Challenge #37 Discussion - Blowing Up The Canucks!

[Peter_Doherty]

Have you tried Shinkaruk for an extended period of time? He is AMAZING as my 3rd line LW, a bit streaky but always a good rating.

[bruins72]

Nope. I don't know that I've tried him much at all. Bartschi, Pearson, and Krieder are my top 3 RWs. I've got Kenins as my 4th and he's surprisingly productive there. I just haven't had the need/room to try out Shinkaruk. He just doesn't look all that special either.

[Peter_Doherty]

He hasn't developed his attributes much for me but he just plays out of his mind, 37+29 as my 3LW and on my PP2, 7.58 Av R my last season... 21+22 his rookie season with less PP-time, 7.27 Av R

[stone169]

So for the first time, since taking over this team, the Vancouver Canucks have finally qualified for the playoffs in the 7th season thanks to a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators in game #80.

[Peter_Doherty]

Gratz stone Ur getting there.

[batdad]

Wow; Radiskull has some amazing defensive stats (with offense) in season 5. He allowed 1 goal less than me in the 2nd quarter. Impressed! He is 1 win ahead of me in the standings as well at 37-1-2 and I am 36-2-2. I am not looking ahead at his stats and numbers. So please do not post them here.

[bruins72]

And in season 4 we finally win our 1st Stanley Cup! We faced Calgary in the Western FInals and took them down in 5 games. The Lightning won the East and they were a MUCH tougher challenge to face. They took us a full 7 games before we were finally able to win the series.

[stone169]

Lost in the 1st round to the Blackhawks. Was down 3 -1 in the series and managed to take it all the way to 7 games. Lost Demko late in the 1st period of game 7. Sawchenko did well, but in the end Chicago scored with 1:37 left to go in the game beating the boys 1-0 in game 7.

What kind of ref hands out a tripping penalty with less 4 minutes to go in a game 7 with the scored tied 0-0? I'll tell you who does that. Kimmerly does that. I guess he had something more important to do. Maybe he had a hot date. I don't know.

Kimmerly now the most hated man in Vancouver.

[bruins72]

So I had my draft. I had a lot of picks in this draft. I had 2 1sts, 2 2nds, 2 3rds, and 2 6ths (plus my normal 1 pick in rounds 4,5, and 7). Of course my two 1st round picks were at the end of the round. I had our pick (#30) and the Bruins' pick (#29). Still, I was fairly pleased with what I got... even though it's unlikely I'll play this save long enough to see any of them enter the NHL. I got Layne Kubiak with the #29 pick. He's a nice 2-way player. He's got an okay shot, nice passing, and some really good defensive attributes. He's really poor on Anticipation and Creativity though. Also, he's a smurf, measuring in at only 5'9" 174 lbs. My other 1st rounder was Miroslav Visnak. He's an offensive winger. He's abysmal defensively but he's got really nice offensive skills. My scouts (depending on which scout you ask) compare him to Kovalchuk or Brock McGinn.

Awards came around. Lindgren won the Calder, as I expected he would. Two of my other rookies were the runners up, Chychrun and Merkley. Nice showing by my youth! Silvferberg was a runner up for the Byng. My coach, Guy Boucher won the Adams. Tarasenko won the Smythe with Bartschi as his runner up. My 3 rookie studs all made the All Rookie Team. Surprisingly, Tarasenko did not make 1st or 2nd All Star Team, even though he was 3rd in goals with 51.

[visualdarkness]

He hasn't developed his attributes much for me but he just plays out of his mind, 37+29 as my 3LW and on my PP2, 7.58 Av R my last season... 21+22 his rookie season with less PP-time, 7.27 Av R

What?!
I have him in the lineup now (season five) and he is minus, barely scares any points and is a sub 7.00 by a mile.

[Peter_Doherty]

He hasn't developed his attributes much for me but he just plays out of his mind, 37+29 as my 3LW and on my PP2, 7.58 Av R my last season... 21+22 his rookie season with less PP-time, 7.27 Av R

What?!
I have him in the lineup now (season five) and he is minus, barely scares any points and is a sub 7.00 by a mile.

LOL, really? He drives my 3rd line, was close to winning Conn Smythe when i won my first cup aswell

[visualdarkness]

Well, I suck as a coach so don't use my lack of success as a measurement.

[bruins72]

Different players see to work better with different coaching styles and tactics it seems. I would also think that linemates factor in as well.

[Peter_Doherty]

Different players see to work better with different coaching styles and tactics it seems. I would also think that linemates factor in as well.

Definitely agree with this, but in my case Shinkaruk was the driving force on my 3rd line, he's had Girgensons/Horvat/Samuelsson/A bunch of other guys as his C and Virtanen on his RW, hardly world beaters

[jesterx7769]

I just wanted to check in real quick to say that Bruins was right about player value. If you put them on trade block/say they arent needed it hurts their value

The first time I did the challenge I was having a hard time getting things for the guys and nowhere near some of the other reported trades. I actually won the draft lottery too, but that seemed like cheating so I restarted since I made some other mistakes too

Second time around I have not put anyone on trade block/changed player status and am getting lots more

edit: Finally done with trades and drafts of season "1" (.5)!


