Team: 2023-24 Custom Team

Initial Creation Date: Oct. 6, 2023

Published: Oct. 13, 2023

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

I'm a big fan of hockey and a big fan of "The Office." I've also been extremely bored at work over the last two weeks. So here I am to present to you; The Dunder Mifflin Hockey Club

Forward Line 1 "The Dream Team Line": Captain Michael Scott runs the center on the top line. One of the best two way players of all time, Scott runs his team with intensity and great leadership. He can shoot, pass, hit, defend, anything you need him to do, he does with the best of them. He's also the wittiest chirper in the league and will shut up you the second you say something to him. On his wings is the wonder couple of Jim and Pam. Jim is a big, strong forward with an elite shot and great speed. He also uses his frame to his advantage, often putting opponents on the ground with well-timed reverse hits, leading to open looks for his teammates. Pam plays at a bit of a slower pace, but can pass with the best of them and is tough when she needs to be. A particular strength of Beesly is her uncanny ability to create open shots with deft, one touch passes in the offensive zone. These three have been playing together for close to a decade now, and their chemistry is undeniable.

Forward Line 2 "High Maintenance Line": Young hotshot Ryan Howard centers a second line built on speed and offense. Howard is lightning fast and very smart with the puck. His hands can't always catch up to his brain, which can get him into trouble at times, and he usually leads the team in turnovers. He also has a myriad of off-ice problems, which has kept him from cashing in with a big paycheck. Kelly Kapoor is another extremely quick player in this lineup. She has a very weak shot but is one of the best playmakers on the team, and is lethal from the set up position on the powerplay. Creed Bratton rounds out the line with a combo of finesse and high-end talent. He has sneaky good hands around the net, and a lethal, deceptively hard snap shot from distance. His only downfall is his work ethic, which can leave a lot to be desired sometimes. Nobody knows a ton about Bratton, but he's been playing longer than anyone on the team and is consistently a top 5 goal scorer .

Forward Line 3 "The Ho Hum Line": This is the boring, defensive style line of the team. Toby Flenderson anchors the line as a reliable two-way pivot. Generally the target of Dunder Mifflin HC fans' wrath, Flenderson provides an underappreciated, steady presence in the lineup with a small flicker of offense. On his right wing, you have Holly Flax. She is a very similar player to Flenderson, but with a little more flash in her game. Very defensively reliable, and can dance the other team a couple times a game to set up a nice play. On the left is Andy Bernard. He's not really great at anything specifically. However, he isn't really bad at anything either. He's just kind of your run-of-the-mill third line guy. Bernards best games are when you don't notice him.

Forward Line 4 "The Hardass Line": The final forward line is comprised of the toughest women of Dunder Mifflin. On the left, you have bottom 6 stalwart Angela Martin. She plays a rough style, and is not afraid to get her elbows out and go into the corners. She might be small, but she packs quite the punch, earning her the nickname "The Little Ball Of Hate." At center, Jan Levinsen plays a grinding style, not afraid to throw her body around, and always going to the front of the net. She always seems to be in the middle of the action on the ice, and she scores her goals by banging in rebounds and deflecting point shots. On the right is Meredith Palmer, a woman who plays right on the edge. Her style of playing with reckless abandon often lands her in trouble with player safety, but she is a great locker room teammate, always bringing the party.

Defense Line 1: Stanley Hudson leads the right side on defense, bringing a large, physical presence and booming shot from the point. He is well known for big, open ice hits that can shift momentum of the play. Other than his heavy shot, he lacks offensive punch, but is one of the best defenseman in the league within his own defensive zone. On his left, Oscar Martinez is a smaller, more shifty blueliner, bringing speed and offensive precision to the back end. Martinez is highly intelligent in the offensive zone, running passing plays from the point and sending accurate shots through thick screens that always seem to find their way to the net. His defensive side lacks a bit due to his smaller stature, but the offensive impact he has is undeniable.

Defensive Line 2: Darryl Philbin is probably the most intriguing player in Dunder Mifflins lineup. Similarly to Dustin Byfuglien, Philbin started his career on the wing, playing a full 5 seasons as a middle six power forward before being switched to the blueline. His offensive instincts are still well apparent, as he consistently leads the blueline in goals. But his big frame also allows him to be a wrecking ball on the bueline, running players over in the neutral zone, and planting them into the boards in the defensive zone. His D partner, Kevin Malone, is much more defensive minded. Malone is another big blueliner, albeit with a lot less offensive bite than his partner. His slow foot speed leads to him not being up in the rush as often, and usually being the first guy back to defend against the counter attack. Malone has one of the best defensive sticks on the team, often breaking up cross ice passes and pokechecking pucks off opposing teams sticks, and then leading a counter-attack with a nice breakout pass.

Defensive Line 3: On the third pair is steady power couple Bob Vance and Phyllis Lappin. Neither of them are particularly offensive, but together they can lock down the defensive zone as well as any D pair in the league. Lappin is particularly good at holding the blueline, forcing the opposing to employ more of a dump and chase style than they would like. And then once they get in the zone, Vance is there to staple them to the boards. Neither of them has any eclipsed the 20 point mark in a single season, so don't expect much offense from this pair.

Scratches: Three players don't crack the starting lineup, but stick with the team for injury replacement purposes. Todd Packer used to be a prominent name is the league, and not for the right reasons. He has been suspended multiple times for abuse of officials and the use of profanity and other, harsher language towards other players. His skills have slowly dropped off over the years, and he is mainly used to fight and send messages to other teams. David Wallace is a veteran defenseman who used to be a prolific scorer, but has seen his ice time diminished the last few years as he gets older. He's a reliable stop gap on the blueline in a pinch, but don't expect too much offense like he used to provide. Mose Schrute is kind of a wild card on the ice. He's quick, but has hands of stone and needs to work on his accuracy. His other drawback is sometimes he just randomly snaps and starts swinging on other players. The other team definitely needs to keep their heads up when he's on the ice.

Goalies: Starting between the pipes, Dwight Schrute has been as reliable as you could want for Dunder Mifflin. He plays an unorthodox style, often bailing on the standard butterfly style to dive across the crease and use whatever he can to stop the puck. His confidence is off the charts, and any time you can get more than 3 goals against him is a great night for your team. His fish-out-of-water goalie style can sometimes leave him well out of position, but his insane athleticism mean he's never completely out of the play. He's also one of the best goalies at playing the puck. He was once seen in practice going bardown from his own crease during a practice. Backing up Schrute is the newest member of the team, rookie Erin Hannon. She is a thin, lanky goaltender that plays a very technical, blocking butterfly style. She relies on her precise positioning and lightning quick hands to keep the puck out the net. Rebound control is an issue she has been working on, but the future looks bright for the young netminder.