#Team PWHA

[the-unaligned-player]

Equestrian JAAP

Name - Full Equestrian Name - Casual Name

Ava - Sparked Kindling - Kindle

Dream - Everdistant Utopia - Avalon

Hazou - Outer Path - Path

Edelgard - Scepter Swing - Swing

Punz - Gold Chain - Sol

Wrathia - Noblesse Oblige - Invictus

Hubert - Subtle Hoof - Subtle

Akane: Black Sun - Sun

Ami - Frozen Moth - Moth

Technoblade - Rising Retribution - Rise

Maggie - Hungry Chalice - Chalice

Claude - Lantern Peak - Peak

[exhuastedpigeon]

Fuck it Friday 🏒🥅

Tagged by @jeeyuns @daffi-990 and @wikiangela

the sabres won last night (and my boys looked damn good doing it). it inspired me to actually do an outline for my NHL AU. It's still just vibes but at least now I know where the vibes should be taking me.

Here's a little bit from Buck and Eddie learning more about each other on one of the first roadies of the season. This section involved researching Swedish citizenship laws and Mexican citizenship laws. It's way more complicated than I make it seem, but it's a fic so I can do whatever I want.

“Well when you do meet up with her, I can watch Chris for you if you want,” Buck offers with a smile. “Or I can come as backup.” “I may take you up on watching Chris,” Eddie smiles at him, soft and just for Buck. “But I think showing up with my six foot two two-hundred and thirty pound defensive partner to talk about a custody agreement might make her feel like she’s being ambushed. I still want her in Christopher's life and I'd like it if she were still in mine. She was my friend before she was anything else and I still love her, even if that love has changed into something besides romantic in the last two years." “Okay, yeah, that’s fair,” Buck nods, his heart twisting a little at the thought that Eddie might still be in love with his ex. He doesn't let himself linger on that though. “Your abuela is in L.A., right? Is the rest of your family there too?” “My parents are still in El Paso. I-I don’t want them here. When Shannon got pregnant they kind of lost it on me, called me irresponsible, said I was throwing my future away. Then they were pissed that Shannon wouldn’t marry me. It wasn’t good,” Eddie’s voice is tight, like this still hurts to talk about. “My middle sister Sophia is in her second year at Arizona State - she’s on their hockey team and I’m pretty positive she’ll get drafted if the PWHA is still around in a couple years when she graduates.” “She’s good?” “She’s unbelievable,” Eddie looks so fucking proud. “She led the team in goals last year as a freshman.” “Damn,” Buck names another mental note, this one to look up Sophia Diaz’s stats and highlights. “What about your youngest sister.” “She’s graduating from high school this year. I’m five years older than her so I’m not as close with her as I am with Sophia, but Adriana is so smart,” Eddie still looks insanely proud. “She wants to move to Stockholm for university. My parents don’t really want her to, so I offered to help her pay if she needs it.” “Is it harder to get into schools over there if you’re American?” “Technically, we can all get Swedish citizenship because of our mom,” Eddie tells him. “I’m actually an American citizen, Swedish, and Mexican. I’ve got all three passports and everything.” “What the fuck,” Of everything Eddie’s hold him, that’s the most surprising. "You're an international man of mystery, Diaz." "How do you now Austin Powers but not the Fast and the Furious?"

No pressure tagging - @cal-daisies-and-briars @wildlife4life @spotsandsocks @malewifediaz @spagheddiediaz @eddiebabygirldiaz @monsterrae1 @loserdiaz @watchyourbuck @king-buckley @rosieposiepuddingnpie @devirnis @underwater-ninja-13 @steadfastsaturnsrings @911-on-abc @thewolvesof1998 @thekristen999 @rainbow-nerdss @princessfbi @acountrygirlsfun @butchdiaz @callmenewbie and anyone who wants to share!

[quickxotic]

4, 6, 20, 33 (any/all of these you want) for the hockey asks!

4. do you see your favourite player as the hero, the villain, the anti-hero, the sidekick, the damsel in distress, the mentor, or the fool?

this question would require me to actually decide who my favorite player is. I love a lot of stupid men. Sid embodies the ‘hero’ concept despite all of his flaws, and Claude is kind of his answering anti-hero. J Quick is in many ways both. J Benn, however, is absolutely just a fucking fool, and I love him.

6. if you could add an award at the nhl awards, what would it be and who would be its inaugural recipient?

Not sure who I would give it to, but maybe something like a “most improved” or “breakout star” award that teams would vote on within their own roster to put forward a nominee from each team, and then the finalists could be selected from that pool by the PWHA or by club GM’s or any of the various adjudicating bodies that determine the other awards. 

20. what’s your all-time favourite jersey design?

ugh, simple but effective, the Flyers’ third jersey (primarily black with the orange accents/armbands). something about seeing the team in that jersey pumps me the fuck up. but obviously, like everyone, I am a huge fan of the coyotes’ kachina jersey, and also an honorable mention goes to the Canucks planning to bring back the flying skate jersey next season.

Also, I know this ask meme is directed at the NHL specifically, but another honorable mention to the CWHL’s Calgary Inferno, who had (may the league rest in peace) a pretty sick jersey/logo that I like even better than their NHL counterparts the Flames’. 

can’t think of any memes for number 33 rn! although I’m sure they’ll come to me later and I’ll be like, oh, shoot.

[your-dietician]

What will ESPN’s coverage of the NHL look like next season?

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/nhl/what-will-espns-coverage-of-the-nhl-look-like-next-season/

What will ESPN’s coverage of the NHL look like next season?

The network’s coverage starts with the July 21 Seattle expansion draft, hosted by Chris Fowler on ESPN2. John Buccigross will host the NHL Draft two days later. Those shows will be produced by NHL Network.

When Gross spoke over the phone this past week, ESPN (which reportedly paid $410 million a year for seven years of NHL rights) and Turner ($225 million a year over the same period) still hadn’t divvied the games. The NHL had yet to release its 2021-22 schedule. Its puck- and player-tracking data has not seen the light of day.

“One thing we’re trying to get our arms around is what analytics teams and coaches use to showcase in our game coverage, our studio coverage,” Gross said. “Camera positions is another thing we’re looking at, talking to the league to see how we can showcase and document the games.”

Strategy and speed are the buzzwords Gross hears in his daily conversations with NHL people. Capturing both, while serving hard-core fans, hooking viewers from the massive pool of casual sports viewers who don’t give hockey much thought, attracting diverse genders and backgrounds . . . all are among Gross’s concerns.

