigy takes player of the week. If Nashville wants any chance to beat Calgary, Prodigy will need to be on his game again. 
Honorable Mentions:
The-Statistician: 4 GP, 1 G, 7 A, 8 P, 2.0 PPG, +6, 30 GV, 10 TK.
DudNastyy: 4 GP, 2 G, 4 A, 6 P, 1.5 PPG, +12, 21 GV, 16 TK.
 
Goalie:
chadkillz134: 5 GP, 4-1, .853 SV%, 2.0 GAA, 0 SO.
Chad leads his Boston Bruins to the second round of the playoffs with a stellar round 1 performance against the high scoring Toronto Maple Leafs. Only losing 1 game in the series, Chad only allowed 2 goals per game to a Toronto team almost scoring at will in the regular season. Chad’s going to need to continue his dominance and most likely will need to steal 1 or 2 games against New Jersey next round in order to get to the finals.
Honorable Mention:
Spencer_Knight30: 2 GP, 2-0, .842 SV%, 0.5 GAA, 0 SO.

SPNHL, Season 36: Conference Finals Preview / Round One Recap
By: Dirty-Dietrich.
 
On June 20th, 2000, California alternative metal band Deftones released their third album “White Pony”. Only a few months into the new millennium, the airwaves were already saturated with their metal contemporaries like Limp Bizkit, Korn, Slipknot, Staind, and how could you forget Kid Rock? However, when they dropped this beast of an album, they Change (In the House of Flies)’d the metal genre with their experimentation and injection of melody.
The album has some crushing tracks on it, like the Grammy award winning “Elite” and “Korea”, as well as some more unconventional metal songs like “Digital Bath” and the aforementioned “Change (In the House of Flies)” that really showcase this band’s creative side. Two of the standout tracks feature guest vocalists, as Rodleen Getsic contributes her tormented vocals on “Knife Prty”, while Maynard James Keenan puts in a stellar vocal performance on “Passenger”. Overall, White Pony is one of the best metal albums of this millennium, and definitely worth another spin. 
 
You often see playoff series going to 6 games, as for a team to make the playoffs, they can’t be a pushover and ready to give up four games in a row. Traditionally, teams will win at least 1 out of 3 games, or at least avoid being swept. However, in the playoffs, we know anything can happen, and in the first round of season 36’s playoffs, that was incredibly evident. Not only did we see a team get swept, but 50% of teams eliminated in the first round did so without even being able to obtain a single victory against their opponents. After making it so far in the season, and making playoffs, that has to be incredibly demoralizing.
In the Western conference, the Nashville Predators were able to pull themselves back together in the playoffs and eliminate the Minnesota Wild, ending their feel good story there. Meanwhile, the Calgary Flames were able to dispose of the Chicago Blackhawks in a series that should have been way more competitive than it was, but marred with circumstances. Over in the Eastern conference, the Boston Bruins remained dominant and defensive and dispatched of the Detroit Red Wings in a sentence with a lot of D’s, while the New Jersey Devils were able to win an incredibly competitive series against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
My condolences to the Maple leafs, the Red Wings, the Blackhawks, and the Wild. However, I give them all credit for being able to make the playoffs in the midst of one of the most competitive SPNHL seasons we’ve seen in quite some time. However, we are down to the final four teams, all who are eight wins away from being crowned the Stanley Cup champions. We’ll recap those aforementioned series, and look at our conference finals matchups: the Eastern conference finals between the Boston Bruins and the New Jersey Devils, and the Western conference finals between the Nashville Predators and the Calgary Flames.
 
