Blackhawks Challenge 9.1 and 9.2 discussion thread

Post by **batdad** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 7:07 pm

Depends on who the prospect was.

corinthian · Post by **corinthian** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 7:56 pm

It was Sindel & 4th pick for Dylan Hunter.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 8:09 pm

That's not really a bad deal. It's pretty fair. Sindel isn't shaping up to be much of anything in my game (I'm in Feb of 2008 and he's been on my farm team all year) and a 4th round pick isn't super valuable. I'd say you did ok.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 9:20 pm

I just logged my season 2 games 41-60 stats. Not a bad block of games but not great. Hollweg sure had a nice PIM run! 257 PIMs since the last update.

I'll blog it later.

Post by **batdad** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 5:34 am

Slowing....down...big...time. Team down to 13.9 % pp. Lost two in a row in OT. Barely won in 3 other OT games. Handzus back, but then lost Boogard, Blunden, Havlat.Havlat came back in time to beat Buffalo.

*Note: moaning but my record in the second block with 1 more game to go: 17-0-2. Kind of scary actually. My defense is winning games...I have only allowed 99 goals so far. 52 of them were in the first twenty.

Post by **batdad** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 5:48 am

And I lost game 40...4-0 Minnesota. Guys are really starting to struggle. Should be interesting next little while to see if they can get out of this. No Boogie for at least 1 maybe 2 more games. I have lost 3 of 4. Two in shootouts (not OT) and the last one in normal time.

Havlat seems to have gone missing again. But he was injured.

Post by **CatchUp** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 6:30 am

My lesson for season two: change your tactics.

I went on an unbelievably horrible stretch from around games 60-70. I was honestly probably shut out 4 of those 10 games and only won 2. No matter what I did with lines, or tweaks to my tactics - I still sucked. Bad. Then I came on here and made a post in this thread proclaiming how widdled I was and how I was quitting for a few days until I figured something out. It was up for about half an hour - maybe some of you saw it.

anyway, after I chilled a bit (:hombre:), I reset all my tactics. I printed out all my relevant attributes and reset my lines based on ability rather than head coach recommendation. Then I went in an set each unit's tactics to things I had never tried before. Worked like a charm. I went 9-1 in the next ten games. Including FOUR shutouts. Bonus.

On to the playoffs!

corinthian · Post by **corinthian** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 2:18 pm

Yesterday was pretty bad. All started nice, winning games in a roll, getting Sutton on waivers, Havlat scoring 6 goals against Flyers and so on... but suddenly it pops out - Explore Error EHM07 has to be closed - '](*,)'

Well I started my last 7 games all over again and only losses, no Sutton, & Havlat didn't score a single goal.':thdn:'

Post by **batdad** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 5:05 pm

Ouch to CatchUp and Corinthian.

CatchUp-I think I am going to try the exact opposite of you. I may have been changing tactics "too" much. And I have been setting my lines based on what I think should happen. I am going to see what my coach says for a couple of games, and go with that.

Of course, that being said.Yawney, not so trustworthy. He likes dressing 4th line AHLers ahead of Marty Lapointe.

Post by **CatchUp** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 6:03 pm

How often would you usually change your tactics batdad?

So I plowed through the Avalanche (who likes that one? huh?

) in the first round of the playoffs and now I've run into Phoenix.

They are killing me.

I'm down 3-2 right now after handing them their first regulation loss of the playoffs. They are 7-1-1.

I can't stop their first two lines:

Smyth-Handzus-Doan
Nagy-Reinprect-Lisin

I lost game two at home 8-2.

Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.

Post by **batdad** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 6:13 pm

I read the scouting reports of the other team. And go with what usually matches up. I have 3 tactics I use.All based on the original default ideas. One physical offensive, one run and gun, and one physical defensive. I have real trouble with teams who do the VERY PHYSICAL game, and the flexible game. (Columbus and Edmonton are the teams right now--Jacques Martin is in Columbus now, not Florida so Very physical beats on me alot)

Once about every 20 games or so I use a neutral zone trap which shakes things up. I am trying hard not to be changing the pp very often other than breakouts, but when it is not working...it ain't working.

Right now...nothing is working. Never had that before. The team has not played well in about 10 games leading into the end of 40...but just started losing...so we shall see.

Post by **CatchUp** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 6:23 pm

Right on, that's a cool approach. I might give that a whirl in season three...which is what I'm looking at after getting bounced by Phoenix in Game 7 (2nd Round).

Aucoin went down for 3 weeks with a hamstring pull in Game Six - I knew I was cooked in 7 with NO experience on D. Oh well, lesson learned, I guess I'm signing an old timer in the offseason.

Oh and Nabokov will be getting dealt or waived after his MISERABLE performance throughout the playoffs.

Oh AND I'm taking -8 points in penalties for being slightly over the Cap the ENTIRE season. The first half of the year I just forgot that we hadn't raised the cap to 38 in Year Two. The second half of the year I couldn't (or wouldn't

) deal any of my higher paid guys. Really, it was picking up Nabokov on waivers and dealing Biron that screwed me. I just couldn't resist that "Franchise Goaltender" tag in the scouting report.

