Currently entering my fourth season with the Penguins
I won Stanley in my first two seasons but lost it last season to Edmonton. I was slightly throwing it then as I felt like a threepeat was greedy and therefore didn't bother keeping on top of what was happening in game, or the fact I had my unit tactics switched off - oops - but by gad, I will be back after that glorious drinking vessel like a mad man next season. In retrospect, trading away Ian Cole before the deadline as I didn't like his new contract demands was a little hot headed.
I've finalised my roster for next season and it will be
Fleury - Murray
Maatta-Letang
Krug-Sustr
Koekkoek-Marincin
(Green -Corrado as reserves)
Hoffman-Crosby-Kessel
Forsberg-Malkin-Puljujarvi
Tlusty-Namestnikov-Donskoi
Helm-Kruger-Rust
Archibald as forward reserve - the game really rates him for some reason.
I got Poolparty after trading Kunitz for Anaheim's first got really, really lucky. This will be Luke Green's first season with the big team and I'm pretty excited as he looks like a beast.
My big trades were Hoffman (cost me Clendening, Sprong and my 2nd), Krug (cost me rights to Josh Paterson, Greg Meireles, Ian Blacker and 2 2nds (mine and Colorado's)) and Forsberg (Pouliot, Bennett, Bonino, rights to Adam Tilander and Thomas Carriere, and 1st and 3rd). In retrospect, Forsberg was maybe vanity/madness, but it did help Sid put up a 100 point season, which was fun, so.... then again, no Pouliot possibly cost me Stanley last year. I feel like I've done a decent job of rebuilding my defence though, so fingers crossed it holds.
Should be a good season. Might try playing around a bit more with spreading the attacking talent to create a more deadly machine.
Of course, the real fun starts at the end of this coming season as Koekkoek, Forsberg and Poolparty are all due raises, and I ain't sure where this cap space is coming from, short of possibly waving a fond farewell to Fleury... and then the season after all the big Pittsburgh contracts are up... let the good times roll