EASTERN CONFERENCE
 
Boston Bruins (1) vs. Detroit Red Wings (4)
Series Result: Boston won 4-1.
Series MVP: Capitalsfan_08.
The Red Wings were in first place in the league at the beginning of the season, but found themselves as the fourth seed against a Bruins team that won the President’s Trophy. Detroit won the first game of the series 5-4, but their offense fell apart after that game, only scoring 5 goals for the remainder of the series. Out of the 24 goals that the Bruins scored this series, Capitalsfan_08 scored 11 of them, while DeathClxwn and iyzcniZi had 8 helpers and 11 points each as Boston came four wins closer to a Stanley Cup.
Toronto Maple Leafs (2) vs.  New Jersey Devils (3)
Series Result: New Jersey won 4-1.
Series MVP: TrueLegend07.
The Devils and Leafs engaged in an incredibly competitive series that saw 3 of the 5 games go to overtime, where the Devils would go 3-0 in extra time. The Devils were able to win the first three games, and after a blowout in game 4 by the Leafs, New Jersey was able to wrap things up in overtime and move on to the next round. YOUR BOY Dirty-Dietrich holds the scoring lead for this team with 15 points including ten assists and two OT winners, but TrueLegend07 scored eight goals against Toronto, while The-Statistician contributed 7 assists and a goal from the point. New Jersey must be ready for a tough conference finals matchup.
 
WESTERN CONFERENCE
 
Nashville Predators (1) vs. Minnesota Wild (4)
Series Result: Nashville won 4-0.
Series MVP: ProdigyToLegend.
The Predators had the most regular season wins in the SPNHL this past season, and they weren’t going to stop at the end of those five weeks. They carried that momentum (including an eight game winning streak) into the playoffs. Known for their stifling defense and sublime goaltending, they kept the Wild to seven goals in their first three games, while they scored an astounding 20 goals. Minnesota kept Nashville to only 3 goals in game four, but only scored 1 as their surprisingly good season came to a close. Xx_Kapanen_Xx leads the team in goals (9) and points (13), but ProdigyToLegend’s work in his own zone was masterful as he leads the team in assists (9) and is averaging 2.5 points per game from the blueline. The Predators are in great shape as they look to continue their dominance of the Western conference. 
Calgary Flames (2) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (3)
Series Result: Calgary wins 4-0.
Series MVP: Whitetees41.
The offensive prowess of the Flames was something we talked about all season long, but we didn’t see them score an abnormal amount of goals against the Blackhawks. We saw them play great defense and limit the Hawks to 9 goals all series, including a 5-1 victory in game 3. Controversy plagued game 4, as two members of the Hawks were not able to continue the game into overtime, and Chicago’s season ended right there. Whitetees41 continued his outstanding offensive campaign into the postseason, leading the team in goals (7) and assists (8). Fluri37 and PBM_TroyJ reached double digits in points, with the latter averaging 5 a game, as the Flames are red hot as they prepare for a matchup against the Preds.
 
EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Boston Bruins (1) vs. New Jersey Devils (3)
Season Series: series split 2-2.
 
Boston Bruins
Playoff Record: 4-1.
Notable Playoff Stats: 24 goals for (1st), 100% penalty kill (1st).
Leading Scorer: Capitalsfan_08 (16 points).
X – Factor: DeathClxwn.
Strength: dynamic offense. You have two of the most talented playmakers in the game on that top line right now in DeathClxwn and Capitalsfan_08, and when those two play together, magic happens (as evidenced by each player averaging more than 5 points a game). With a plethora of offensive weapons to employ alongside them like iyzcniZi, Pfarrcyde23, and jamie14benn14, the Bruins don’t have to worry about their offensive performance and can confidently construct any trio to carry the puck.
Weakness: arrogance. After a resounding defeat of one of the most successful teams in the past few seasons in SP, the Bruins may get a little ahead of themselves and think they have an easy road to the finals. While DudNastyy is a fantastic defender, he has even greater expectations of himself and can get in his own head. While there are cool and experienced heads on this team like Uberpwned_6969 and Servnspike, Boston has a lot of biggies who might get toxic if things don’t go their way.
 