“There has to be a level of entertainment without it being forced,” he said. “There’s really nothing worse on TV than forced fun. We have to find our spots, when we get [Chris] Chelios and [Mark] Messier together, who have a relationship. We’ll mix and match with other folks.”

Chelios and Messier, along with Steve Levy, will likely work the major events. “We know how that works,” Gross said. Hearing the two Hall of Famers, owners of some sharp elbows, chime in on player safety decisions should be interesting.

While he may not be hockey’s answer to Charles Barkley, Chelios does seem like a straight shooter. In a phone call, he acknowledged he wasn’t looking for a gig when he reached out to ESPN after the announcement. He was calling as a dad, hoping that his daughter, Lightning TV reporter Caley Chelios, was on the network’s radar.

“I like to think I’ll call it like it is,” said Chelios, 59, “Even though it’s a little different than when I played, hockey’s hockey.”

Messier, Chelios, Hilary Knight, Ray Ferraro, Brian Boucher, and Cassie Campbell-Pascall were among the first names Gross mentioned when speaking about his roster, but a lineup has yet to be solidified. He noted that women will be featured prominently in on-air roles.

The list of local connections is long, from Boucher (Woonsocket, R.I.), A.J. Mleczko (Nantucket/Harvard), former Red Sox play-by-play man Sean McDonough (Boston), Buccigross (who has Boston roots), Rick DiPietro (Winthrop/Boston University), ex-Boston College Eagles Blake Bolden and Bob Wischusen, and Emily Kaplan, a former Globie.

Gross said another fan favorite from the past, play-by-play announcer Gary Thorne, remains an option. He spoke with the agent for Thorne, 73, this past week.

“We’re not done yet,” Gross said. “We want to see what the schedule looks like, and what other decisions we have to make. We still have time.”

What’s the game-changing idea that will separate ESPN? It won’t be glow pucks and robots (fun as they were for younger fans in the ’90s). What’s hockey’s version of the K-Zone?

“Some people thought the first-and-10 line would be too intrusive,” Gross mused. “Now you can’t really watch a game without it.”

AWARD SEASON

One voter’s ballot in depth

Connor McDavid became the first unanimous MVP since Wayne Gretzky in 1982, collecting all 100 first-place votes for the Hart Memorial Trophy.DARRYL DYCK/Associated Press

I consider it a privilege to vote on year-end NHL awards as part of my duties with the Professional Hockey Writers Association. I’m not alone. My peers and I want to get it right.

When it came to this season’s MVP, I believe we did.

Connor McDavid earned all 100 first-place votes for the Hart Trophy, becoming the second unanimous MVP ever (Wayne Gretzky, 1982). McDavid’s 105 points in 56 games goes down as one of the most dominant seasons in league history. He was playing at a different speed than everyone else.

In the voting bloc — trimmed from about 175 to 100 members, and dispersed regionally to address imbalances created by the divisional-only schedule — we saw some refreshingly progressive thinking, and as always, some strange calls. One Edmonton writer voted McDavid’s teammate, Leon Draisaitl, second for the Selke. Draisaitl made strides this season, but it would be generous to call him an above-average defensive forward, much less elite.

In this space last year, I delved into my methodology, which blends in-person viewings, video study, and number-crunching. Obviously this season, I relied more on the latter two. I was among the few beat writers who traveled all season, but I only watched the East Division up close.

My ballot, and some quick takes:

Hart Trophy — 1. McDavid; 2. Auston Matthews; 3. Nathan MacKinnon; 4. Aleksander Barkov; 5. Brad Marchand.

Relatively easy calls. McDavid was incredible, and the other four were the driving forces on good teams. Marchand was ranked as high as No. 2 on six ballots.

Norris Trophy — 1. Adam Fox; 2. Cale Makar; 3. Charlie McAvoy; 4. Dougie Hamilton; 5. MacKenzie Weegar.

A youth movement, and an ECAC/Hockey East top three. Makar (UMass) missed 12 games, or 21 percent of the season, leaving the door open for Fox (Harvard), who was the Rangers’ MVP in his second season. McAvoy (BU) might be the best five-on-five defender in the game. Weegar opened eyes after Aaron Ekblad’s injury. Eleven blue liners earned top-three votes. Victor Hedman was down-ballot for me, after an injury-plagued regular season. Don’t ask me why someone gave Kris Letang a first-place vote. Fun fact: Fox is the first player of Jewish descent to win a major NHL award.

Calder Trophy — 1. Kirill Kaprizov; 2. Jason Robertson; 3. Alex Nedeljkovic; 4. Josh Norris; 5. Igor Shesterkin.

Kaprizov (27 goals and 51 points in 55 games) was a slam dunk, though Robertson had a brief midseason run that made it interesting.

Lady Byng Trophy — 1. Jaccob Slavin; 2. Jared Spurgeon; 3. Barkov; 4. Roope Hintz; 5. Johnny Gaudreau.

I’ve said before that writers should not vote for this. Referees should. Slavin, an elite defender playing heavy minutes, committed one penalty all season (for shooting the puck over the glass). Good enough for me.

Selke Trophy — 1. Barkov; 2. Patrice Bergeron; 3. Joel Eriksson Ek; 4. Phillip Danault; 5. Joe Pavelski.

Barkov had a strong MVP case, but his 200-foot excellence was properly recognized here. Bergeron is still Bergeron. Could see Danault, after his lockdown playoffs, be front of mind for a lot of voters next season.

The PWHA does not vote on the Vezina Trophy (the general managers selected Marc-Andre Fleury), but we do pick the year-end All-Star teams. My goalies, in order, were Andrei Vasilevskiy, Fleury, and Juuse Saros. We also pick All-Rookie teams. I had Kaprizov, Robertson, and Norris as my forwards, Ty Smith and K’Andre Miller as my defensemen, and Nedeljkovic in goal.

ETC.

League will not rush to judgment

Commissioner Gary Bettman said the league is waiting for an independent review of the Blackhawks alleged cover-up of sexual abuse before proceeding.Karl B DeBlaker/Associated Press

The alleged cover-up of sexual assault by the Blackhawks was the leading topic in Gary Bettman’s annual pre-Stanley Cup Final news conference this past week. Rightfully so.

Bettman said the league learned of the allegations “relatively recently” and will wait for an independent review.

