Challenge 15: Colorado Avalanche (Discussion Thread)

Post by **batdad** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 6:13 pm

Washington got Roberto in my game. Nice add in for that team....yet they are 8th in the East and have had no major injuries. Canucks started with Raycroft/Schneider, but 2 weeks in signed Turco. They have been my major competition. Stars are sitting in 9th with Hiller/Auld. Marleau is a Loaf. And they are good.just one point out of top spot in their division--Boston. Hurricanes suck. So does Liles for them--with a 6.39 avg rating. Think I won that trade!!!

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 6:21 pm

Who did you end up trading to Carolina? Did you mention that already?

Post by **batdad** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 6:33 pm

Yeah that was my deal for this year. Liles/Tucker for Ruutu/Alberts

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 6:39 pm

Oh yeah, Ruutu. Now I remember.

So far I'm not very impressed with Pacioretty. Then again, I haven't given him a real shot. He was playing RW on the 3rd line for a bit but he's better suited to LW. I had my lines kind of juggled because Hedjuk was out. By the time Hedjuk came back, Hensick had been playing pretty good and I didn't want to take him off the 2nd line LW. Now that Hensick has come back down to Earth, I'm going to give Pacioretty a shot in that 2nd line LW/2nd PP LW role for a few games and see how he does.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 8:03 pm

Okay, I'm changing my mind again on Pacioretty. In 39 games with the Habs this season he had 4 goals, 3 assists, a -8, 24 PIM, and a 6.62 average rating with an ATOI of 8:36. So obviously, he was playing a very limited role on the Habs and not producing. He played 1 game with the Pens after they acquired him, before we traded for him. He played a whopping 20:28 in that game and scored a goal. Now he's played 8 games so far since joining the Avs. He's got 3 goals and 5 assists, 8 points in those 8 games, with a +3 and 7.75 average rating. That's not telling the whole story though. In his first 5 games with us, he played on the 3rd line and a some PK. He wasn't bad in his first game, getting a 7.00 rating and a -1 for the game. The next game he did well, scoring a goal and getting an 8.00 rating for the game. In his next 3 games he didn't do much and got a 6.00 in each game. Over his first 5 games he averaged about 12:00 of ice time per game. Now, in the last 3 games he's been moved to 2nd line LW and 1st PP LW. He's averaging a little more than 16:00 per game. In those 3 games he's gotten 2 goals, 5 assist, and a +3. His ratings for those three games were 9, 10, and 10. Putting him in an offensive role has worked wonders for him!

kuulapaa · Post by **kuulapaa** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 9:20 pm

kuulapaa wrote:I'm in June 23rd right now, this evening I'm getting in the best part of the Challenge, signing UFAs and trading players

I didn't sign any UFAs nor traded any players. All the players I was seriously after went elsewhere, except Stanislav Chistov, who would have accepted my offer. I cancelled it and he went to Wild and is their best goal scorer after 20 games

I re-signed Foote and was glad when he announced in July he's gonna retire after season. Next day there was an announcement of his immediate retirement and puff - he was gone. I didn't even get a chance to say him goodbye. So, suddenly we were short of tough dmen. Few days before the regular season started we claimed Andreas Lilja from waivers to fill the empty spot (vacuum, I'd say) in front of our net. He's been good but not spectacular. Or actually, the whole team has sucked so badly that Lilja does look pretty good.

I thought I could start season #2 with the same roster and same style of play as the first season ended. Shure I could, it just didn't work. I tuned the tactics and did my best to reduce the amount of penalties and also injuries caused by hitting big guys with our dwarfs. And the amount of penalties has dropped, I think I've never seen so few penalties after 20 games than there were now, we were only 94 times shorthanded. Our PK didn't still work so we let more goals than in season #1 and there's nothing achieved there too. It seems I'm not really and seriously taking part to the Challenge, I'm just doing my rehearsing here...

I did minor changes to my tactics during games 1-15 but achieved nothing. Then I took a new approach to the team and suddenly we won big after few losses. And what happens next? Nine minutes of next game and Horcoff (EDM) jumps on Stastny who breaks his arm and is out for about two months. And there goes the new approach and the winning spirit.