Edler & Sedinds for Mantha and Mrazek
Hamhuis and Higgs for Saad
Burrows and Miller for Dougie Hamilton
Bieksa and Vrbata for Morgan Rielly
Hansen for Despres

[visualdarkness]

Edler & Sedinds for Mantha and Mrazek
Hamhuis and Higgs for Saad
Burrows and Miller for Dougie Hamilton
Bieksa and Vrbata for Morgan Rielly
Hansen for Despres

That is so much better than I did! I wasted a trade on Lehner too.

[bruins72]

Nice trades, Jester!

[visualdarkness]

Nice trades, Jester!

Yeah, some of the best I've seen in this thread. I can see all of the players staying with the team for many seasons.

[m0fownz0r]

Somewhat offtopic but for the life of me I can't seem to find an action shots pack for the NHL. All I see is some packs for the lower levels, nothing for NHL. Can someone point me in the right direction?

[visualdarkness]

I'm having trouble finding the time to finish the season, but maybe tonight, tomorrow or on monday if I'm lucky.

[jesterx7769]

Thanks guys. I tried to go after real life trade targets as I've been playing EHM more realistic like Bruins always says(Saad/Hamilton/Despres have all been traded IRL and Mantha has been rumored since Wings drafted him)

as I mentioned not messing with the guys status' raised their value. The first time I made the same traded to Wings but couldn't get Mrazek, so I got Mantha & Sheahan. But not saying a player is "not needed" and not putting Sedinds on trade block increased their value a bit. I also did not go after any additional draft picks like most people did, only focused on getting players.

[Chayne55]

This is my first Challenge! Loving it and didn't know this existed till now. Just about to start the first season but this is my off season work!

Re-signed: R. Stanton, S. Matthias, A. Grenier, R. Kennis, S. Bartschi, L. Vey, H. Tommernes, J. Eriksson, J. Markstrom, A. Clendening, J. Subban, C. Cassels, N. Tryamkin, A. Cederholm, P. Andersson, J. McCann, and J. Virtanen.
Released: J Cantana cause he wanted to be traded.

Trades:
R. Miller to EDM for O. Klefbom
D. Hamhuis to EDM for N. Yakupov and 3rd Picks
A. Edler to TOR for N. Kadri
K. Bieska & C. Higgins to WSH for A. Burakovsky
H. Sedin & D. Sedin CBS for 1st, 2nd, 2nd & 3rd round pick
J. Hansen to ARI for 3rd & 3th picks
R. Vrbata to BOS for M. Subban
A. Burrows to FLA for 3rd
 
Staff: Hired: J. Quenneville as head coach, C. Julien as assistant coaches, L. Lamoriello as Assist GM, P. Prucher and B. Dineen as scouts, and J. Blatherwick as Physio
Fired: L. Gilman, R. Rolston, R. Takahashi, D. Lidster, E. Crawford
 
Drafted: M. Marner 12th, O. Kylington 18th, I. Provorov 36th, J. Roy 42nd, R. Kovacs 48th, J. Lindgren, J. Eriksson Ek 67th, J. Looke 73rd, A. Jamieson 75th, B. Robinson 88th, D. Timashov 102nd, A. Dostie 132rd, B. Prophet 147th, D. MacIntyre 162nd.
 
Exhibition trial Lineup:
Bartschi-Bonino-Yakupov
Burakovsky-Kadri-Jensen
Horvat-Matthias-Virtanen
Shinkaruk-Vey-Kassian
 
Klefbom-Tanev
Stanton-Weber
Tommernes-Sbisa
Andersson-Clendening
 
Lack-Markstrom

[Chayne55]

I have been promoted as strongest cup contender. Ha ha

1. Vancouver Canucks-MVP: Cory Conache, Key Arrival: Nazem Kadri
2. Detriot Red Wings
3. Winnipeg Jets
4. New York Rangers

Ect.

[jesterx7769]

...yeah so I think this was my worst Q1 ever in a challenge. 3 wins!

Was hoping to make the playoffs but lots of injuries
- Cal O'Rielly out 3 months with ACL
- Morgan Rielly out 3 months with ACL
- Hamilton misses 8 games out of 20 after winning DPOTW
- Mrazek misses 7 games, who while not good is not nearly as terrible as Markstrom (garbage)

My first line is doing fine and about at point per game pace, but my PK is terrible and giving up goals like its our job

I couldn't find a good Center trade so I decided that would be my weak point and I would address it in Season 2, but its hurting big time. Acton is my 2nd line C with a 5.5 rating, ouch
we'll see how the rest goes but Q1 was an eye opener.

[outdooral]

Slowly moving into season 2.Made a few trades to get rid of some dead wood.
Mathias to Wash for E Kuznetsov,
Lack to Carolina for and 2nd rnd pick
Dorsett and Cal OReilly to Columbus for Marko Dano.
Hoping this helps the weak center position