According to a lawsuit filed in May, a former Blackhawks player alleges he and another player were assaulted by then-video coach Brad Aldrich during the team’s 2010 championship run. The team’s leadership, which included current GM Stan Bowman, were allegedly informed of the incident by then-skills coach Paul Vincent, whom the players had told.

Aldrich later worked at a high school in Michigan, where he was convicted of sexual assault involving a student. He is now on Michigan’s sex offender registry.

Multiple ex-Blackhawks, including Nick Boynton, Daniel Carcillo (then with the Flyers), and Brent Sopel, spoke out this past week. One unnamed player told The Athletic that “every guy on the team knew.” Captain Jonathan Toews took issue with that, telling that outlet he didn’t hear about the allegations until the end of that summer. He said he couldn’t say for sure if the team “mishandled” the situation.

Bettman, a former lawyer, pumped the brakes. “Let us see what the investigation reveals, and then we can figure out what comes next,” he said. “I think everyone is jumping too far, too fast. This is going to be handled appropriately and professionally, and done right.”

Let’s hope so.

Beijing Olympics not a given

Commissioner Gary Bettman said the NHL has concerns over the feasibility of sending players to the Olympics next winter.Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

Later in his Q&A, Bettman shared the league’s “real concerns” over whether it was “sensible” to have a two-week shutdown for the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

Wait, what?

After sitting out 2018 — and watching interest in Olympic hockey wane — the NHL and NHLPA last summer collectively bargained to participate in the 2022 and 2026 Winter Olympics, pending further agreement with both parties, the IIHF, and IOC. But there is no plan yet.

COVID-19 variants remain a worry, and NBC isn’t likely to lobby on the NHL’s inclusion following the expiration of the TV deal. The NHL hopes to release its 2021-22 schedule shortly after the Cup Final.

“Time is running very short,” Bettman said, which came as disappointing news to Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman.

“The Olympics is one of the biggest dreams of mine and I haven’t been able to participate in one. This might be the last chance I get. That sucks to hear,” said Hedman, who was left off Team Sweden in 2014. “When you get an opportunity to represent your country on the biggest stage, it’s one of those things that you’ll probably never forget. For me, it’s obviously something I’ve been dreaming about my whole life and something I want to do before I hang up my skates.”

Pride working on title defense

The Boston Pride, two-time Isobel Cup winners, are preparing a title defense for 2021-22.Mary Schwalm/Associated Press

The NWHL’s Boston Pride are deep into an Isobel Cup summer, hauling the trophy from New England lake houses to the Grand Canyon.

As he preps for a title defense, coach Paul Mara is playing his cards close. After a few defections, he’s using his newfound salary-cap space — the league doubled the ceiling to $300,000 — to bring in some outside help.

“Working on a few things,” he said.

The NWHL is feeling momentum entering its seventh season. An influx of sponsorship dollars, visibility from its Isobel Cup playoffs broadcast on NBCSN, and a lot of player raises have elevated the mood.

Since last month, the four franchises under league control — the Buffalo Beauts, Connecticut Whale, Metropolitan Riveters, and Minnesota Whitecaps — were sold to private owners, making it a league of six independent clubs. Expansion is on the horizon, with Montreal a primary target.

Also notable: This past week’s draft, which was streamed on Twitch, included appearances from a range of pro sports personalities, including NHL league and team executives, and USA Hockey reps. The NWHL hasn’t always had such vocal support.

For all the growth, players aren’t yet earning a living wage. Contracts are yearly. Outside opportunities create a talent drain.

The Pride lost president Hayley Moore to the AHL (vice president of hockey operations), replacing her with 1998 US Olympian Colleen Coyne. They are searching for a GM, after Karilyn Pilch this past week signed on with the Chicago Blackhawks’ scouting and player development department.

They also need a few good forwards. Mary Parker, Carlee Turner, and Lexie Laing departed for job and school reasons. Czech standout Tereza Vanisova signed with Leksands IF in Sweden, which will better help her participate in a demanding Olympic training schedule.

League MVP Jillian Dempsey, recovered from shoulder surgery, returns with All-Star linemates McKenna Brand and Christina Putigna, the No. 1 defense pair of Kaleigh Fratkin (two-time NWHL Defender of the Year) and Mallory Souliotis, and netminders Lovisa Selander and Victoria Hanson. That crew, plus whomever Mara can lure to town, should keep the Pride near the top of the standings.

Unlike last season, when the Pride got a boost from No. 1 overall pick Sammy Davis (BU) and six drafted rookies, the draft won’t have a major impact. Because they lost their 2021 first- and second-round picks when they traded up to select Davis, and dealt their third-rounder to Buffalo for future considerations, the Pride picked in the fourth and fifth rounds (Weston’s Finley Frechette and Beverly’s Abby Nearis, both forwards).

The NWHL’s player pool was thinned after the NCAA granted players an extra year of eligibility, leading many of the top draft-eligible players to return to school. Because of that, Boston isn’t the only team that believes next year’s draft will be loaded.

Loose pucks

Bruce Cassidy (left) has been promoting from within, with assistant coach Jay Pandolfo (center) leaving for Boston University.Winslow Townson/Associated Press

The Bruins have promoted from within of late, calling up coaches from Providence and the player development ranks. It makes sense that fourth-year P-Bruins coach Jay Leach would replace Jay Pandolfo on Bruce Cassidy’s staff, but player development staffers Chris Kelly and Jamie Langenbrunner will also get a look. Like Pandolfo, they were two-way forwards with long NHL résumés . . . As for Pandolfo, the move to BU gives him a shorter path to a head coaching gig. Albie O’Connell, who is entering the final year of his deal, has had a spotty run . . . Bruins strength and conditioning assistant Kenny Whittier also made the move to BU . . . A few first-timers joined NHL benches this past week, including two ex-players, Alex Tanguay (Detroit assistant) and Tuomo Ruutu (Florida assistant), and André Tourigny (Arizona coach). The latter move was particularly interesting, for a league that often recycles head coaches . . . Toews, after a year out of the spotlight with a mysterious illness, is back on the ice. He posted a video message to fans after a practice, saying doctors told him he has “chronic immune response syndrome,” a catch-all term for constant, debilitating stress reactions. Still dealing with a few symptoms, the Blackhawks’ captain believes the condition was brought on by a nasty bout with COVID-19 in February 2020, before the pandemic hit in full; the toll of 13 NHL seasons; and the year-round hockey training schedule he’s followed since he was a young teenager. “I think there’s a lot of things that just piled up,” he said, “where my body just fell apart.” He hopes to return in October . . . Edmonton trimmed Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’s $6 million cap hit, but took a beating on term, when it locked up the No. 2 center to an eight-year, $41 million deal with a full no-move clause. He will be 36 when it expires. “No contract is perfect,” GM Ken Holland acknowledged . . . Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon’s take on game jersey ads, which are coming to the NHL sooner rather than later: “If we look like Formula One or NASCAR, that’d be fine with me.” . . . Glad to see college athletes everywhere get a chance to make some cash off their name and image, following the Supreme Court’s hammering of the paternalistic NCAA. A small step, long overdue.

