Chicago Blackhawks

holydogg · Post by **holydogg** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 12:38 am

Hello all

I have started a new game with a randomly chosen team, Chicago Blackhawks.

I am 5-9-0, I think it's not so bad for the Hawks, since their team is young and beside Havlat, Handzus, Aucoin and Khabibulin, the talent is not overwhelming for now.

But, I still like to boost my team position and performance. If you could give me a hint or two, it will be nice

Goalies: Khabibulin-Lalime-Caron (a threesome, i'm waiting to see wich of Lalime or Caron i'll keep)

Defence (I have put Veteran-Young combo)

Seabrook-Aucoin
Barker-Cullimore
Kukkonen-Keith

Vandermeer is my backup replacing anyone from the 2nd and 3rd pairing

Offence:

Havlat-Handzus-Ruutu
Corbet-Smolinski-Vrbata
Bourque-Sharp-Lapointe
Arkhipov-Rheaume-Hamilton

Mikael Holmvist is my last man. Sharp, Hamilton and Homlqvist are rotating spots on line-up. But for the last few games Hamilton was doing good role-playing, so I might keep it more permanently on my 4th line

Before season started, I have traded Brian Boucher for Rheaume and some late picks
After 10 games, I signed up Corbet for 700K, because I didn't have depth in left winger

Any tricks n tips?? And don't tell me to trade half my AHL prospects, three 1st round picks and Rick Dudley's Chalet for Alex Ovechkin

Post by **Shadd666** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 12:52 am

Mr. Wirtz would tell you that you'd better sign Bondra for 500K$

More seriously, i think that Minstrel will be hell of a great help, as he's a Hawks fan and know the team pretty well

(don't you Minty?

)

holydogg · Post by **holydogg** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 1:35 am

I've tried but old peter had prefered to come back to Washington!!!

Joe · Post by **Joe** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 3:52 am

If you want to get Bondra, you have to give him $2M, otherwise he almost always goes to Washington.

For Defense, Van Ryn (Florida) and Morris (Phoenix) are always pretty much given away for rubbish players.

On offense, try getting Balastik and Modin (Columbus). Balastik only makes about $500k, and I've had him put up 90+ points. Modin will do just as well, but he makes $2.5M which isn't a bad at all still. Both of these guys, especially Balastik, are pretty cheap in a trade.

Good Luck

Post by **Minstrel** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 5:31 am

Yes sir... I play the Hawks during testing

All these things really depend on how long you plan to stick with the team and what kind of team you want to build. The Hawks have the goods to play them either way, trade for a win-now team or just let the system catch up and become a dynasty...

My advice in general would be to go the latter route. Get your top young guys time early, bring in Barker and Bolland who are ready to play and let the rest of the guys rule the AHL for a year or two. Get another strong pick while you rely on the younger core of the team; and pile up some picks for guys like Lapointe, Aucoin and Khabi. Run young with some key veterans, Handzus is a good example. Try to trade Boucher to Anaheim for Bryzgalov and make some kind of deal to pry Toskala and Marleau from San Jose maybe with Lalime. Somebody like Washington or the Ranger will usually take Khabi so try to get a stay-at-home to compliment Seabrook/Keith and Barker maybe Shaone Morrisson for Was or see if you can snag Staal from NY. Give Cullimore to anyone who will take him

maybe get Morris from Phoenix with whatever else you'd have to add.

Match up your veterans with your key young talent knowing they'll be taking their slots soon

Keep Yawney to coach defense; offer him a new contract to be assistant coach. See if you can bring in Tretiak to coach our goalies, he has strong ties to the team so sometimes you can swing it. Build a staff that is high on discipline, motivation, and teaching youngsters.

holydogg · Post by **holydogg** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 2:45 pm

thanks for the hints

Yes, I was hoping to built a solid rock team with my youngsters, I quite like the ones in my def brigade.
I think I will also try the Defensive approach.

I'll try to get back Ethan Moreau, Kevin Lowe wants him out anyway.. maybe he wooed his daughters or something

For the rooster, I wish to keep Aucoin and Khabi. They cost alot but for now but they plays great hockey in my team.

Lapointe and Sharp are probably the first to be traded.

