Blackhawks Challenge 9.1 and 9.2 discussion thread

Post by **Danny** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 9:26 am

I had Keith paired with Nieds, he was doing really well. Then again, even I'd do well with Nieds. Without him Keith is just half the player though, he dragged Pothier's +/- down quite a bit

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 2:29 pm

thunderbug wrote:Lalime and Boucher both suck, but in small doses they are ok. Sounds like you are working your guys too hard batdad. I actually have Hamilton down in Norfolk with Bolland, Blunden and co. I am actually disappointed in Blunden. He is 7th on the team in points granted he has played 4 less games then rest because of injury, but he is still under a point a game. Barker actually has more points than Blunden. I know most of you probably have put Keith as a 2nd or 3rd pairing, but I actually put him on the first with Neids. Morrisonn just wasn't getting it done with Neids so I tried Keith out and they have been great together.

Btw, let's see if you guys don't know who the two GMs are.
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa18 ... ourney.jpg

I didn't make Blunden part of my core. I saved him for a potential Homegrown. He needs the icetime down on the farm to develop, IMO.

Cute, Bill & Ted reference as your GM names. I had actually thought about doing Bill and Bob Swerski (let's see if anyone catches that reference!) but didn't think I could pull them off in character well enough for my blog.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 6:53 pm

FINALLY!

Between figuring out my core, hiring and firing staff, making trades, running through the whole preseason, and then blogging everything, plus entering all of my player's attributes into my new spreadsheet so I can track their progress... I am finally ready to play my first regular season game!

thunderbug · Post by **thunderbug** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 9:24 pm

in my game Toronto is having a meltdown, the Marlies last week fired their GM. Today Paul Maurice was fired from the Maple leafs.

Post by **Danny** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 9:26 pm

Heh I fired Babcock by hammering the Wings.
He always gets fired in the first season in my games.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 9:44 pm

Ugggh!

I'm only 3 games into the season and I can clearly see that my goaltending is going to KILL me!

My first game was an Shootout loss. The score was 5-5 at the end of the OT. Not exactly a stellar effort in net by Boucher (who I'll now refer to as The Waterboy). So Lalime get the start in the next game and we win 4-2. That's certainly respectable! So the third game comes along and I start Lalime again. He gives up 4 goals in the first period, so we're going into the second trailing 4-1. I yank Lalime (who I'll now refer to as La-La-La) and throw in The Waterboy. He only lets in 3 more over the next two periods and we lose 7-6. This is NOT good!

I really need one of these goalies to step up and be the man!

Post by **Danny** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 10:20 pm

woohoo Nieds is back after 3 1/2 months

corinthian · Post by **corinthian** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 10:38 pm

Finally i'm set to go. Let's see what my 1st line can do:
Sturm, Connolly, Havlat, Brian Campbell, Brad Stuart & Niittymaki

Find a new house for Khabi was really hard I end up accepting a 2nd pick and Chris Clark.

Post by **Danny** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 10:52 pm

Of course this just had to happen to me

Post by **batdad** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 10:59 pm

Of course it did. 1 second left..26 seconds left. Unless you were losing, shoulda had the 4th line out. Get Hamilton his ice time you know

Post by **Danny** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 11:07 pm

Best thing is, I was leading 6-0 at that point

I'm just always to lazy to put the 3rd/4th line out manually

On another note, Boucher does a very good job as backup for me, I give him the odd start and pull Khabbi when I'm down by 3 goals, turned already 3 games for me...well...at least I got into the shootout which I eventually lost.

I'm still only 7-4-3 in my 3rd set of games though

corinthian · Post by **corinthian** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:11 am

Hey Danny!

Bad Luck, man!
How many players have you already lost injuried?
I hope Connolly come back soon.

Hypnotist · Post by **Hypnotist** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 2:17 am

Danny wrote:I'm just always to lazy to put the 3rd/4th line out manually

I didn't know you could do this. Do you mean putting your scrubs on the top line to get them icetime late in a blow out? If not, plz explain. Thanks

Post by **batdad** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 2:27 am

When you are coaching. Pause the game. And then go into tactics and change the lines around in the tactics screen.

Not sure hypnotist, but you are aware you have to technically coach the games in the challenges right? You should be watching each game at least on no-hilites!

But you should "play" every game, not just view or sim.

Oh,,,and BTW--Your roster choices look fine! Best of luck!

kuulapaa · Post by **kuulapaa** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 8:47 am

I knew getting started would take time but I couldn't imagine it would take so much time. It took me four more or less full days

. Have to admit too that I had to restart but I had a problem. I took over Norfolk too when starting the game and tried to get coaching staff to both in the same time and I couldn't get anyone to take head coaching of Blackhawks! Ftorek who normally takes the job without thinking refused two or three times but was out there free. I raised my offer but it didn't help. And no, I didn't offer him job from Norfolk too. So anyway I started over.

I have a confession to make too. After all that talk of always getting the same guys I traded for ... Marleau

Yea, I know but I just couldn't help it while there was no other center even nearly as good to get. And I got Michalek too for Handzus, Cullimore and Lalime - all the guys I was getting rid of anyway. And I was getting Niittymäki too but I hadn't the nerve to taking him after Marleau. There was also a preseason game against Coyotes before confirming the deal and I would have given Vrbata (and some scrub) for Niittymäki. So I promised to Vrbata that if he plays well in the game I won't trade him to Flyers. I put him in the second line and he scored 2+0 and got rated full 10. So I cancelled the deal and made a deal with Rangers instead where I got Kevin Weekes and rights to some 19-year D-man Koverko for Salmelainen and Richmond. And the third major deal was giving Khabi (and the rights of J-M Juutilainen) to Bruins for Sturm and B. Stuart. Now I have the old Sharks together again and everybody's happy. And, for the record, I haven't played all my games with Marleau (or Niittymäki), so it is OK for me to take them if I want, isn't it?