Matt Porter can be reached at matthew.porter@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter: @mattyports.

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[thrashermaxey]

Ramblings: Anaheim Eliminated; Pittsburgh Rolls; More on Defence Scoring; Johns – April 19

The second elimination of this postseason came at the hands of the San Jose Sharks as they sent Anaheim packing in a four-game sweep following a 2-1 Game 4 win.

The story of the series was Martin Jones. He allowed just four goals in the four games, allowing one or none in three of them. Not that San Jose didn’t play well but Jones was the reason why this series ended in four instead of six or seven.

It’ll be interesting to see what the Ducks do this offseason. Their core is locked up for a lot of money, they don’t have a lot of cap space, and they have to sign restricted free agents Nick Ritchie and Ondrej Kase. Even if they aren’t expensive, it won’t leave them much wriggle room. That necessarily excludes a splash in free agency so anything they do will have to come via trade. Is the core good enough to make another run? Getzlaf/Perry/Kesler will all be at least 33 years old next year. Maybe a lengthy offseason is just what the doctor ordered.

*

The big news all day Wednesday was whether Sean Couturier would be in the lineup for Philadelphia. He was inadvertently injured in practice by Radko Gudas and was a game-time decision. He was eventually ruled out just before warmups and Nolan Patrick took his spot on the top line.

It did not go well for the Flyers.

Pittsburgh was up 2-0 after 20 minutes and 4-0 after 31 minutes. They were basically on cruise control from that point, with the game ending up 5-0. Sidney Crosby, Phil Kessel, and Evgeni Malkin each had a goal and an assist while Matt Murray stopped all 26 shots he faced.

The Flyers still have the offence to get back in this series but if Couturier can’t return, things are looking bleak.

To his credit, Patrick played well enough. Regardless of line mates, matching up against Crosby is difficult for any centre, let alone a rookie. If he can hold on to his top power-play status next season, he could have himself a nice fantasy campaign. He’s been impressive over the last couple of months and showed a lot of progression.

*

It was a, shall we say, feisty game between the Devils and Lightning last night. Tampa Bay extended their series lead to 3-1 with a 3-1 win. Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two assists, figuring into every marker. There were 11 power plays between the two teams and Kucherov found a way to hurt the Devils in more way than one as Sami Vatanen left the game following this hit:

Sami Vatanen headed to the locker room after this hit from Nikita Kucherov. pic.twitter.com/tw3Bap5zHK

— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) April 19, 2018

I’ll leave it up to you guys to discuss if there will be supplemental discipline. There was no update from the coach after the game on Vatanen.

It was nice to see Damon Severson stay in the lineup, and he managed eight (!) shots on goal in this game. He had been a healthy scratch for the team at times in the regular season and the playoffs. I’m still a believer in his talent but with the emergence of Will Butcher, there won’t be much in the way of meaningful power-play minutes for Severson next year. Without those power-play points, he’ll be hard pressed for 30-point seasons until the offensive depth on this roster greatly improves. I’m still bullish on him as a talent but bearish on his situation. I’m not sure he’ll have much fantasy relevance outside of deep leagues and dynasties for the 2018-19 season.

*

I’m not sure what it is with Filip Forsberg and this Colorado blue line, but, uh, this was amazing:

That deserves another look. pic.twitter.com/dVxPgK0T6p

— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) April 19, 2018

Nashville put their foot on the throat of Colorado with a 3-2 road win to go up 3-1 in the series. Colorado fought back from a 3-0 deficit to make it 3-2 in the third period, and hit a post late, but just couldn’t find the tying goal.

Jonathan Bernier, by the way, was injured at some point in the second period and did not start the third. Andrew Hammond will be the goalie going forward if Bernier’s injury lingers.

Don’t forget about Craig Smith in your fantasy drafts next year. I’ve written about him before but he was a pretty consistent 20-goal scorer before a rough 2016-17 campaign. He’s bounced back on that Nashville second line this year with Kyle Turris and Kevin Fiala to go with top power-play minutes. All the big names will be popular in drafts (Forsberg, Arvidsson, Josi/Subban/Ellis, even Fiala), but don’t forget about Smith as a bench option. He had a goal in this game on an absolute snipe which was a nice reminder of what he can do for your fantasy squads.

*

The Selke Trophy finalists were named Wednesday night. The trophy is handed to the top two-way forward in the league. And they are:

Selke Finalists, as voted by the @PWHA…Bergeron (BOS), Couturier (PHI) & Kopitar (LA).

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) April 18, 2018

I don’t want to get deep into it here but I think there’s a good case could be made for both Aleksander Barkov and Mikko Koivu. Of course, then you have to take a name (or two) off the list, and which name(s) do you remove? Not so easy to pick just three.

*

Josh Morrissey has been suspended for one game by the NHL for his cross-check on Eric Staal in Tuesday night’s game. If Tyler Myers isn’t ready to go, the Jets will be a little short-handed on the blue line for the next matchup.

*

A couple of days ago in these Ramblings, I discussed how goal-scoring by defencemen had been changing and continues to change in the NHL. If you haven’t read it, you can do so here. The long and short of it is that defencemen are scoring a higher percentage of their team’s goals at five-on-five but a much lower percentage of their team’s goals on the power play. Naturally, this has an effect in fantasy because if defencemen are scoring fewer power-play goals, they have less of an impact in leagues that count power-play goals as their own category.

One thing I failed to consider was how power plays themselves are changing. Tyler Dellow has written about this extensively already, so for those with subscriptions to The Athletic, you can check out his work there. To get you started, I recommend this read on 3F-2D power plays and how they compare in production to 4F-1D power plays, and how it pertains to the Leafs. It was written a year ago but the principles still apply.