I'll give you feed back

holydogg · Post by **holydogg** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 3:34 pm

finally I could'nt get good ol' Ethan, but instead I got Jed Ortmeyer, he'll never fill up the opponent net but his def skill are maxed out

Post by **Shadd666** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 4:20 pm

According to me, Aucoin and Khabi are far too expensive. And Aucoin is too slow for the "new-NHL", which makes him turns out so expensive regarding what he does on the ice.

You should get same quality players at a cheaper price, or better players for the same price

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 5:25 pm

I had Aucoin on my team in the Fantasy Draft Challenge. He played pretty well for me. He helped provide leadership and had pretty good abilities too. After the first season he had green numbers in most of the defensive and offensive abilities. He also had 15's in speed and acceleration. He played all 82 games for me and ended the season with 6 goals, 31 assists, +31, 62 PIM, and 208 shots on net. I'd say that's pretty good for my #3 defenseman. Sure, $4M is pretty steep but I wouldn't call him horrible. That's about the same kind of money that Morris will cost you, right?

Joe · Post by **Joe** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 8:00 pm

bruins72 wrote:That's about the same kind of money that Morris will cost you, right?

I almost always have Morris on my team (but now I'm getting sick of him) and he never demands much money, I've never had to give him more than the $3.9M that he starts at. He's even beat out Lidstrom (who always puts up way better points) a couple of times for the Norris when I had them on the same team.

holydogg · Post by **holydogg** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 1:29 am

here's some update

I traded-in Chris Campoli for Jassen Cullimore
I tried to get Morris and Van Ryn, but they wanted too much, drat

I have reorganised my lines and strategies. I think i'm near .500 percent in my last 10 games

Havlat-Handzus-Vrbata
Corbet-Smolinski-Ruutu
Lapointe-Rheaume-Ortmeyer
Arkhipov-Sharp-Bourque

Seabrooke-Aucoin
Campoli-Kukkonen
Barker-Keith

holydogg · Post by **holydogg** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 4:11 pm

Minty, you'll be happy to know that now i'm playing for .500 and Havlat finally get to his cruising speed.

He scored like 10 goals in last 5 games, not counting assists

Post by **Minstrel** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 4:49 pm

Good to hear. I also wanted to mention to not underestimate Colin Fraser who is in the system. If you give him some time at the AHL level centering a decent line he always puts up really stong numbers, he's young like most of the team but a good guy to have in the system as you can never have enough competent centers

I'm moving this thread to our Stories Forum and you can keep us up to date on how your team is going

holydogg · Post by **holydogg** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 1:16 am

I finally got Ethan Moreau!!

Thank you Kevin Lowe to had waived him
The next step it's to get a nice offensive minded left-winger and a solid defensive center

All the rest is to wait for my young guns to develop

holydogg · Post by **holydogg** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 3:47 pm

well my slovakian GM is now also GM of Sweden Juniors!

I've offer to Kevin Constantine to lead the team hehe

Post by **joehelmer** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 3:49 pm

holydogg wrote:well my slovakian GM is now also GM of Sweden Juniors!

I've offer to Kevin Constantine to lead the team hehe

It's great to sign star coaches like that to national teams. In Italy I got Mike Crawford and more.

Sweden U20 is a very hard team to managem they don't got those star juniors like Russia, so Russia use to win all the tournaments, when Canada isn't playing.

Post by **joehelmer** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 1:07 pm

joehelmer wrote:It's great to sign star coaches like that to national teams. In Italy I got Mike Crawford and more.

I meant Marc Crawford.

Devils88 · Post by **Devils88** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 2:05 pm

i see vrbata has climbed from 2nd to first line

he's a real cheap goal-scoring machine if he has a good center (Handzus)

i always look to get Robyn Regehr for the defense. Calgary sure wants something in return, but he's worth every penny, since a d-man with his caliber is only making 1.9mio (for next 2 seasons), also he's a good captain.

role players will be available the whole season from waivers or from the trading block. i tried almost everyone for my fourth line but really no one came near a 7.0 average rating over 20 games. household names for checking line are:
Blair Betts, Jay Pandolfo, Jeff Halpern (expensive), Chris Kelly, Jed Ortmeyer, Ryan Hollweg (Master of stupid penalties),
Ethan Moreau (1,2mio.), Jarret Stoll and the expensive man himself John Madden

holydogg · Post by **holydogg** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 3:39 pm

At the trade deadline, I had made some roaster modification. I get Marc Staal for Ben Shutron, traded away Lapointe for Dylan Hunter and I have a ton of 4th and 5th round draft pick. A bit earlier, I got Pettinger for a marginal prospect

Devils88 wrote:i see vrbata has climbed from 2nd to first line
he's a real cheap goal-scoring machine if he has a good center (Handzus)

My first line rock the league, Havlat and Vrbata are going to get at least 50 goals each, Handzus a 80-90 pts season. My team win or lose depending if they are wonderful or just good during a game.