New Jersey Devils
Playoff Record: 4-1.
Notable Playoff Stats: 18 goals against (5th), 33% penalty kill (8th).
Leading Scorer: Dirty-Dietrich (15 points).
X – Factor: The-Statistician.
Strength: offense. NTyrrell14 is a solid and versatile depth option, while Kgod7 has proved his worth in the past as a good grinder. However, the five pronged offensive attack that this team possesses is one of the best and most complete left in the playoffs. Sedinpower and The-Statistician (8 points from the point) have proven themselves as fantastic two-way defenders who are getting quite familiar with each other. Their top line of bstieboydp, Dirty-Dietrich, and TrueLegend07 (who leads the team with eight goals) are still firing on all cylinders for the Devils.
Weakness: the penalty kill. This is something that has plagued the Devils all season, as they were consistently one of the worst teams on the PK throughout the regular season. This trend has continued into the playoffs, as they have only been able to successfully kill 2 out of the 6 penalties that they have faced. Fortunately, the Devils have been very disciplined thus far, but against a team that has the puck handling skills of Boston, New Jersey may be prone to drawing more penalties and have to employ that disastrous PK more often.
The Verdict: damn, this is a tough one. Offensively, I think Boston has the edge, but I think New Jersey has the better defensive structure. Chad definitely gives Boston the edge in net, but I can’t sell out my boys like that. New Jersey in 7.
 
WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Nashville Predators (1) vs. Calgary Flames (2)
Season Series: Nashville won 3-1.
 
Nashville Predators
Playoff Record: 4-0.
Notable Playoff Stats: 8 goals against (1st), 23 goals for (2nd).
Leading Scorer: Xx_Kapanen_Xx (13 points).
X – Factor: ProdigyToLegend.
Strength: offensive depth. We talked about how good this team was in their own zone last week, but we have to praise their offense after the week they just had. Xx_Kapanen_Xx scored 13 points to pace the team, while this team still has potent offensive threats like the Calder favourite in Kylo_Reli, Fear_mjolnir_22 and his 6 points a game, PistolPete7788_ on the backs of a resurgent season, and ProdigyToLegend, the latter leading all defenders in points in the first week with 10. Nashville are as good in the offensive zone as they are in their own.
Weakness: availability. The Predators only had their (arguably) best player, Kylo_Reli, out for 2 games last week, while their starting goalie in Spencer_Knight30 only played 2 games as well. While we noted their offensive depth, they don’t have the depth options that will compete with Calgary’s forward line, which will be out for 6/7 games in the series. If they have those two (and perhaps Fear_mjolnir_22 as well) out there for 5, maybe 6/7 games for this playoff series, then the Predators will have a good chance of winning.
 
Calgary Flames
Playoff Record: 4-0.
Notable Playoff Stats: 9 goals against (2nd), 44.4% powerplay conversion (2nd).
Leading Scorer: Whitetees41 (15 points).
X – Factor: Fluri37.
Strength: offense. This may be cheating because we spoke of this last round, but they doubled up on the Blackhawks and there wasn’t much else to talk about. Whitetees41 has continuously been on top of the scoring race this season, and there isn’t much change in the postseason as he is tied for second. Fluri37 plays opposite his wing and scored 6 goals this past round, while PBM_TroyJ scored 10 points in two games, maintaining his +4 point per game average in his career. This is the best forward line left in these playoffs, and will give the Predators hell.
Weakness: defense. While they didn’t give up a lot of lot of goals in this past round, this team still has one glaring in their lineup, and that’s left defense. Jasonw1978, Visibility12, and BROKEN9216 have all contributed at the revolving door at LD this season, but haven’t found that solid partner to sabres1414 at RD. On that end, he only played 1 game at RD this past week, with NowYoDead playing 3 games at the position. If sabres1414 and NowYoDead paired up, that might work for them, but somebody would have to play their off hand.
The Verdict: Calgary employs the best offensive line that remains in the playoffs, but they’re going up against a team that has a Norris and a Vezina candidate. Offense wins games, defense wins championships. Sorry Greg. Predators in 6.

