Blackhawks Challenge 9.1 and 9.2 discussion thread

laskey 16 · Post by **laskey 16** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 6:30 pm

I'll post my transactions into my gallery in a minute, check that out Batdad. It'll be a two screenshot job though. I have now played 80 games, and am still doing just fine. Boucher actually improved a little and amazingly had two games with a 10 rating in a row. I almost fell off my chair. I didn't do anything at the trade deadline except for getting Petr Prucha, who was injured and is still not yet fit but should be come playoff time....

Post by **Danny** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 6:32 pm

Huh, I think I found out what the transfer funds in the NHL are for. Compensation when you sign staff members who are under contract with other teams. I believe.

I'm in July 2007 now. I screwed the draft up. First I traded my top pick and something else I forgot for the Oilers first pick which I used to draft Couture. No I didn't trade on draft day. Which leads me to my screw up...I completely forgot you're not allowed to trade on draft day. I had a ton of 2007 picks but I wasn't really interested in anyone apart from Couture or Gagner. So I was stuck with all my picks and had to draft some rubbish just because I forgot to trade the 2007 picks for future picks.

I have offered Hannan 8m over 2 years and he agreed. Later I saw Lukowich is still available for 700k a year, seeing as they're similar defensively and I just need a 5th Dman as a replacement for Cullimore to be paired with Seabrook I cancelled the Hannan deal and got Lukowich. The 2nd UFA I signed was Jason Blake since I didn't really like Dawes on the 2nd line left wing. I still need a 4th line winger capable of playing PK and a backup goalie. Boucher is an UFA now and looking out for over 5m over 3 years ! I wanted Radivojevic but Minny didn't want to take Cullimore's contract argh

btw don't tell him Laskey

Nitty and Campbell are fairly easy to get, keep in mind it might not be that wise an idea to trade for too many developing players who are RFAs the next year with the core regulations and the tight TBL cap. I know Nitty can be pretty demanding after 1-2 years as far as money is concerned.

Post by **batdad** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 6:39 pm

Heh. At least you stuck to the rules Danny.

Cool on the screenshots Laskey..Cannot wait to see them.

laskey 16 · Post by **laskey 16** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 6:44 pm

Screenshots up now, they aren't the best quality as I tried to just save them with paint but it was too large a file to upload so I had to reduce the quality a little in Photoshop to be sure they'd get up. You can still read them though. Forgot to mention another tip - when I try to trade for someone and it says they cannot do the deal because then they would be over cap I add a couple of their 1-star, AHL or below quality players. This obviously increases their financial flexibilty. Then when I get their AHL players who I don't want I offer them to all, waive them and then release them. You'll see in the screenshots I got Koalska and Regier from NYI to do this once.

Post by **batdad** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 6:57 pm

Laskey---This is your first challenge so I have some symapthy for you. But I would like you to go and review the roster rules.. You have missed something in them I believe.

This is not easy for us as mods (b72, me, catchup), as I think there is no intention on your behalf and I am sure the others will agree, but please review the rules.

Anyway, there will be no further discussion of this in this forum, I honestly believe that this was an honest mistake...

Any posts regarding this subject will be deleted

So you all know, Laskey missed some rules..no big deal...tis his first challenge after all, and we all make mistakes. That is the last discussion of this from a mod that will take place in this forum. Laskey16 is a good honest guy, and mistakes happen. Thanks.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:25 pm

Nice first season, Danny! Way to go winning the Cup. Looks like you had tough a couple tough series in middle of the playoffs (Ducks & Coyotes).

Even though you won the Stanley Cup in the first season... this is more like what we were looking to see in the challenges. You didn't have a superstar team and you didn't win the President's Trophy in the first season. Honestly, looking at your results, I'm expecting this to be one of the better first season finishes.

Nice job!

thunderbug · Post by **thunderbug** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:32 pm

outside of you, shadd, batdad, catchup, and I eh?

thunderbug · Post by **thunderbug** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:32 pm

so based on stats posted so far who would you say is the favorite to take it for the first season?

Post by **Danny** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:38 pm

bruins72 wrote:Nice first season, Danny! Way to go winning the Cup. Looks like you had tough a couple tough series in middle of the playoffs (Ducks & Coyotes).

Even though you won the Stanley Cup in the first season... this is more like what we were looking to see in the challenges. You didn't have a superstar team and you didn't win the President's Trophy in the first season. Honestly, looking at your results, I'm expecting this to be one of the better first season finishes.

Nice job!

Thanks, I already thought it's over after being 1-2 down against the Quacks. I was quite surprised how it went from that point on. I have to admit I got a bit lucky since both the Flames and the Sharks got eliminated before the Conference Finals and I've had serious problems against them in the regular season.

Anyway, a question again, do I need to post the screen to prove my homegrown didn't play 25 NHL games yet, or not ?

Post by **batdad** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:39 pm

Not me.

Post by **batdad** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:40 pm

Yes Danny you do. Post it when you post your core roster in the Roster recording thread.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:40 pm

To be honest with you? I haven't really thought about it too much. It's nice to see people posting records that are more down to earth than 17-2-1. I haven't really extrapolated the segment records to see how they'd look for an overall season. What's been most interesting to me has been to see the different rosters and different takes on the cores.

Looking at my own first segment record, I'm on pace to go 48-16-16 (only basing this on 80 games, not the actual 82). Kariya could score more than 50 goals and would probably be my only 100 point player. Aucoin should be in the mix for the Norris. Looking at all that (outside of Aucoin being a Norris contender), that actually pretty realistic results. It's not out of the realm of possibility.

