EHM The Blue Line

Nope. I'm not making any schoolatar bets this time around. I have no confidence in my abilities with the Coyotes and NTNB.

Do we have a chicken smiley? BWAK BWAK BWAK!!

I am doing NTNB Too chicken boy. Even playing field

Yeah but you've got those voodoo tactics. I've just got a functioning power play... if it works with this team. Call me chicken all you like but I don't have a good feeling about this one, at least not for the first few seasons.

Ah I see. Maybe my voodoo tactics are all just bluster..I mean people say I am full of it all over the place.

BWAK BWAK

Well you are full of it... but that doesn't change the fact that you've seemed to discover some insanely effective tactics.

I won't go for NTNB, as I'm not so good at challenges yet.

At least you're participating, Joe. That's why we made the option. This way people can pick which way they want to play it.

I kept both Wayne and Keith, I figured Keith should be fine for scouting the opposition. I had trouble finding decent scouts in general though, that might end up hurting in the long run as I'm going NTNB as well. One scout should be plenty to watch the draft though, right?

Just finished camp and picked my core players, going to work my way up to the first regular season game now and then see I have have the guts to take the plunge tonight or if it will have to wait until work on Monday.

I have a feeling this isn't going to end well. Hell, I'll be thrilled if we make the playoffs before I'm fired.

I hear you, Marsac! I don't think this is going to end well either. But it'll be a fun ride! Plus, there's a bunch of us that are all in the same boat with NTNB, so it should bring our results back down to Earth. Still, I think by the end of the challenge we'll see all of us with some pretty interesting rosters.

Hard is the word. Difficult is the word. Deadly is the word.

Preseason rankings: 30th.

Only one Coyote in top 10 positions, and it was Derek Morris as a dman? huh? Over jocvocop?

prospect rankings: Mueller did not even make top 10. So dead

But yeah, fun....core up in a minute.

You know what's funny? I got a false sense of hope for a little bit there when I was doing really well in preseason games. Then I came to my senses and realized that I am not going to be so lucky in the regular season.

I've actually been somewhat impressed with Ballard in the preseason. I really wasn't expecting much at all out of him. Let's hope he keeps it going into the regular season. I'm also not hating Sjostrom as much as I expected to.

Mueller could make my team. He has 8 points in 7 exhibition games, average rating of 7.8. But no way...need someone for HG down the road. Also, Kaigadorov will make the team, clearly from my core. He is almost a point per game.

Auld has been brilliant in exhibition 4-0-0 2 shutouts, 925 save percentage. 1.25 GAA. Aebischer has been okay.

Not happy with Michalek so far, and not upset with Ballard. Exactly opposite of what I thought.

I've finished all of my preseason games, and ended up 3-3. I won the first 3 with the players I sent to San Antonio, and then proceeded to lose the last 3 with my opening night roster.

I was ranked dead last in the NHL preview, and I didn't have any players listed as a top player in their position. No top prospects either.

Here's my opening night roster:

York-Reinprecht-Doan
Sjostrom-Kaigorodov-Vrbata
Murley-Kapanen-Zigomanis
Gratton-Tjarnqvist-Fischer

Jovanovski-Morris
Ballard-Boynton
Michalek-Helmer

Aebischer
Auld

Aebisher has been better than Auld for me so far. I'm pleased with all of my defensemen except for Helmer (brought him up from the far rather than Yandle's homegrown eligibility. I haven't gotten the best results out of Kaigadorov so far but Reinprecht has been really good.

I'm just finishing up pre-season though. Once I get to the real season I could have totally different results.

Heh. Remarkably similar to what I wanted mine to be except put Mueller in for Gratton, and move him up. I am keeping Pete for a few games before sending him back. Also Doan and Perrault have to sit out two games each for suspensions. ugh. So yeah not so great lineup of:

Mueller-Reinprecht-Vrbata
York-Kaigadorov-Fischer
Sjostrom-Kapanen-Zigomains
Murley-Tjarnqvist-Helmer

Jovo-Morris
Ballard-Boynton
Bell-Michalek

Aebischer
Auld

I'm so happy that I don't have to worry about trading or signing free agents.

I was also ranked #30. I'm guessing most everyone is going to get that if they're playing NTNB... unless one of the computer controlled teams makes some stupid trade or something. None of my players ended up in the top 10's either.