Four teams find themselves eight wins away from crowning themselves as the Stanley Cup champions of season 36 of the SPNHL. Among these four teams, you have former Hart Trophy winners, Conn Smythe winners, Vezina trophies, and a laundry list of accomplishments in this league and others. In my honest opinion, any of these teams have a legitimate chance at winning it all, and what we see here is one of the most competitive final fours in recent memory. Don’t expect any blowouts in these series; expect these teams to take it to at least 6 games, and don’t be surprised if it goes to 7 on both sides.
Thank you to everybody who has been tuning into SPNHL: Off the Ice over the course of the past two weeks! We’ve gone through some personnel changes but have a team that is dedicated to giving you the most in-depth and entertaining coverage of all things SP related. Tune in every Saturday night (or whenever we decide to do it, sometimes shit happens!) at https://twitch.tv/thespnhlmedia where we’ll discuss Fluri and I’s fortunes in the playoffs this past week and the upcoming Stanley Cup finals!
Have a great week, good luck to all the teams left, we’ll see you on the ice!
 

• DD.

SPNHL, Season 36: Playoff Preview – Round One – “Crazy Eights”
By: Dirty-Dietrich.
 
As summer is just around the corner, people are becoming more optimistic and positive: the sun is out, the temperature is up, the pools are opening, the barbecues are being turned on, the mood is changing. With this change in season and subsequent change in demeanor, you need music that suits the mood. So, why not put on a fantastic hardcore pop-punk concept album revolving around a cult leader during an apocalypse? (seems fitting right now)
Enter Direct Hit!’s 2013 album “Brainless God”. This is an incredibly fun album given the lyrical context of it, one that combines elements of hardcore punk, sing-a-long choruses, unnatural love songs, and much more. The concept of the end of the world and one’s actions during the course of it are expertly explored here, and with a splash of energetic music and dark humour, make this album a fantastic soundtrack to begin your summer in a pandemic.
 
On the topic of the end of the world, this past week marked the conclusion of the regular season, and with that, the conclusion of the overall season for 6 of the 14 teams that were vying for the Stanley Cup. While some teams who were expected to miss the playoffs lived up to expectations (sorry Tampa Bay and Ottawa, you were doomed from the start), were some surprises regarding teams that missed the playoffs, like the great collapse of the Western powerhouses like Anaheim and Vegas. To the Penguins (so close!), the Avs, the Sens, the Knights, the Ducks, and the Bolts, better luck next time, my friends.
With those 6 teams eliminated, we have eight teams left to compete for the right to be called the champions of the SPNHL. In the Western conference, the Predators finished with 35 wins and captured  first seed in the conference, while the Flames proved me dead wrong and finished second in the conference, a far cry from my initial 6th seed projection. The Blackhawks made some changes to their roster and secured that third seed, the one that Minnesota held all season, as the Wild struggled, but held on to a playoff spot and finished as the fourth seed in the West.
The race in the East was a little bit tighter, but as the Penguins fell out of the race, everything started to solidify. The Bruins put up 70 points with 33 wins, earning the President’s Trophy and capturing the first seed in the conference. The Maple Leafs also had 33 wins but finished with 69 (NICE) points, enough for second seed in the conference, 4 points ahead of the third seed New Jersey Devils. After their great start to the regular season, the Red Wings faced some adversity throughout the past few weeks but managed to hold on and secure the last playoff spot in the East.
With our participants set, let’s take an in-depth look at the four first round matchups as we begin the journey to crowning the champions of season 36 of the SPNHL!
 
EASTERN CONFERENCE
 
Boston Bruins (1) vs. Detroit Red Wings (4)
Season Series: Boston won 3-0.
 
Boston Bruins
Regular Season Record: 33-8-4.
Notable Stats: 127 goals against (3rd),  79% penalty kill (1st).
Leading Scorer: iyzcniZi (111 points).
X – Factor: DeathClxwn.
Strength: offense. iyzcniZi, DeathClxwn, Pfarrcyde23, and (if you combine his defensive and offensive totals) DudNastyy all scored more than 70 points during the regular season, showcasing the offensive potential of this team. Meanwhile, Capitalsfan_08, Servnspike, and jamie14benn14 all averaged over 3 points a game, so even their depth options are top-line caliber, solidifying the offensive depth of this team.
Weakness: availability. We expected Capitalsfan_08 and DeathClxwn to be a consistent staple of this team’s top line, but the lack of availability prevented them from playing together often, let alone at all for this team. While there are great players who will be there for every game like chadkillz134 and Uberpwned_6969, these elite players will give the Bruins the advantage if they aren’t too busy with other leagues this week.
 