WORST SEASON EVER.

Hypnotist · Post by **Hypnotist** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 12:50 am

CatchUp wrote:Oh AND I'm taking -8 points in penalties for being slightly over the Cap the ENTIRE season.

OUCH!!! That's gotta hoit! Nyuk-Nyuk!!

Looks like someone else besides me will be getting a "schooled" avatar!!

corinthian · Post by **corinthian** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 1:20 am

2nd Season is killing me, so now since i'm close to a playoff spot i instruct my team to play dirty.
They inflicted a injury to Rick Nash (out 3 month). Columbus is leading the Conference right now.
Hunt season time

.

Post by **batdad** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 4:56 am

That is not very nice of you Corinthian. You should be a much kinder, gentler GM...Make your momma proud!

Post by **CatchUp** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 5:35 am

Finally found a sucker to take my big boo-boo (aka. Nabokov) off my hands. I just dealt him and my 2008 3rd rounder to NJD for Zajac.

He's going to fit nicely on my right side. (yes, I'm using him as a winger, I have my C spots filled and then some.)

In other interesting news, another potential superstar's rights have been released. I scored Carey Price for free last offseason and this year I've got a fat offer in for Micheal Frolik. Mmm mmm good.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 7:41 pm

So we're closing in on the trade deadline in my game and the Predators have been making a lot of deals to shore up their defense and make a good playoff push. In the month of February they have dealt for Jovo, Chara, and Zubov! They had to give up Hartnell in one of the deals, so there is a good piece of their offense. They traded 2 defensemen, Weber and Suter. They're currently 4th in the conference with 23 games left to play. I'll be interested to see where they finish.

Post by **batdad** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 8:20 pm

Nashville sucks bad in my game. 3 different coaches in less than 2 seasons, and they fired Poile...then 7 months later rehired him.

My team just came alive...after about 15 games of nothing (still winning but barely, and the shutout loss to the Wild....)they beat the Oilers 10-1. 4-7 on the power play. Hopefully a sign of things to come!

Post by **CatchUp** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 8:20 pm

Wow, B72 - that's quite the D the Preds have assembled. I'm interested to see if they can close it out with that punishing blue line...

In my game we just arrived at July 1st 2008. I'm going to be making some huge offers. All these players are available: Heatley, Hossa, Redden, Thornton, Lidstrom, Visnovsky, Nylander, Zubov, Tkachuk, Blake, Guerin, Weight, Langkow, Foote, Selanne, Fedorov, Holik, Satan, Kvasha, Vyborny, Morrison, Straka.

Then there is Josh Harding, Esche, Gaustad and Semin who are all RFA's.

I can only sign two. Holy rubbish batman.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 8:41 pm

The Predators didn't stand up to my Blackhawks that well. We just beat them 6-2.

I'll be interested to see who is available as UFAs in my game after this season. The GMs in my game seems to like resigning their players and not leaving them for me to grab for free. I should be able to add a couple more pieces to the puzzle once the new core goes into effect. Trim some more dead weight!

Post by **batdad** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 9:16 pm

The 2008 off season will be interesting for my Hawks. Healtey, Volchenkov, Vrbata, Seabrook, Harding and Seidenberg do not want to negotiate in January. That usually means lots of free agency. All except Seabrook and Harding are scheduled to be UFA.

Cannot trade Vrbata as he has core status. Heatley is too important for another cup run. Volchenkov..well he can go but is a solid dman for me. Seidenberg has been nothing short of brilliantly playing beyond expectations. So this could be a tough off season.

I have never had more than 1 or 2 guys to resign once a season ends. I Could be in trouble this time.

But like you guys care..I have been doing too well.

Post by **CatchUp** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 1:32 am

So I lost out on EVERY one of those top name UFA's. The only one I lured to CHI? Matt Cooke. I got him for 1.9 and he'll be a tasty checking winger - but jeeez, I thought I'd be able to land ONE star player from that crop.

Had any had any luck signing top tier UFA's in CHI?

Post by **batdad** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 2:10 am

HAve not needed to try yet. So can't say. But I may have to let Heatley walk.

Post by **batdad** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 3:07 am

What a naff 20 games.

PP 10% or there abouts.

Havlat injured. heatley injured. Vrbata sucking. Handzus injured and sucking. Roy injured. Michalek sucking. Volchenkon injured.

Anyway...I have never had injuries like this ever...I rarely have had more than 1 or 2 per season (even using my warmers practice plan) so I am just getting really unlucky. I have no doubt that injuries, people going in and out of the lineup all the time has killed off what had been a promising power play.

However...in the last 20 games...my leading plus minus guy went from plus 37 after 40 games (Heatley) to plus 36 after 60 games (Havlat)....yeah ick!

Oh well...I guess I have to go back to the drawing board and the basics with these guys. SKATE SKATE SKATE

thunderbug · Post by **thunderbug** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 5:59 am

Catchup, just noticed your stats you posted said 8.2 instead of 9.2