EHM The Blue Line

tksolway wrote:

visualdarkness wrote:Once again I get to face Canucks in the first round of the PO's. They have totally crushed me in the regular season and defeated me last years PO's 4 - 0 games. My hope's as low as it can be...

The nucks are way overpowered in Lidas' rosters, they always make it into at least the Conference finals for the first 3-4 years of my games unless someone steals Luongo from them.

yup in my game to. when they lost Luongo they signed Miller insteed and are still a very good team in my game

They always kept Loungo for me, well went UFA but only signs with the 'nucks dispite the other teams great offers.

I really hate that guy in EHM (1st round, 7th game of the PO's):
http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/6493 ... hot125.gif

Okay, season 2 is over for me. Finished 7th in the conference after regular season. We were on the 5th spot when there was 13 games left and we were over 10 points ahead of the 9th seeded team, so I thought that we were securely on the playoff spot. I guess the players thought the same and just stopped playing. In the next 10 games we had just one win and suddenly it was a tight fight for the last playoff spots between us and 3 other teams. We managed to win the last 3 games and achieved this season goal to make it to the playoffs.

In round one we played against Ducks, who we won 4-1. In second round we were up against Avalanche who won the President trophy. It was a tight series but we managed to win it 4-3. The conferemce final was against Canucks, who had swept the Flames in the first round and won the Red Wings 4-1. We really struggled against them in the regular season, we only managed to win one out of the 8 games we had against them. So I didn't really have my hopes up considering the series and I was very satisfied with the team getting this far. We won the first game 3-2 and when preparing to the second game I noticed that Luongo had had an injury in practice and was out for ten days. That planted a thought that we actually might have a chance in the series. But then when the series continued I experienced my first playoff scheduling bug. After game 5 was done, I should have won the series 4-1 like it was in my schedule but the in the game preview it said that Canucks led the series 3-2. I still managed to win the next two games and qualified to the Stanley Cup final after winning the serie 6-1

The Stanley Cup finals were against Penguins and although I lost Halak for a week with an injury in the last Canucks game, we won the series 4-2 and were crowned as the Stanley Cup champions!!

It was a really big suprise to win the Cup in the second season, as I had a goal to reach the playoffs this year and winning the Cup was on my mind for the 3rd season. Halak was just a beast in the playoffs, so even though I had my doubts about him, he did show me that he is capable of being a real starting goalie

By the way, Springfield won the Calder Cup so two cups for the organization this year.

So off to a weak draft then...

The first set of twenty games for season two were alot better than season one for sure but there were quite a few one goal games that I would have liked to atleast pick up a point in. Right now I only have two minus players on the roster while last season I had like two plus players so even strength play seems to be working well enough. If I could just get the PP clicking at around 20% instead of 15% I like my chances of a playoff run. Or I could get my PK up to batdadesque numbers I suppose but that's not going to happen, I plain suck at making PK tactics and I'm happy anytime I'm above 80%.

I'm having trouble keeping my fourth line centers happy so I've been juggling O'Marra and Brule. I also recently switched to Even forward usage so I'm hoping that will help.

I had some disappointments and some surprises at the awardcermony:

Souray - Surprisingly won Hart Memorial and won the Norris by huge margin. Thanks me for both trophies

Jonas Gustavsson - Should really have been nominated for Calder, screwed up nominations. Was chosen as the goalie for the Rookie All-star team at least.

Moreau - Took home Selke for secont year in a row, but don't want to re-sign with me

Hemsky - His 59 goals brought him the "Rocket" by margin! Also was the runner-up for Plus-Minus.

Luongo has no team in my game in Nov year 2.

If he's still unemployed in the next summer, throw a $2M contract offer at him and see if he bites.

bruins72 wrote:If he's still unemployed in the next summer, throw a $2M contract offer at him and see if he bites.

O'yeah, batdads defensive tactics with Luongo in the net. I don't even want to think about the outcome..

eternium85 wrote:

bruins72 wrote:If he's still unemployed in the next summer, throw a $2M contract offer at him and see if he bites.

O'yeah, batdads defensive tactics with Luongo in the net. I don't even want to think about the outcome..

82 Shootouts

bruins72 wrote:If he's still unemployed in the next summer, throw a $2M contract offer at him and see if he bites.

I was thinking...but not really in the spirit of the challenge for me. I won't bring in Roberto.

