Challenge 15: Colorado Avalanche (Discussion Thread)

[0gris]

First time in a challenge here as well..

And oh my this roster is a bit... yeah...
The defence seems alright, but when i look at the forwards it's just horrible, no depth, and after the top few players theres just a bunch of AHL scrubs... scratch that, ECHL, heck, half this team could barely make it in the CHL, ugh.

This is going to be a fun season.

[alexob18]

Sigh, I thought the second season would be better, got Ovi with my trade, then proceeded to loose Hejduk and Anderson to injuries. Oy, 14th place still.

You landed Ovi???

Who the heck did you ship out?? Duchene and Stastny? Jebus.

wolski and svatos

Wow. I'l look into making a similar trade like that! Wow!
Just sign a half decent left winger in FA and move RoR over to the wing and I'll be set!

[CatchUp]

Speaking of trades - I'm coming up to the deadline in my first season. Biggest deal so far: Markov goes to STL for Backes and Pietrangelo. Dang. I think I'd do that IRL.

Also, just beat the Ducks 7-4 - Svatos put in 5 goals playing on the 2nd line with Durno and McLeod.

****

The trade deadline has passed and there were some really really awful trades that went down. Check this out:

TOR trades Kaberle to ANA for the rights to Matthew Clark and a 2nd round pick. This was actually an amusing negotiation to watch in the news. First, TOR traded Komisarek to MIN for Schultz, straight up. Then a week later, MIN offers them Komisarek back with a 2nd for Kaberle. lol. The other offer on the table for Kaberle: Martin Havlat, straight up. Havlat ended up going to NSH for the rights to Charles-Olivier Roussel.

Burkie went a little nuts and traded his whole D away. Kaberle went to ANA, Komi went to MIN (got Schultz back), Van Ryn went to ATL for Jim Slater and the rights to Jeremy Morin and Beauchemin went to MIN for Kobasew. The Laffs D is currently Schultz, White, Finger, Cullimore, Schenn, Frogren.

Another good trade for MTL though: Mara to BUF for Tyler Myers.

[Círyatan]

OK, 20 games into the season and my team is lying 10th in the Conference. Kept Duchene, he's currently got 15 points for 4 goals and 11 assists, which is not so bad I reckon. Three biggest issues to address are defence, the first-line scoring, which isn't low, but could be better, and to get the Powerplay clicking. More work to do.

[Super Mario]

I'm also playing in my first challenge.

My Avs are pretty much a one-line-team, I have problems to form a good 2nd Line.
Overall I've got 21 points out of my first 20 games, I think that's ok for a newbie.

Duchene is a pleasant surprise for me as he is a PPG player with the best +/- and a 7,75 AvR.
I'm also pretty satisfied with Chris Durno, who is a solid 3rd Line Center for me (AvR 7,35).

Tucker seems to be a big bust and was already scratched several times, but there aren't many alternatives on the farm.

O'Reilly was sent down after 7 games (1 Assist, AvR 6,14) and now absolutely rocks the OHL.

My defense also disappoints me, as I thought some of them would be able to contribute more offensively. Quincey and Salei (!) are my top point getters woth 6 points.

Foote seems to be in his last year in the league. He sucks both playing top line minutes and in a lesser role for me.

I hope my team will stay competetive, so that I'll be able to fight for a playoff spot until the end.

[joehelmer]

I'm in the worst slump I've ever had playing EHM. After half the season I was 4th, now I'm fighting for not ending up last in Western.

Injuries to Hejduk, Stastny, Wolski and Svatos didn't make things easier, the only players who's doing quite good now is Hensick and Craig Anderson in the net who's getting 7s and 8s even if we loses 5-2. My team always score in the 1st period and then loses in the 2nd and 3rd.

The only thing that will make me happy now is to get a good draft pick, that's the only good side of this slump.

[Peterman5000]

In my game the Flyers sent Van Riemsdyk to Toronto for old ass Jason Blake.

I love the AI.

[brob89]

what are the rules on trades?

[brob89]

never mind... i should've had some more forethought,
and ... you know, read the rules...

[Círyatan]

never mind... i should've had some more forethought,
and ... you know, read the rules...

Could be useful, I suppose.

[ie99jro]

This is my fist challenge and I have to say I find it very frustrating not being able to kick out (trade) the crappie players that are on this team for something useful. I am normally a manager/coach that adjusts my personnel to fit my tactics rather than the other way around, but with the rules as they are I am not able to do much and that is very challenging for me. However after some twitching I have found something that works quite good, I am still more of a switch the personnel rather than tactic but I have adapted a bit to survive.

I am now 25 games in the challenge and can I say more than Tucker really blows/sucks/is a dumshit no good player, is currently playing on the 4th line after been given chances on both 2nd and 3rd line with no results. He has a 6.60 Avr need I say more. Another player I am disappointed with are Liles, I thought he would be my no 1 defender but he is currently playing 2nd par and 2nd PP, 6+5=11p +6 and 7.28 Avr.