Of course, that is what I had failed to consider: teams moving to using four forwards on the power play. With power-play conversion rates at their highest in decades, the sharp declines in PP goal-scoring from defencemen didn’t make sense without a mitigating factor. That factor is defencemen are on the ice for less ice time per minute of their team’s available PP minutes and the rate is declining every year. Here you go (all data from Natural Stat Trick):

That chart shows us how many minutes defencemen are on the ice for every minute of their team’s available power-play time. Four years ago, there was 1.6 minutes of ice time allocated to defencemen for every minute of their team’s power play. This year, there was 1.33. Knowing that teams aren’t going to five-forward power plays with any sort of regularity, this means teams are shifting to four-forward/one-defenceman PP setups.

It bears out this year, too. If you look at the top-10 teams in goals per minute on the PP, they all use one defenceman on the top quintet. They also have a lot of talent, too, but putting more offensively-gifted players in offensive situations leads to more goals. Shocking, I know.    

Yes, while defencemen are scoring fewer power-play goals, there’s a reason for that. Not that it comes as a surprise to you astute fantasy players, but guys locked into top PP roles (Shayne Gostisbehere, Victor Hedman, Brent Burns) carry a lot of value.

Anyway, just wanted to clear that up.

*

While I’m talking about defencemen, I’m a bit excited for Stephen Johns next season in the fantasy hockey game.

Ken Hitchcock dragged the Dallas Stars from a wildly entertaining offensive team into a defensive slug. I don’t think there’s much debate about that. Hopefully the next coach takes the leash off all the offensive talent has, and will potentially have (hey Valeri Nichushkin), and this team can return to being as much fun to watch as they used to be.

With regards to Johns, among the 152 defencemen with 1000-plus minutes last year at all strengths, he was fourth in blocked shots per 60 minutes. Of the top-15 defencemen in blocked shots, he was second in shot attempts per 60 minutes (just behind Alex Edler). Blocking shots is one thing, being able to chip in offensively is another, and very few do both. Johns is one of them.

He put up monster peripheral numbers with over 200 hits and over 150 blocked shots. He averaged over 1.6 shots per game. He scored eight goals despite not being very far off his career shooting percentage mark. He did all this while playing fewer than 18 minutes a night. He’ll never touch the top PP unit, but if he can earn a couple more minutes in ice time under a new coaching regime, he has the makings of a very, very solid multi-cat roto performer. Keep an eye to see what the Stars do with their blue line in their offseason. Hopefully he’s earned top-4 minutes. We shall see.  

*

There were some interesting tweets from Micah Blake McCurdy on Twitter Wednesday morning pertaining to the Vegas-Los Angeles series. This one stuck out to me from Vegas:

Vegas continues to (v. unusually, I think) not use the centre of the ice very much. This is their regular season shots, showing the same bifurcation – both circles, not crashing the netfront, not using the slot as much. pic.twitter.com/0aabaX4YOc

— Micah Blake McCurdy (@IneffectiveMath) April 18, 2018

Honestly, it’s not often we see teams shooting from the angles and not the mid-to-low slot. Sure, there are teams who can’t get to the net, but you often at least see them shoot from further out.

One thing that popped into my head: royal road passes. These are passes made across the slot in order to get the goalie moving laterally. You can read up on the math here from Hockey Graphs, as well as other pass types, but basically it boils down to high conversion rates. Players who can get a good shot off following this type of pass score much more often.

I haven’t seen anyone tracking playoff data for Vegas for these types of passes (if someone has, let me know in the comments), but my guess is Vegas is often looking for royal road passes. I just found it interesting.

*

An observation from former Toronto Marlies assistant coach Justin Bourne:

Every single NHL team should see Vegas’ success and think, “hey, maybe we should give that buried player who we insert in the lineup every fourth game for 10 mins a better opportunity? Maybe he can do more with a legit chance?”

— Justin Bourne (@jtbourne) April 18, 2018

My thought is coaches play not to lose rather than play to win. They’d rather give a guy they know is average-to-below-average ice time than a guy whose future they’re uncertain of. Human beings avoid uncertainty like the plague, coaches are no different.

There is a fantasy hockey lesson in here: don’t be afraid to swing for the fences in drafts, particularly in the later rounds. I preach this all the time and it won’t be the last time I mention it this offseason.

Look at ADPs last year: Brandon Dubinsky and Bo Horvat drafted next to each other; Andrew Shaw and Anthony Mantha a half-round apart; same for Evgeny Dadonov and Scott Hartnell. Different categories factor in – hits and penalty minutes particularly – but people drafting guys whom we know won’t excel offensively are drafting for fifth place instead of drafting for first place.

from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-rambling/ramblings-anaheim-eliminated-pittsburgh-rolls-more-on-defence-scoring-johns-april-19/

[zeroviraluniverse-blog]

NHL - The Accolade Index

Visit Now - https://zeroviral.com/nhl-the-accolade-index/

NHL - The Accolade Index

Success in the salary-cap era is all about the most effective management of cap space. According to our new Accolade Index, the Pittsburgh Penguins have enjoyed the most success since 2005-06 — in all its various forms.

The Accolade Index assigns a single point for each individual award won by a member of its team, with a half-point for making the first-team All-Star team, and a quarter point for making the second-team All-Star team.

At the team level, points are awarded for making the playoffs, winning the division, winning the Presidents’ Trophy, and each playoff series win, with bonus points for making the Stanley Cup Final and winning the Stanley Cup.

While the Vegas Golden Knights won’t be eligible for this list until next season, they stand to gain at least three points for making the playoffs, winning their division, and for the likely Jack Adams Award for their coach Gerard Gallant. Additional playoff success or individual awards could boost them even higher.

Here is where every non-Vegas NHL team ranks currently, pending this season’s final results:

Only one NHL team gets to raise the Stanley Cup in June. But all of them will be working hard this summer to try to get there at the end of next season. Here are the keys to the offseason for every team, published as they are eliminated.

Chris Peters ranks and evaluates the top 50 prospects in hockey in terms of long-term impact at the next level. Elias Pettersson, a 2017 first-round pick for the Vancouver Canucks, tops the board, but who follows?

With the 2018 tournament upon us, we look at the legacy of college hockey’s top programs — some involved in this year’s bracket, some in a down cycle — and rank the ultimate lineups for them, based on the players’ success at the NHL level.

2 Related

Landing Marc-Andre Fleury, Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby in the top two spots of the draft in the preceding three seasons obviously gave the Penguins a huge head start on the salary-cap era. However, there are teams with similar advantages that aren’t nearly as high on this list.