Post by **Danny** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:04 pm

What the Dickens ?!
After me cancelling the Hannan contract now 4 other teams did the same to him

He's still asking for 4m p/a though. Someone might get a bargain on him in the end if this goes on.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:07 pm

That happens sometimes. One game I played recently had both Hannan and...( I can't remember who but it was another good UFA) accepting offers from teams (instead of me) and then the team would back out. It kept happening but they never accepted my offer. Finally somebody else got them. I was pretty P.O.'d because I really wanted Hannan.

So have you decided on your homegrown for season 2 yet, Danny? What about planning for your season 3 homegrown?

Post by **Danny** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:25 pm

Bolland in season 2.
For the third, I don't know yet, Grabovsky or Brouwer, depending how negotiations with Ruutu, Vrbata and Sharp go. They're demanding too much, as is Seabrook, no way I'm gonna pay that. Gotta hope for a nice arbitrator

except Vrbata is an UFA.

I got Sammy Pahlsson now, traded Bochenski and a D prospect with limited potential for him and...the Ducks first in 2008

I managed to re-sign Hagman and Dingman without any raise (apart from a few k bonus for signing) for 2 more years, that's good news obviously. I might've screwed up a few other contracts though, as I forgot to include a two-way clause for Barker, Grabovsky and 2 other players. They will now count 100% towards the cap all the time, am I right ? Please say no

I still don't have a backup goalie. Boucher 1.8m p/a LOL

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:32 pm

Interesting!

I hate to say it but I'm pretty sure if you signed those guys to regular contracts (and not two-way), they'll count against your cap. Planning your season 2 core is pretty tricky because your budget doesn't increase between seasons 1 and 2. That means you might have to keep one player on your core that you didn't want to because he makes less money and then trading a player from your core (or even one outside your core that you like) to get a cheaper player. I ran into this in the tests we ran with Columbus. I was pretty well set with my defense but then I had to trade a couple of the guys away to free up budget room. It ended up being defense that got traded to make room because the only players I had eligible for homegrown status were defensemen. It really forced my hand.

I'm curious to see if similar things happen to people in this challenge.

thunderbug · Post by **thunderbug** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:43 pm

How the 2 way clause works. They don't count towards the cap unless they are on the Blackhawks. What it does mean is you have to pay them whatever you signed them to instead of a percentage of it for going down there. That money is counted towards your total salaries. It is not counted in the averaged which is what we used for finances, or does it count against your NHL cap. Batdad and crew back me up if I explained that ok.

Post by **Danny** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:46 pm

Yeah that's why I left some space in the first season, I was at around 32.5m.
I wouldn't encounter any problems If I didn't screw up those contracts. I might have to trade Barker now. Having said that, I've got enough offensive Dman with Nieds, Pother, Morrisonn and Seabrook, might not be that big a problem to deal Barker for a stay at home D prospect.

uuuh and as I hit the preview the bug has another version

Well that sounds way better.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:49 pm

Thunderbug, now that you mention it, I'm not totally sure. I guess the best way to tell would be to demote someone on a two-way and see if your salary changes.

Danny, I'm not sure I'm getting you. "the bug has another version"? What do you mean?

Post by **Danny** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:54 pm

heheh
I meant thunderbug posted a different answer to my problem

kuulapaa · Post by **kuulapaa** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 10:06 pm

Since reading these posts and what happens in my game I'm glad I have other opportunities than Barker for my HG. I assigned him to Toledo to get a soft beginning and now he's gone for 4 months. Luckily I didn't put him into my core already this season.

Talking about goalie prospects, I scouted them and got pretty good report from Karri Rämö. I approached Lightning and got him for Ott (whom I got for '07 third rounder and who didn't fit in at all) and some Swedish guy I didn't like (is there one I do?). So now I have a good (or at least interesting) goalie prospect. And Ethan Moreau for third line LW. He came in for that Koverko guy I got earlier plus the fourth rounder.

Battle continues.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 3:58 am

Definitely a good idea to get a goalie prospect, kuulapaa! I was finally able to swing a deal for one. I got Price in the end but I was trying for Rask, Pogge (had a deal ready to go but backed out because the prospect they wanted was also in my Price deal and I was close), and Howard. I tried for Toivonen earlier in the season and Boston had him valued very high, higher than Rask.

kuulapaa · Post by **kuulapaa** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 12:28 pm

I know it's too early to say, but Moreau is fitting well in my lineup. I aqcuired him for checking line winger and from that position he has scored 2+3 in only three games. He also has a five-year deal, so he is not gonna need a raise for a while. That's my biggest concern anyway, there's 13 players out of 23 whose contract is ending in '07. There's gonna be tough decisions to make when the first season ends.

Post by **Danny** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 1:28 pm

Ruutu and Vrbata seem the toughest to negotiate with and I think those will be the 2 of the core I'll let go for the next season, I'm not gonna pay Vrbata 2.5m for a one year extension, even if I have plenty of cap space. Unless he tops his 42 goals from last season.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 4:56 pm

I'm just over 20 games into the season and I've already got a clear idea of who I want to drop from my core. Unfortunately, I'm thinking the TBL budget and players' salary demands might make some of my choices for me. Oh well! I'll cross that road when I come to it.

Oh yeah, it was nice to see fishi joining us again for this challenge. Speaking of which... there's still time to get in on this challenge. We're keeping the entry window open much longer than we usually do so people can get on board.