Detroit Red Wings
Regular Season Record: 28-12-5.
Notable Stats: 222 goals for (2nd), 66 penalties (2nd).
Leading Scorer: LeCupidon (164 points).
X – Factor: Detajax17.
Strength: offense. This series will be a battle of strong offenses, as the Red Wings employ two of the top three scorers in the league in LeCupidon and Reapz2313. With options down the middle like JHardiie and IvanThyGreat, and offensive defenders like Dynasty1989 and Detajax17 (who lead all defenders in points), the Red Wings have a five-pronged offensive attack that if not contained properly, could spell disaster for the Bruins.
Weakness: goaltending. At least in comparison to their counterparts this series, the Red Wings have a great disadvantage in net. IceyAsylum23 and X-_-Pulver-_-X have proven to be reliable goaltenders in the past, but not at the elite level that would be expected in a playoff run. The Red Wings have struggled to find their starting goaltender all season long, and need to determine which goaltender’s employment would be the lesser of two evils.
 
The Verdict: while the Red Wings may have the offensive firepower to match the Bruins, they don’t have the goaltending to shut down the counter-attack. The Bruins have had the advantage so far this season, and I don’t expect much to change in this playoff series. Bruins win 4-2.
 
Toronto Maple Leafs (2) vs.  New Jersey Devils (3)
Season Series: New Jersey won 2-1.
 
Toronto Maple Leafs
Regular Season Record: 33-9-3.
Notable Stats: 123 goals against (2nd), 124 penalties (14th).
Leading Scorer: toslick (137 points).
X – Factor: Gucci__gui.
Strength: overall team defense. This team employs the highest scoring top line in the league in Jcfalcon21, Gucci__gui, and toslick, but also one of the more defensively responsible cores anchored by SNAKE_-_PLISSKIN and ExE-_-53. This team traps players so effectively, and while they haven’t had the strongest goaltenders (MPurch has played well, but only played 18 games, while Defaults-Potato is only a recent arrival), they have still limited teams to under 3 goals a game.
Weakness: this is a hard one, honestly. I’d have to go with composure. This is a team filled with loud personalities with high expectations, and if they don’t win one of the first two games, I see this team eating themselves slide from the inside out. Toslick and Gucci__gui are incredibly passionate players, and if the mistakes are abundant in their first few games, those two will get hotheaded and combative. 
 
New Jersey Devils
Regular Season Record: 32-12-1.
Notable Stats: 61 penalties (1st), 36.3% powerplay conversion (2nd).
Leading Scorer: TrueLegend07 (144 points).
X – Factor: bstieboydp.
Strength: top line. This team has arguably the best starting 6 in the league (I may be a bit biased), with two incredibly talented wingers in TrueLegend07 and bstieboydp carrying the offensive line with a solid defensive center in Dirty-Dietrich. With The-Statistician at defense, the Devils completed their top line after trading for sedinpower, a trade that was reviled by the rest of the league but one that solidified this team as a legitimate contender.
Weakness: penalty kill. Outside of penalties, the Devils can actually play defense quite well. When they take a penalty (it’s fortunate that they aren’t too frequent), they don’t have the best luck, only killing off 63.9% of penalties. With the offensive prowess of the Maple Leafs, the Devils need to stay as disciplined as they have been, or else they put themselves in a dire situation against a very lethal Toronto team. 
 
The Verdict: I’m gonna be biased with this one, only because I think my team would have my head if I didn’t pick them. This one is gonna go the distance, as Toronto has an incredibly potent and responsible offense, but I think that our overpowered top 6 will carry New Jersey to victory. Devils win 4-3.
 
WESTERN CONFERENCE
 
Nashville Predators (1) vs. Minnesota Wild (4)
Season Series: Wild won 2-1.
 