Anyway, 20 games year 2 done. Better record by 3 points, 2 goals less for, 4 goals less against. Worse PP, Worse PK, better leader in goals, worse assists, worse points, worse plus minus, worse PIM's,

Safe to say: Not getting much in the way of improvement points.

Season is good. Galimov has been called up and is playing well. Roy is playing in minors, and Bjurling is out on loan to Adirondack. Dubnyk steals all the starts in Springfield for some reason, so Roy has been sent to Stockton for now. May change that up.

I am really liking what Mikhnov is bringing me. He has played on all 3 lines for me filling in for injury. He always averages at least 7. In 17 games with 14 min of ice he is 4-4-8 with 7.5 rating. Seems to be happy on 3rd line with no PP time. I am giving him some occasionally. O'Sullivan: Scored 10 goals in first 9 games. Has 1 since then. Hate that guy.

Second season Draft:
Round/Pick

1/17 - Alexander Khokhlachev: Skiilled offensive RW with almost every stat above 10 and good hockey sense, but only 8 in consistensy. Second in my prospect pool after Pääjärvi and projected to become a more talented Hejduk.

2/47 - Viktor Mångs: HUGE d-man (200cm, 93kg at 18). Defensive d-man with decent skill allover. Projected as a 7th but he is ruling the Swedish 4th division and I feel that he got a good shot at making my team in the future.

3/77 - Brett Richie: The big hard-hitting two-way 3rd-line RW a so desperately want.

4/107 - Carter Sandlak: A 5cm shorter worser LW variant of Richie. Could make a physical fourth-line.

4/113 - Cary McIntosh: Heavy third pairing D-man who got good stats in some important skills but at the same time brutal in other. Needs a lot of development to even out his game. 4-5 in hitting, consistency, positioning, both shoots ain't gonna make it.

5/137 - Stanislav Kalashnikov - Small offensive 5-6 D-man who skates well and (ironically) got a cannon of a slapper. Looks like a much worse Vishnovsky and can become a defensive liability.

6/167 - Miroslav Preisinger: 20 year old 3rd-line center from Slovakia. Well-rounded game with a slight knack for offense.

7/197 - Jonathan Jasper - Looked for an enforcer and found Jasper. Big aggressive 7th D-man who actually got some other talents outside agitating. I will test him, but need to higher his 4 in positioning.


Summary: Key-word, BIG! I want to build a team around my tactics and need those big mean forecheckers and some bulk in my own end as most of my current D-men are offensive-minded. I'm surprised how well the draft looks at the moment, hopefully it will still look so in the future.

batdad wrote:I am really liking what Mikhnov is bringing me. He has played on all 3 lines for me filling in for injury. He always averages at least 7. In 17 games with 14 min of ice he is 4-4-8 with 7.5 rating. Seems to be happy on 3rd line with no PP time. I am giving him some occasionally.

Mikhnov is a must to try to get in every season I play, he never fails. He was playing at the top line for the latter half of the season and is one the biggest reasons I managed to sneak in to the PO's.

Never liked Mikhanov any time I got him, he never spent more than 2 seasons with me since he started wanting lots o; money.

Two exciting trades on the table as I really want to get rid of Comrie and O'Sullivan before their contract ends and I'äm not interested in resigning them:

Comrie + O'Sullivan for Barret Jackman + Ian Cole

- Gives me serious mean-streak for my soft D-core and as a bonus a prospected 1-2 D-man. Also may free up one spot for this season.

Comrie + O'Sullivan for Mark Stuart + Jussi Jokinen

- One of the better young stay-at-home in the league plus a goalscoring RW who hopefully performs better than the ones that leave.

I choose the Jackman one, but Blues caller it off!
Now it's the 13th and I have to get another trade accepted tomorrow if a want to make it before the deadline...

Eve 14th July
Got three options now.

Comrie + O'Sullivan for:

Väänänen + Mikko Koskinen
or
Kesler + O'Brien
or
Mark Stuart + Jussi Jokinen


Should I make a move? I can't decide.
Tough choice, tough indeed...

I don't know. I think I'd want more for Comrie and O'Sullivan. If I were to take one of those deals I'd either take Kesler & O'Brien or Stuart & Jokinen, probably leaning towards the Stuart & Jokinen deal. I like the idea of getting Kesler but O'Brien isn't that great.

i got price for o sullivan

thats the kind of deals u should try get for o sullivan. hes a 100point player who can play many places and are young and cheap. dont let him go to easy

Ready to head into the 4th season, I hopefully will win the SC this year - FINALLY

I managed only to win 3 games against the Flames last year, due to some injuries....