The key wasn’t just drafting these players, but carefully managing the contracts of these three players and building a competitive roster around them — that’s how the Penguins have achieved more success than any other team in the 12 seasons that followed.

The Penguins rank first with 19 playoff series victories and four appearances in the Stanley Cup Final, are tied for first with three Stanley Cups, and are about to make their 12th playoff appearance, likely to be tied for first with the Sharks (if both teams qualify).

In terms of individual awards, they are first with four Art Ross Trophy winners, and tied for first with Washington with three Hart Trophy winners, and second to the Capitals with nine first-team All-Stars.

Similarly buoyed from drafting Jonathan Toews third overall in 2006 and Patrick Kane first overall in 2007, the Blackhawks have served as the textbook example of proper cap management. On the three occasions they were slammed up against the cap, Chicago made the right decisions about whom to keep, and extracted maximum return for the star players that had to be moved.

It appears that the salary cap has finally caught up to the Blackhawks, who are unlikely to add any points this season, and might slide down to fourth place at season’s end. For now, they rank second to Pittsburgh with 16 playoff series victories and with three appearances in the Stanley Cup Final, and are tied with the Penguins with three Stanley Cups. They are also tied for second with the Red Wings with two Norris trophies, and are one of three teams with two Calder Trophy winners.

Outside of the playoffs, the most accomplished team in the salary-cap era is the Capitals. They lead the NHL with three Presidents’ Trophies and seven division titles — and might add one more this season.

Thanks largely to Alex Ovechkin, they have a great deal of individual accolades as well, including the most Rocket Richard Trophies, a league-leading 10 first-team All-Stars, and they are tied with Pittsburgh with three Hart Trophies. They are also the only team whose coaches won the Jack Adams twice.

The Red Wings might be heading into a rebuild, but their playoff success early on has helped establish them near the top of the list with 11 playoff appearances, which is currently tied for first, and 12 series victories, which is tied for third.

Nicklas Lidstrom and Pavel Datsyuk added individual accolades, lifting the Red Wings to first with four Norris Trophy wins and second to the Bruins with three Selke Awards.

Before conversations with ESPN’s John Buccigross and Wild LW Jason Zucker, Greg Wyshynski is joined by Emily Kaplan from the GM meetings in Boca Raton, Florida, to discuss the joys of goalie interference. Plus, some playoff race talk and the PWHA making their ballots public. Listen »

It’s remarkable that a team that traded away star forwards like Joe Thornton, Tyler Seguin and Phil Kessel would still be so high on this list. And, as one of the few teams at the top of the list that is trending up, the Bruins have an opportunity to climb even higher.

Thus far, a lot of their success has been on the individual basis, as the Bruins lead the league with three Vezina Trophies, four Selke Trophies, and rank third with six first-team All-Stars. But, they also added big points by reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2010-11 and 2012-13, emerging victorious on the first occasion.

A league-leading seventh division title might be out of reach for Anaheim, but the Ducks can climb into a tie for second with 11 playoff appearances, and earn an opportunity to win their 13th playoff series of the era, which will break a tie for third with the Red Wings.

Even with the departure of Patrick Marleau, along with Joe Thornton’s knee injury, the Sharks are likely to make their 12th playoff appearance in 13 seasons, which will be tied with the Penguins for first in the span. That will also give them an opportunity to win a 12th playoff series, breaking a tie with the Rangers for fifth. San Jose ranks second with six second-team All-Stars.

The Canucks are tied with the Ducks for second with six division titles, trailing the Capitals by one. They also rank second to Pittsburgh with two Art Ross Trophy winners, Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin. Of course, the Canucks are currently in a rebuild, and unlikely to add any more Accolade Index points in the near future.

Stalling at 11 playoff appearances this season, the Rangers will drop out of a first-place tie, and into a second-place tie with the Red Wings and Ducks. Aside from All-Star team selections, Henrik Lundqvist‘s Vezina in 2011-12 is the team’s only individual award of the salary-cap era.

Despite winning the Stanley Cup on two occasions, the Kings have had a relatively average level of success recently. Drew Doughty‘s Norris in 2015-16 was the lone regular-season award, and the Kings are one of seven teams without a division title in the salary-cap era — and possibly only one of five after this season.

The oldest and most celebrated hockey team has been pretty mediocre in the salary-cap era, and have won only six playoff series. Given that their current 2017-18 points percentage of .438 ranks 91st in their 100-season NHL history, there’s obviously room for improvement in 2018-19 and beyond.

The Senators began the salary-cap era as the NHL’s strongest team but fizzled toward mediocrity almost immediately. One of the bright spots is captain Erik Karlsson, who has been named to a first-team All-Star four times, and whose two Norris trophies lift Ottawa into second place behind the Red Wings in that category.

Which teams have the best shot at locking up a playoff spot? Who’s earning a better shot at the No. 1 overall pick? Here are the latest projections for both, along with critical matchups to watch today and more. Read »

Both the Lightning and the Predators are on the verge of winning their first division titles of the salary-cap era, which will leave just five teams at zero.

The Lightning are also one of seven teams without a first-team All-Star, but they lead the league with 11 second-team All-Stars, which is almost double the Sharks, who are in second place with six. Tampa Bay ranks second to the Capitals with three Rocket Richard Trophy wins.

The Devils accumulated almost all of their Accolade Index points in the first five seasons of the salary-cap era, in which they won the division crown four times, and goalie Martin Brodeur won the Vezina twice. Now that the team’s rebuild is nearing completion, they might begin climbing the list anew.

The Predators are about to add a lot of Accolade Index points with their first division title, and possibly the Presidents’ Trophy, too. The next milestone would be for one of their players and/or coaches to win an individual award (beyond the All-Star team) — Pekka Rinne for the Vezina, perhaps?

With eight playoff appearances, seven series victories and one appearance in the Stanley Cup Final, the Flyers have had a reasonable level of success at the team level. However, Jakub Voracek‘s first-team All-Star selection in 2014-15 is the team’s only individual award.

The Hurricanes kicked off the salary-cap era with a Stanley Cup, and captain Rod Brind’Amour won the first of two consecutive Selke Awards — but Carolina hasn’t achieved many accolades since then.

With Toronto and Winnipeg set to make the playoffs for the third time since 2005-06, the Hurricanes will be left in a last-place tie with Edmonton and Florida, with two appearances apiece, if none of the three qualify this season.