Nashville Predators
Regular Season Record: 35-10-0.
Notable Stats: 110 goals against (1st), +91 goal differential (t-1st). 
Leading Scorer: Kylo_Reli (120 points).
X – Factor: PistolPete7788.
Strength: back end. This team’s defense and goaltending has been their backbone all season, with a strong two-line defense of ProdigyToLegend and shepard-88- as pair number one, while M1keal and L8L-foerster-L8L as the second pairing. L8L-foerster-L8L has also been exceptional in net, acting as one of the best backups in the league to Spencer_Knight30, a perennial Vezina candidate. Xx_Kapanen_Xx was undefeated in net when called upon, and serves as a great depth option if needed in net. 
Weakness: attitude. After a big loss in week four, the Predators looked like they were going to implode. However, they were able to recover and get their star centre Kylo_Reli back for a night this past week. While PistolPete7788 put in overtime this week as he looked to keep his team together, Xx_Kapanen_Xx is busy getting into fights with his defenders in the Discord. Will this team be able to stick together as the playoffs arrive, or are they upholding at just the wrong time?
 
Minnesota Wild
Regular Season Record: 21-19-5.
Notable Stats: 134 goals against (5th), 143 goals for (10th). 
Leading Scorer: Mclub326 (83 points).
X – Factor: malliaman__.
Strength: depth/diversity. Sportsgeek5 has assembled a team that has a roster full of talented players who can forward and defense like Naslund, SMOKESHOWJOE, and Faaa_Kueue. While Mclub326 has lead an effective top line with a multitude of options like Papadamou_l88l, AKmatic_47, and Beantwn_beatdwn, while TheDrixMeister and blouf43 have been reliable partners for Naslund at defence. With malliaman__ in net, this team can assemble any line and have a chance to win games.
 
The Verdict: Minnesota have been a feel-good story in the league this season, and it’s nice to see them make it to the playoffs. However, facing off against the President’s Trophy winners in Nashville, their story likely stops here. Predators win 4-2.
 
Calgary Flames (2) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (3)
Season Series: Series split 2-2.
 
Calgary Flames
Regular Season Record: 26-15-4.
Notable Stats: 231 goals for (1st), 37.5% powerplay conversion (1st). 
Leading Scorer: Whitetees41 (179 points).
X – Factor: Fluri37.

Strength: offense. This team has arguably the best forward line that remains in these playoffs: PBM_TroyJ is one of the most offensively talented players in the league, while Fluri37 consistently improves over his career in SP and amassed 150 points this season. Meanwhile, their line is completed by this season’s Art Ross and Rocket Richard trophy winner in Whitetees41. While their depth offensive options in NowYoDead and N-3-3-P-0-S-H aren’t at their proverbial level, their top line will likely be out there for 6/7 games.
Weakness: goaltending. Calgary has struggled to find that consistent starting goaltender all season, and it has plagued their progression through the rankings and is arguably the reason why they don’t have the top seed in the conference. Acquiring Eddie2708_ in a trade seemed to be the turning point this team was looking for, however Eddie has not lived up to expectations in net for the Flames. Meanwhile, the only other goalie with experience between the pipes this season has been Visibility12, who has a 1-2 record and a 63.64% save percentage. Calgary will need a big series in front of their goaltenders for a chance to win.
 
Chicago Blackhawks
Regular Season Record: 23-18-4.
Notable Stats: 168 goals against (7th), 34% powerplay conversion (3rd). 
Leading Scorer: ttommyboiii (100 points).
X – Factor: bluedevil631.
Strengths: depth. This team has two solid offensive lines, one headed by ttommyboiii that employs bluedevil631 and Duchesne_x_10 (the scoring line), and one anchored by ThatGuyShadow91 with FatSxyCanadian and tylor_2009 on his wings (the grind line). On defense, marktsib could easily pair with either steelersfan26 or EL_R_O_O_K_I_E and give the Blackhawks a fighting chance at defense. In between the pipes, Bad-buzzz_ has marginally outplayed his starter in devindags. A competition between your goaltenders for the starting position with the stats to prove it is always a competition you like to see.
Weakness: defense. While we noted the depth of their defense, they don’t have that established #1 defender that every other team seems to have. While marktsib has very good stats at defense, his 23 games played implies a lack of availability. steelersfan26 doesn’t have the offensive chops that a top defender may have, and EL_R_O_O_K_I_E has far too many giveaways and penalty minutes at the position. There will need to be a good team defence to make up for the lack of studs at the point.
The Verdict: Calgary’s offense has been dynamic all season long, and after picking up PBM_TroyJ heading into the playoffs, they have the potential to be a game-breaking line. Chicago will give them some trouble, but I don’t see the Blackhawks making it out of round 1 (sorry Tbizzle). Flames win 4-2.
 