This preseason i made some good roster changes, I think at least....

Horcoff + Hemsky for Malkin + Tyler Kennedy

and aquired Gaustad for 2M$ as UFA, the only really weak point is the defense right now, but they developed a lot last year

D-men in the 4th season:

Souray - Gilbert
Grebeshkov - Shattenkirk
Smid - Fowler
Johns (31st overall in the 2007 draft) = developing very good in Springfield, next yar he will be ready

I am really happy about having traded Visnovsky last year, because he retired in the preseason

PP should be great with Malkin, Stastny and Pääjärvi as well as Pk where I am hoping for some SHG (thinking about playing the PK line with Stastny and Malkin offensively, we'll see how they do....)

I am also a bit concerned about my 4th line: NIlsson - Gagner - Brule, I hope they won't be unhappy about little icetime, I will push them really hard in training, they will be much toooo tired to complain about icetime

Last years trophies: Stastny: 1st Art Ross, 2nd Hart, 2nd Pearson, 1. +/- /// Souray: 1st Masterson // Shattenkirk: 2nd Calder /// Moreau: 1st Selke /// Gilbert: 3rd Norris

I don't know why most of you put Gilbert on the 2nd line, I think that if he's well developed he fits into the first D-pairing, and Pääjärvi is just awesome, last year he would have battled for the Art Ross and Rocket trophies if he wasn't injured the last 15-20 games...

Ahh, finally Springfield was able to win the Calder Cup, once again against Peoria, finishing them 4-0 (total record of 16-0-1 in playoffs)

One problem I am facing now is the salary cap, having too many overpayed RWs (Penner 4.9M and O'Sully 3.6M) and Souray ofc (5.5M)

Do you have similar troubles or do you give a lot of prospects a chance in the NHL?

Heading to win the SC!!!!

I just finished the regular season in year 2. We finished 2nd in the Western Conference. We were tied with the Red Wings for the most points (113) but they had more wins than us (we had more OTLs). The Red Wings won the President's Trophy.

We're facing the Ducks in the first round!

Ooooh! A couple games into the first round and the Red Wings lose Turco for 4 months with a UCL tear. This is good for our team if we beat the Ducks.

Beat the Ducks in 5 games. Now I've got the Flames in the second round. I hate the Flames. My Oilers have such a hard time with them. I'm a bit nervous.

Decided to wait to trade them away, but I badly need at least one defensive player.

As I said before I usually play as Oilers in my games so I got some bias against some players I can't get to perform. Having either Comrie, Nilsson or Sully above 7.00 for a season is a big surprise for me, usually they get stuck at around 6.50.

I guess I'm a bad tactician and is stuck using proved tactical systems and adapts the players for them. No Jack Adams for me.

visualdarkness wrote:Decided to wait to trade them away, but I badly need at least one defensive player.

As I said before I usually play as Oilers in my games so I got some bias against some players I can't get to perform. Having either Comrie, Nilsson or Sully above 7.00 for a season is a big surprise for me, usually they get stuck at around 6.50.

I guess I'm a bad tactician and is stuck using proved tactical systems and adapts the players for them. No Jack Adams for me.

I can totally understand you having issues with Nilsson. I can't get anything out of him. Same goes for Pisani. Comri and O'Sullivan have been good for me though. In the regular season, O'Sullivan has had two 100 point seasons for me with AvRs of 7.95 and 7.74. Comrie has given me two 90 point seasons with AvRs of 7.62 and 7.51.

In my second year trade I traded Hemsky and Nilsson for Malkin. Gotta love that trade, but that put O'Sullivan into the first line, I've never had any problem with him producing in this game, so I have no problem keeping him around. Unfortunatley Penner wanted more than 6mil a season when his contract came up (and he was only willing to accept a single season deal), so I just let him go to free agency. It was a good move, since I have been able to move Paajarvi to the first line left wing (at times) and he has been doing great. The extra money I didn't have to spend on him allowed me to keep my expensive blue line together, which has payed dividends. However, I think next season's trade will see Vishnovsky shipped out, not nessesarily because he's been playing badly, simply that he's getting up there in age, and I need to get rid of both salary and make room for an up and coming first round defenseman pick.