Excepting the first three seasons, the Blues have been one of the league’s more competitive teams of this era but haven’t been able to translate that into very many accolades at either the team or individual level. In particular, they have only four playoff series wins to show for seven appearances, which included two seasons where they won the division title.

With Buffalo in the draft lottery once again, and set to extend its playoff drought to seven seasons, it’s easy to forget how strong the Sabres were for the first six seasons of the salary-cap era. In 2005-06 and 2006-07, the Sabres earned a combined 223 points in the standings, a Presidents’ Trophy in 2006-07, and reached the Eastern Conference finals both seasons. It could be a while before this team reaches those heights again.

Before the salary-cap era, the Stars were one of the league’s most successful teams, earning at least 100 points and the division title in six of the previous eight seasons, along with a Cup in 1999. While the team continued that success through 2007-08, the Stars have had limited success at either the team or individual level during the past decade.

Immediately before the salary-cap era, the Flames arguably came within a video review of the Stanley Cup, losing to the Lightning in seven games in 2004. Since then, they have won only a single playoff series despite making six trips to the postseason. Since only two of those appearances have occurred in the past nine seasons, the Flames are unlikely to climb this list.

The Wild are set to extend their playoff streak to six seasons, but these appearances are just about the only accolades they have earned in the salary-cap era. They have won their division only once, have only two playoff series victories, plus one individual player award, and one first- and second-team All-Star selection. However, they have the opportunity to vault up this list this season, since the five preceding teams probably will miss the playoffs.

Colorado is enjoying its finest season of the salary-cap era, other than the surprise 112-point 2013-14 season. The Avs can climb this list by making the playoffs, winning a playoff series, and if Nathan MacKinnon wins an individual award and/or is named to an All-Star team. Colorado is one of only three teams with two Calder Trophy winners.

Edmonton is tied for last with two playoff appearances, and is one of seven teams (soon to be five teams) who haven’t won a division title in the salary-cap era. The Oilers’ only real success was in 2005-06, when they reached the Stanley Cup Final. The hope, of course, is that Connor McDavid can boost these totals during his tenure.

The red-hot Blue Jackets are ready to jump into the playoffs for only the fourth time in franchise history, where they are one of four teams without a series victory in the salary-cap era. They are also one of seven teams (soon to be five) without a division title. Their lone area of success is in goal, where Sergei Bobrovsky is a two-time first-team All-Star, and his two Vezina Trophies paces the team to second, behind the Bruins.

The salary cap doesn’t mean very much to a franchise whose financial constraints are even more limited. The Coyotes’ strongest season was 2011-12 when they won their division, made the playoffs for the third (and most recent) time, and advanced to the Western Conference finals.

The Panthers are coming on strong, and making a promising bid to make the playoffs for only the third time in the salary-cap era, which will move them out of a last-place tie. If they succeed, then they will also have the opportunity to take their name off the list of four teams without a playoff series victory. However, they probably will remain one of only two teams that hasn’t had any players named to either the first or second All-Star team.

As John Tavares is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, it’s fair to categorize this era of Islanders history as a disappointment. They have made the playoffs only four times, are one of seven teams (soon to be five) without a division title, and have only a single playoff series win. Tavares himself has the team’s only individual accolade, which was a lone selection to the first All-Star team in 2014-15.

29. Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets: 3.5 points

At the moment, the Thrashers and Jets franchise is tied for last, with only two playoff appearances in the salary-cap era, and is one of four organizations without a playoff series victory. Both of those situations can change this season, and the abundance of young talent can finally help this team climb the list.

Earning their first division title is a little outside of their reach, but the Maple Leafs are poised to break away from a last-place tie with their third playoff appearance, and can earn their first playoff series victory of the salary-cap era. Auston Matthews, who already has the team’s only individual award with his Calder Trophy in 2016-17, might someday soon help the team overcome its next hurdle by being named to either the first or second All-Star team.

[the-unaligned-player]

JAAP Command Seals

Source:https://shindanmaker.com/1064580

[the-unaligned-player]

Jackpot League MHA AU

Civilian Name: Ava

Villain Name: Ash Beast

Quirk: Volcanic

Civilian Name: Dream*

Villain Name: Protocol

Quirk: Autohypnosis

Civilian Name: Hazou

Hero Name: Mr. President

Quirk: Crowdsourcing

Civilian Name: Edelgard

Hero Name: Red Crown

Quirk: Jetburn

Civilian Name: Punz*

Hero Asset Name: Tension

Quirk: Vendetta

Civilian Name: Wrathia

Villain Name: Ash Beast

Quirk: Volcanic

Civilian Name: Hubert

Hero Asset Name: Underwatch

Quirk: Schroedinger

Civilian Name: Akane

Hero Asset Name: Sand Witch

Quirk: Heatwaves

Civilian Name: Ami

Hero Asset Name: Whiplash

Quirk: Mood Killer

Civilian Name: Dave*

Villain Name: Technoblade

Quirk: Cacophony

Civilian Name: Maggie

Villain Name: Hamadryad

Quirk: Druidic

Civilian Name: Claude

Hero Name: Accelerator

Quirk: Line Driver

*This is a lie.

[the-unaligned-player]

Hubert 5th Edition Classes

Artificer: Artillerist

Barbarian: Ancestral Guardian

Bard: Whispers

Blood Hunter: Mutant

Cleric: Order

Druid: Land: Underdark

Fighter: Eldritch Knight

Monk: Shadow

Paladin: Crown

Ranger: Hunter

Rouge: Assassin

Sorcerer: Shadow

Warlock: The Undead: Tome

Wizard: Necromancy

[the-unaligned-player]

I like C!Dream and C!Techno, think C!Tommy and C!Wilbur are assholes, and think L’ Manberg was the worst thing to happen to the server in-universe from it’s inception.

Proceed with that knowledge at your own harm, I take no responsibility for ego damage past this point.

My Projects

World of Darkness Splattings

The Jackpot League

Team ADHE (Adhesion)

Team PWHA (Pureheart)

Team ATMC (Atomic)

Prolouge: Load Ignite Propel Impact Damage Autopsy

Danganronpa: Maw of Survival

A Theory On Victory: The Self The Value The Game

[the-unaligned-player]

Punz 5th Edition Classes

Artificer: Armorer

Barbarian: Zealot

Bard: Whispers

Blood Hunter: Mutant

Cleric: Trickery

Druid: Land: Grassland

Fighter: Battlemaster

Monk: Sun Soul

Paladin: Crown

Ranger: Swarmkeeper

Rouge: Swashbuckler

Sorcerer: Divine Soul

Warlock: Undying: Chain

Wizard: War

[the-unaligned-player]

Chapter 3: Damage

Ava: Carving through undead like a hot knife through butter. Literally in this case, as she’s causing fires everywhere.