You know how everybody says the regular season doesn’t matter? Well now is the time to put your money where your mouth is. Having been to three Stanley Cup Finals in my career, I understand the sacrifices that must be made in these playoffs; you need to focus on winning. Play great team defense, don’t try to do everything yourself, stay level headed, and go out there prepared to get the W each game. It doesn’t matter if your proverbial backups are out there, you gotta give it all for 60 minutes.
Join us for the next episode of SPNHL: Off the Ice as we run down the first round of the playoffs and make our predictions, whether it be before or after the first round (real life matters happen, sorry folks). Join Pliskin, special guests, and I as we straddle the line of professionalism live on air and discuss all things in the SPNHL. You can tune in at https://twitch.tv/thespnhl_media as well as watch all previous episodes of Off the Ice on that channel. Make sure to follow to get notifications when we (or Pliskin) go live!
Good luck to all the teams in the playoffs this week, we’ll see you on the ice!
Cheers,
DD.
 
 

SPNHL, Season 36: Week Five – Players of the Week
By: ProdigyToLegend
 
Welcome to Players of the Week: Week 5 Edition. The final week before playoffs start, and we got guys representing cup contenders. This should be an action packed playoffs with lots of drama and stellar hockey await. But before all that, here are your players of the week.
 
Forwards: 
LeCupidon: 9 GP, 22 G, 17 A, 39 P, 4.3 PPG, +17, 110 GV, 25 TK.
One half of the dynamic duo of Cupe and Reapz, Cupidon takes player of the week for forwards in the final week of the season, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. With Detroit battling for the final playoff spot, Cupe stepped it up and helped bring his team into the postseason. With 22 goals and 17 assists, Cupe did everything he could offensively to help his team.
Honorable Mentions: 
Whitetees41: 8 GP, 20 G, 13 A, 33 P, 4.1 PPG, -4, 78 GV, 14 TK.
iyzcniZi: 6 GP, 17 G, 11 A, 28 P, 4.7 PPG, +22, 83 GV, 25 TK.
bstieboydp: 7 GP, 19 G, 9 A, 28 P, 4.0 PPG, +19, 91 GV, 17 TK.
 
Defence: 
DudNastyy: 5 GP, 2 G, 9 A, 11 P, 2.2 PPG, +17, 41 GV, 18 TK
Dudnasty finally gets his player of the week in the final week of the season. Making the transition from forward to defence halfway through the season for Boston has really paid off and Dudnasty has really helped the back end for Boston both offensively and defensively. In just 5 games, he had 18 takeaways and 11 points, good enough for player of the week defence.
Honorable Mentions:
The-Statistician: 6 GP, 0 G, 12 A, 12 P, 2.0 PPG, +18, 54 GV, 15 TK.
Uberpwned_6969: 8 GP, 1 G, 9 A, 10 P, 1.3 PPG, +22, 82 GV, 19 TK.

 
Goalie:
xEKANE_9x: 4 GP, 4-0, .940 SV%, 0.8 GAA, 1 SO.
Despite only playing 4 games this week, EKane stood out. He had a .940 save percentage and allowed less than a goal per game, that is just insane. Whether that’s a product of the team in front of him, or Kane playing well, we’ll find out in the playoffs.
Honorable Mention:
chadkillz134: 6 GP, 5-1, .841 SV%, 2.0 GAA, 1 SO.