My second line suck, smolinski and ruutu are going only to get 40-50 pts season. Ive tried many left winger with them, Corbet, Lapointe, Arkhipov, Salmelainen, Holmqvist. For now Pettinger is their winger, but i'm waiting next season and try a rookie with them, Hunter or Toews. Or I'd love to grab Jason Blake if he's not signed with NYI

I'm not sure if I sign Smolinski or not. He's not extravagantly overpaid, but my AHL is full of good youngsters.

Jed Ortmeyer is now a Alternate Captain with Lasse Kukkoken, and is a good prospect for stepping in when Aucoin will be gone

Post by **Minstrel** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 6:57 pm

Don't forget to get Istomin into your system before the transfer deadline btw. He has 28 points in 32 games for me so far as an AHL 3rd liner so that's pretty good

He needs some development time as he's still really young but he's a fun one to watch.

holydogg · Post by **holydogg** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:54 pm

season one = over

I've finished last but there is some good points:

Aucoin finished first in Bodychecks, he's mister virility

Ortemeyer finished second in blocked shots, despites he had only played 62 games
Havlat and Vrbata get respectively 45 and 44 goals
Handzus was in the league's elite for faceoff (maybe sixth or so..)

11 of my players will play at World Championship (so half my team is at "international" level

)

Now i'm wondering who i will draft first.....

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 10:43 pm

Devils88 wrote:Ryan Hollweg (Master of stupid penalties)

I always get Hollweg for my team. He's fast, scores sometimes, and goons it up. I had him spend the first couple weeks of my most recent season looking for fights with everyone. He's a penalty machine when you set fighting to "encouraged".

holydogg · Post by **holydogg** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 4:21 am

I get the 1st draft pick overall, my choice: Logan Couture, more balanced than Zach Hamill. I've made him play another year in junior.

I didn't sign any major players during the off-season. Only two young d-men for adding depth in this position.

So my line-up looks like:

havlat-handzus-vrbata -> still going strong
arkhipov-ruutuu-bilodeau -> trying some combinations, this one seems workable
pettinger-smolinski-ortmeyer -> checking-line. smolinski plays on the PP also
moreau-sharp-m.keith

bourque and corbet are playing regularly in the 3rd and 4th line, replacing any depth players getting 5 avg
Bourque, Pettinger, Sharp, Arkhipov and Corbet are in theirs last-year contracts. 1 or 2 will be re-signed, the others spots will be for Bolland, Toews, Hunter and cie.

Seabrooks-Aucoin
Barker-Kukkonen
Campoli-Keith

Vandermeer is my 7th d-man

I sent Marc Staal in the AHL for the season. I prefer him playing all the game there than splitting ice-time with barker, keith and campoli. Kukkonen or Vandermeer (maybe both) will not be re-signed so he'll have a spot next year.

At the beginning of the season Salmelainen and Hunter were of the team but I get rid of fast useless Tony and sent Hunter down AHL.

My goalies are still Khabibulin and Caron.

holydogg · Post by **holydogg** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:20 pm

Question for Minstrel or anybody else

How much time it take to my young team to begins to win???
On my second season its even worse, i'm deeply last, even if Ortmeyer blocks like 10 shots, I still lose like 5-3

On the good side, everybody is developping well, nearly all attributes are green, even for veterans

Post by **Shadd666** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 11:22 pm

The most important is that your youngs devellop well

If the results aren't that good yet, it's not a main issue. You have a team to build on a long-term basis.

Take the real life Penguins: a lot of young terrific talent, but actually not on the road to make the playoffs! But in 2-3 seasons, maybe a bit more, they would be serious contenders! Well, only if they can resign their young superstars and if they are not to annoyed with a move to Kansas City, of course

So devellop your youngs, give them ice time, resign them on long contracts if possible (but no DiPietro ones...

), and be patient!

edit: hum...and well... if you're still struggling, it means higher draft pick, and so some new high talented youngs!