We played 10 preseason exhibition games. I played my regular players in all 10 games because I wanted to use this time to get some chemistry going, get them playing my tactics, and see what I was working with. I had already decided my lines and core before I played my first exhibition game, so I went with them. I invited my unsigned prospects to camp but they just participated in scrimmages. Mueller played in a couple preseason games because Carcillo was injured. Each of my goalies played 5 preseason games. Aebischer was 4-1-0 1.78 GAA .934 SV% and had 1 shutout. Auld was 3-2-0 3.81 GAA and .861 SV%. York was my top goalscorer with 13. Reinprecht lead in both assist (20) and points (31). Ballard lead defensemen in points with 16.

My opening night lineup...

York - Reinprecht - Doan
Carcillo - Kaigadorov - Vrbata
Sjostrom - Zigomanis - Kapanen
Tjaraqvist - Lehoux - Fischer

Ballard - Morris
Jovo - Boynton
Michalek - Helmer

Aebischer
Auld

timmy_t wrote:I'm so happy that I don't have to worry about trading or signing free agents.

Have you noticed that about (when I say about, I'm just throwing out a random figure) 75% of the players on the team's contracts are up at the end of the season? We should have the funds to re-sign them but I wonder if we'll have anyone not wanting to re-sign?

As for UFA's, I'm sure you've noticed that Selanne starts the game as a UFA. That's one of the reasons why we had no UFA signings in the first season for the non-NTNB players.

Uggh! This kills me. I see Rhett Warrener waived and think about how much he could help my defense.

Matt Schneider for me. And about 20 other guys who are way better than the rubbish I have. Oh well...

LOL! Yeah, I'm thinking about half the guys waived by team (never mind the ones put on the block) would make nice additions to this team.

And it looks like I'm actually going to get to play my first regular season game before I go home today. I might even get in a couple.

CatchUp copied me!!! Now if he only new my tactics he too could start off

1-0-1 with 2 shutouts for Aebischer. A 2-0 win, and a 0-1 shootout loss.

Oh boy!! The offense has tons of power without Doan.

Well, I got two games in the books before it was time to go home. I ended up actually starting Auld in the first game instead of Aebischer because Aeb's condition dropped to 84% for some reason. So Auld got the start and we beat the Islander 4-1. Next game Aebischer got the start and we lost 4-3. Maybe Auld will steal the starting job?

Carcillo is already annoying me. I put him in a grinder role on the 2nd line LW. He go went out injured with bursitis during training camp for 10 days. He comes back to play the first regular season game and the same thing happens! Same injury, same length. So I'm playing with a short roster for a few games.

I can't wait to get back at this challenge this weekend!

Don't worry about not being able to grab players put on the block with the NTNB Normal rules state you are not allowed to make a trade before October 15th, so we're all in the same boat on this point

Waivers are another story though... Aren't they? (It won't change anything for me... Nothing moves before february, then sell, the rebuild the team)

batdad wrote:CatchUp copied me!!! Now if he only new my tactics he too could start off

1-0-1 with 2 shutouts for Aebischer. A 2-0 win, and a 0-1 shootout loss.

Oh boy!! The offense has tons of power without Doan.

I did? *goes to look*

Hey now, I picked Reinprect over Michalek, so technically, uh, I didn't copy you.

I just picked the best players.

.....

I was also ranked dead last in the Season Preview and had no players/prospects in the top tens.

Pre-season went pretty well though. Went 6-1. Lost to the Sens 3-2 on a last minute goal by Heatley. Outscored opponents in preseaon 34-12.

Best forward was Reinprect with 4G-10A, +5, 9.00 Rating
Best D was Morris with 4G-2A, +4, 8.43 Rating
Aebischer won the right to start on opening night putting up wins in all 4 games he started. 1.23 GAA and .946 SV%. 8.75 Rating.

Jovocop and Zigomanis are going to be on the IR for the first 10 days of the year so opening night lineup is as follows:

York-Reinprect-Doan
Sjostrom-Kaigorodov-Vrbata
Gratton-Perrault-Fischer
Tjarnqvist-Redenbach-Kapanen

Ballard-Morris
Michalek-Boynton
Jones-Yandle

Aebischer-Auld

This is hands down the worst roster I have ever started a season with.