EHM The Blue Line

Let's see if I have the attention span to do this...

I'm going to start up a new game with the Edinbrough Capitals of the EIHL. I have virtually no experience with leagues outside of North America, so I'm not really sure what I'm getting into.

Edit: Could someone with the appropriate powers move this to the stories and records forum.

OK, here we go...

First up I looked over what the preceding regime had called a coaching staff. After the fits of laughter subsided I hit the ol' Rolodex and started throwing money around. I wound up with what I'd have to call the best staff in the EIHL, probably ever.

I signed longtime NHL veteran Ryan Walter as the new head coach. Walter played 15 seasons in the NHL, winning the Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1986. Assisting Walter will be another former Hab, Craig Ludwig. Ludwig played 16 seasons in the NHL, winning Cups with Montreal and Dallas. Yet another former Canadien, Steve Shutt, was signed as an assistant. Shutt played 14 years in the NHL, mostly with the Montreal dynasty team of the 70's, winning five Cups. A relative unknown on the new staff is goalie coach Shane Clifford. Clifford runs the Shane Clifford Goalie School and has worked with ECHL, AHL, WHL and NHL teams.

With all the real talent coming in I had no real use for holdover Adam French. French had little to nothing in terms of talent to offer, so he was given bus fare and a burned copy of the new Justin Timberlake album in thanks for his services to the team.

I also hired, gasp, a scout and a trainer, two positions not thought highly of in the EIHL from what I can tell. I think the Capitals are the only team in the league with either.

The apparent big name signing to the roster, if fan reaction is any indication, is Louis Philippe Martin. Martin is a 21 year old winger from Montreal, Quebec. He was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the 9th round in 1999, after playing his junior hockey with Baie Comeau of the QMJHL, racking up 282 points in 255 games. To make room for Martin I had to release 34 year old Slovakian Andrej Rajcak.

My other signings failed to generate much interest, so I figure they're just roster filler:

RW John Dolan
C Warren Tait
LW/C Andy Samuel
W Robin Davison
RW Tony Redmond

The 2006-07 Edinburgh Capitals

September Update:

This team sucks.

We opened the season with a 4-3 loss to the Vipers, followed by another 4-3 loss to the Vipers in Cup play (someone care to explain this Cup thing to me?), then managed a 3-2 win over the Stingrays before rounding out the month with a 6-5 OT loss to Phoenix.

ARGH!!!

It appears I'm going to have to go uber-simple in my tactics just on the basis of having nearly no talent on the roster. If your guys can't pass, skate or shoot there isn't much point in trying to get fancy.