Dream: Destroying the undead through clever use of traps and their lack of intelligence.

Hazou: “That stupid piece of paper!” - A Zombie if they had the capacity to think.

Edelgard: Charging between battles with larger undead.

Punz: Hit, bait, run, and hide tactics all around.

Wrathia: Living flamethrower.

Hubert: Rata-tat-tat, here comes Eldritch Gat.

Akane: Asura’s Wrath has never been so cute, or protective of civilians.

Ami: “Buff, Debuff, or In-between!”

Technoblade: High as a kite, drawing Agro from the undead.

Maggie: Running and leaving crowd control in her wake.

Claude: Riding high and shooting fish in a barrel.

[the-unaligned-player]

Chapter 2: Impact

Ava: Fighting off guards

Dream: Looking for a mid term job.

Hazou: Negotiating with his contact.

Edelgard: Coordinating with her contact.

Una: Watching.

Punz: Guarding his contractor.

Wrathia: Bound to Ava.

Hubert: Guarding Edelgard.

Akane: Guarding Hazou.

Bia: Stalking.

Ami: Carousing.

Technoblade: Looking for mid term employment.

Maggie: Carousing.

Claude: Getting an update from his contact.

[REDACTED]: Enjoying.

[the-unaligned-player]

Chapter 1: Propel

Ava: “So Much For Stealth” -ing through villages to Gloria. (Commoners and Militia)

Dream: Hunter-gathering his way to Gloria. (Bandits and Beasts)

Hazou: Camping his way to Gloria. (Bandits and Beasts)

Edelgard: Carting her way to Gloria. (Bandits)

Una: Waiting at Gloria.

Punz: Town hopping and guarding his way to Gloria. (Commoners and Bandits)

Wrathia: Bound to Ava. (Commoners and Militia)

Hubert: Driving the cart to Gloria. (Bandits and Beasts)

Akane: Camping her way to Gloria. (Bandits and Beasts)

Bia: Waiting at Gloria.

Ami: Camping her way to Gloria. (Bandits and Beasts)

Technoblade: Carving his way to Gloria. (Bandits)

Maggie: Following Ava’s path of unintentional destruction. (Commoners and Militia)

Claude: Carting his way to Gloria. (Bandits and Beasts)

[REDACTED]: Waiting at Gloria.

[the-unaligned-player]

Chapter 0: Ignite

Ava: School is attacked by raiders, saved by a mysterious stranger.

Dream: Busted out of his torture box prison by Technoblade.

Hazou: Sent on a mission.

Edelgard: Revolutionary duties call her.

Una: Waiting at Gloria.

Punz: Got a contract.

Wrathia: Bound to Ava.

Hubert: Is Edelgard’s shadow.

Akane: Is one of Hazou teammates.

Bia: Waiting at Gloria.

Ami: Inserted herself into Hazou’s team.

Technoblade: Wanted to take a vacation from the SMP.

Maggie: School is attacked by raiders.

Claude: Political machinations call him.

[REDACTED]: Waiting at Gloria.

[the-unaligned-player]

Chapter -1: Load

Ava: Outcast student raised in a local orphanage. More feared than loathed for mental instability. Haunted all life by a hostile ghost. Depression hides melting anger. Anger is offset by a desire to help and be loved. Going through school life.

Dream: Former sheriff in a wretched hive. Overthrown for existing, and only not killed because he has information that is wanted. Ruthless to the point of Amorality. Responsible to the point of Selflessness. Protective to the point of Taunting. Stuck in a torture box prison.

Hazou: Newblood foreign noble head in a military oligarchy. Hated and mistrusted because he’s foreign, he’s very unstable, and he considers civilians to be people whose lives have value. Only not killed because his home doesn’t want to set a precedent, and his adopted father was the Military Dictator before he died. Analytical tendencies. Impulsive tendencies. Benevolent tendencies. Amoral tendencies. Socialist tendencies. Capitalist tendencies. In his territory managing his people and projects.

Edelgard: Heir apparent to the throne of a major empire. Headstrong firebrand. Torture-induced childhood amnesia. Planning War. Short lifespan. Hates nepotism. Hates government censorship. An advocate of meritocracy. In a military academy for nobles.

Una: A Doll through which the will of The Forge and The Lantern are enacted.

Punz: Career mercenary in a wretched hive. Loyalty beyond sanity. Incredible cynicism. Patient. Heart of light. Hanging out on his bee farm as he’s bereft of active contracts.

Wrathia: Ghost queen of a long-dead empire. Incredible bitch. Extremely proud. Hair-trigger temper. Manipulative liar. Willing to give up everything for her people. Stuck with the child she reincarnated into.

Hubert: Loyal servant of Edelgard Von Hresvelg. Casually creepy. Loyal beyond sanity. Murder is okay. Schadenfreude. In a military academy for nobles.

Akane: Lowborn consort of a foreign newblood noble. Ball of sunshine. Incredibly empathetic. Loyal to a fault. Believes in nothing. Wants to believe in something. Wants to be someone who believes in something. Improving the morale of her territories people.

Bia: A Doll that expresses its Wolf-like will through its every action.

Ami: Social prodigy from a clan of cold advisors. Attachment avoidant. Hedonistic. Shit starter. Fast talker. Well-versed in coercion and manipulation. Confused by genuine affection and cooperation. Hates to be bound. Loves her little sister. Galavanting about Hazou’s country and getting her hooks into the new land.

Technoblade: Anarchist terrorist from The Nine Hells. Deadpan. Utterly dedicated to the cause. Wary of being used. Hates systems first, people second. Thanatophobic. Irreverent. Training and relaxing in his tundra home.

Maggie: Desperate student raised in a local orphanage. Compulsive liar. Desperate for affection. Haunted by a longing ghost. Dangerously impulsive. Murderously vindictive. Doesn’t quite “get” love. Going through school life.

Claude: Burning star in a court of knives. Noble with a foreign mother. Affable jokester. Killer pragmatist. Seeks the truth. Hates racism. Knows when to fold 'em. Can’t understand not knowing when to fold 'em. In a military academy for nobles.

[REDACTED]: A Doll that simply wishes to know the joy of life.