But there are some good surprises as well, I toke eric1985’s road and used Quincey on the LW and on the 2nd wing he is doing really good, 6+11=17p and a stunning 8.24 Avr. Although I haven’t been able to coach him to any stats in the LW position as eric1985, but I will continue trying as he looks more like a winger than a defender to me. Another player that has climed trough the ranks are Brett Clark he is now playing first line D with Hannan and doing a good job, 3+11= 14p +6 and 8.08 Avr.

Stewart 16+14=30 8.39 Avr, Duchene5+17= 23p 8.30 Avr, Reilly 6+18=24p 8.26 Avr in 23 games at AHL are all progressing fine and will hopefully be ready to help out in NHL next year.

[Marsac]

I managed to get the same record for the second set of 10, making us 14-4-2 in the first 20 and first in the West. I certainly don't expect these results to continue but I hope for the best. Right now on IR: Quincey, Anderson, Duchene. Good thing this team has alot of depth...

Anyhow, my fourth line wingers continue to impress. Koci has 2G 9A +7 and Stewart 4G 8A +3. My third line wingers not so much, but they are used as a checking line at home. Jones 1G 5A -4, Tucker 2G 3A -3. The second line has atleast reduced their number of minus games after I took the advice of someone in this thread and tried Durno at LW but I feel like there's more to be had there. The top line is doing well as expected, not much to say.

I'm currently working on reducing the icetime of Stastny and Liles without losing to much production, they have been showing up exhausted the day after games.

[bruins72]

0gris and Super Mario... welcome to the challenge! I'm glad to see some new blood entering the mix.

[Círyatan]

Just had my best game during this Challenge! Thrashed the Red Wings 7-1 in Pepsi Center. Hejduk, Stastny, and Wolski had 4 points each. Ok, so now I know that this team is capable of impressive play. Now to keep up this form.

However, I'm still at 9th place in the Conference. I haven't lost the chance of making it to the playoffs, but realistically speaking it's going to be very tough.

[tksolway]

Just finnished my second season, finnished last this time, darn the first two drafts suck a large amount of ass. Of course, the thirds season all the regens are hitting the draft, darn with I got next years first pick. He could play first line minutes now.

I haven't been able to make any headway so far simple because none of my young players from the first two drafts are ready yet. I signed Cheechoo this year, hopefully he will provide some secondary scoring this year, which was sorely lacking the last couple years. I did manage to beef up the defensive play (mostly due to my first season signings) but I didn't have the scoring to prevail in most games. My first line tore up the NHL in scoring, but my second line just couldn't score consistantly, when they did, we won, when they didn't we lost, unfortunatley, they didn't score in enough games. It looks like Cam Fowler will be ready to go this season, so him, combined with the fact that I hope to use my trade on a top notch defensemen will hopefully mean I will make the playoffs this year, especially since my Board apparently wants the stanly cub this year .

[Johnnyluc]

I just started year two, and hope to move forward after making the playoffs last season.

Picked up Jonas Hiller, not because he is a better goaltender then Craig Anderson, but so I could move Anderson for a defenceman.

Foote retired, so I picked up Tyler Myers and Phil McRae from Buffalo for Durno and Anderson. Well see how it all plays out.

The Draft was pretty uneventful. John MacFarland should be an interesting pick up on the Left side, but other then that there really was not much to pick from in that draft.

[tksolway]

I've found it very difficult to improve my team in this challenge, I have very limited options in trading and UFAs and the drafts are all but useless. I might have some decent players come out of my draft pics 3-4 years down the road, but they are of no help now.

[batdad]

So I got my first 4 league games in, and have started well, except for the PP. Milan Hejduk is playing terrible. Svatos on fire as is Durno. 4-0, but the PP is a woeful 3.9 %. Thank god the PK is 96%...notice they add to 100?

[eric1985]

My first draft was pretty good, got garrett clarke in the first, supposed to be 1-2 potential but the surprise is Steven Shipley who i got in the second round, who is first line potential!

[Johnnyluc]

What a train wreck this second season has been.

14th in the conference, just can not keep anyone healthy.

At least Myers, Duchesne and O'Rielly are playing well.

[alexob18]

This is gay. I'm 1st in the conference and I can't even sell out a game!

[Johnnyluc]

Well this should be the season to make or break me.

Traded Shattenkirk and O'Rielly for Kovalchuck, so we need to step it up. Signed Kyle Turris to replace O'Rielly.

[cstorring]

Just finished the first season last in the conference, with absolutely awful PP and PK...nothing seemed to work.

After this is all said and done i'd be interested in seeing the tactics of those of you who are getting something out of the team. After an extensive review of the Guide, we managed to get a few more wins, but nothing near consistency.

Time to start scheming for the draft and off-season..

[batdad]

10 games in now. Lost my first to Washington (I have 2 Ot wins and 1 shootout win). Budaj and Anderson have alternated and it has worked well. Budaj took the loss. I am 9-1-0. But this is nothing unusual for my teams. I always start with a strong 10 games and then have others catch up in the next 30. we shall see.

[alexob18]

Well this should be the season to make or break me.

Traded Shattenkirk and O'Rielly for Kovalchuck, so we need to step it up. Signed Kyle Turris to replace O'Rielly.

WOW! Good trade, good signing!