BTW, I'm thinking to keep my guys playing well by telling them time to time that unless they don't I'll trade them to Flyers. Cruel, but it works

Post by **CatchUp** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 10:01 am

Whew - thanks kuulapaa! The pressure is off, I can trade for whoever I want.

With kuulapaa trading for Marleau and B72 taking Michalek and Hannan - I'm free from being razzed if I decide to take any Sharks! Plus, Lidas traded for Heatley before I did (I haven't pulled the trigger yet) meaning HE is the one copying batdad and not me! AHAHAA! I'm free from abuse for this whole Challenge! Incredible!

I'm still sitting in mid-September, weighing my trade options. I'll be fine with the core I decided on - I think Aucoin is going to turn out to be very solid on the back end.

I've got a trade worked out with Flames that will bring in D help and Nilson, who I've never had before. Then I've got the Heatley trade stewing and a few more minor deals. I think I could end up trading both of my high salary guys - Khabi and Havlat. Ottawa wants Havlat back and Khabby may be involved in a major MAJOR deal that would see McKee, Brewer and Legace coming back to CHI. I've also got a deal in the works to send him to ANA with Bryz, Neids and Selanne becoming Blackhawks. Decisions, decisions.

Post by **Lidas** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 10:14 am

Yeah, I havnt been very unique...

Got Heatley, Ryan, Nitty, Dingman, and Connolly.
Morris and Witt to strenghten def, and my favorite 2nd line center - Scatchard. That guy is just great at EHM.
Lets see how many Selkes he'll get in these 7 seasons.

Kind of regret that I picked up UFA Odelein, think I could have done a smarter move there.
Grabbed Bradley on waivers. Took Dingman's 3rd line spot - so Dingy got demoted to extra attacker.

kuulapaa · Post by **kuulapaa** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 10:18 am

You are welcome, Catchup. Pour it all on me from now on

, I can take it (or not but I will anyway).

Heh, my core player Vandermeer sat first two games of the season and when I put him in the game #3 he played 14 seconds before getting 5+10 min from slashing and was thrown out. He got suspended for one game of course, but now he has one game played and that's the main thing

.

Post by **Danny** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 10:31 am

corinthian wrote:Hey Danny!

Bad Luck, man!
How many players have you already lost injuried?
I hope Connolly come back soon.

By now more than half of the roster I think, mostly for 1-3 weeks.
Looks like I'll have a hard time winning even 50 this season.

I got Dingman too, he rocks...and he wins every fight

Rating above 7 despite hardly any ice time.

Post by **Shadd666** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 2:37 pm

Dingman rocks in the game!

I take him in nearly any of my EHM games, in NHL or in top european teams! Don't know if i will take him for the challenge though... It's good to change things a bit from time to time

Lidas: I love Scatchard in EHM! I once had both Scatchard and Madden in the same team, and obviously won the Selke every year and had a really strong PK!

Add Thornton and Ryan O'Marra, and those where my center players running into my 3rd season with the Blues (not in the Blues challenge, but in a game on my own). Yeah, i won the Cup this year

Btw, Scatchard is really wonderful in EHM

Post by **batdad** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 3:14 pm

Hell no Catchup...still making fun of Shark trades. Still making fun of copying me. Hell no, kuulapaa ain't taken you off the hook.

I hate Dave Scatchard...may have to try him one day in EHM, but meh...just not one of my faves.

Dingman is good in this game isn't he? I have never had him (still don't) but have constantly thought of getting him.

Kuulapaa...You took Marleau...and almost had Nittymaki? Jeez.

Nah, tis okay.

Post by **Danny** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 3:14 pm

Finished my 3rd set of games and already thinking about next season.

I've got 4 one-way tickets for the Greyhound purchased, but only 3 suitcases, so I assume I'm gonna have to return one ticket *fumes at core regulations

*
Cullimore and Holmqvist have received their tickets already. The 3rd one will go to either Hamilton or...Keith

Shocking performances in the 2nd and 3rd set of games and I don't like keeping underachieving Dmen.

Seabrook is a nice surprise though, playing on the third unit with Cullimore, best Dman in +/- and second best overall, also second most D points. I'm also surprised at Hagman's offensive production, most of his minutes are on the PK, yet he put up 11g and 22p so far.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 3:22 pm

CatchUp wrote:Whew - thanks kuulapaa! The pressure is off, I can trade for whoever I want. With kuulapaa trading for Marleau and B72 taking Michalek and Hannan - I'm free from being razzed if I decide to take any Sharks! Plus, Lidas traded for Heatley before I did (I haven't pulled the trigger yet) meaning HE is the one copying batdad and not me! AHAHAA! I'm free from abuse for this whole Challenge! Incredible!

Yeah, I think we're all turning to some familiar faces in this challenge. Sometimes you get stuck making the same deals because you have to trim your budget. Still, the core idea is nice because we're all keeping guys we wouldn't normally have on our team.

Post by **Danny** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 3:44 pm

I've lost 8 out of 9 shootouts now

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:02 pm

I've never done well with shootouts. I've had some amazing players on my teams in the past and they've lead the league in scoring but when it came to shootout time, they came up empty.

I really wish my goaltenders would get their act together. I'm averaging over 4.5 goals allowed per game. I'm averaging just over 5 goals scored for per game. If my goaltending was just a little better, I'd be doing great.