Part of the new approach was that I waived Tucker and sent him to Lake Erie. No-one claimed him

I also called up Denis Parshin, a 24-year old LW who has been rather good scoring 1+2 in 4 games. I may have to think my upcoming trade again, as I have been trying to get a 2nd line LW and a offensive young RD. Or it's also possible that I have to think my whole relationship with this game again. It just may be possible I don't understand a thing of hockey

Post by **batdad** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 10:14 pm

Oh Kuulapaa.. You get hockey. The Av's just dont' get hockey.

And I have about 100 words that this site will not allow. After my AMAZING segment games 41-60 year 2, Milan Hejduk decided his year was over. In the 15 games since then....5 goals. I even rested him one game. Come on Milan, AO has caught up to you in goals. wake up.

Post by **Manimal** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 1:40 am

So I was thinking that I missed out on the waivers as the season started and I hadn't found anything to my liking. Then the Hawks put Huet on waivers and I think, why not? I pick him up and then after the 15th, I send Anderson and Darcy Tucker to Nashville for Shea Weber. Nice deal!

Post by **Danny** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 2:03 am

Budaj wins back to back player of the month awards. So, does that give him a realistic shot at the Hart ? Do goalies get MVP in the game at all ? Never paid attention to it...

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 3:34 am

Manimal wrote:So I was thinking that I missed out on the waivers as the season started and I hadn't found anything to my liking. Then the Hawks put Huet on waivers and I think, why not? I pick him up and then after the 15th, I send Anderson and Darcy Tucker to Nashville for Shea Weber. Nice deal!

Good job! Landing Weber is HUGE! I tried to trade for him a couple times and they didn't even want to take my phone call.

Marsac · Post by **Marsac** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 7:06 pm

Season two was rather uneventful after our big off-season trade of O'Reilly for Lecavalier straight up. I'm not sure if Duchene's technical attributes improved at all but my scouts now have him at 70 points potential, up from 45 at the end of season one. His role on the team was different this year, being the second line C and on the PK as opposed to checking line C and second PP. While his technical attributes and total points didn't change much some of his stats did: +17 vs -2, 52 vs 72 PIM, 7.81 vs 7.10 AvR, 5 vs 27 PPp, 6 vs 1 GWG, 181 vs 88 HT, 109 vs 38 SB. Ryan Stoa was the primary injury call-up this season, playing 28 games scoring 1G 7A and +0.

We wrapped up the season with a cup win and the board wants a repeat performance for season three. Hejduk and Svatos went down early on in the playoffs for a projected two and three weeks respectively but somehow we survived until they returned, the conference semi-finals was a nail biter with games 5-7 going to OT. Having the home ice advantage this run really helped us though as we only lost two games at home on our way to winning the cup.

Awards:
Lecavalier - Conn Smythe, Lester B. Pearson second runner-up, Second All-Star Team
Wolski - Plus-Minus Award, Conn Smythe second runner-up
Liles - Norris
Preissing - Norris runner-up
Hejduk - Lady Byng

Adding Lecavalier obviously ate into our cap space and Budaj and Preissing were the casualties this offseason, we also lost our two checking line wingers in Willsie and Jones because I messed up and failed to re-sign them. Preissing left via free agency while I traded Budaj to the Blue Jackets for Alexandre Picard and Matt Foy. Picard will likely start the year in the AHL or on the bench (since he is subject to re-entry waivers) so I also went out and signed Peter Schaefer (for 10k over the T2 limit, d'oh!) to join Foy and Hensick on the checking line. Shattenkirk or Holos will replace Preissing depending on who does better in camp. Weiman replaces Budaj so Cann finally gets to be the AHL starter.

This years draft seemed better to me while I was doing the scouting but when June came around it turned out alot worse. Only one player drafted this year made it onto the top 12 prospects list:

1. 19 y/o C/LW Evgeny Kuznetsov 2007 1st round
2. 19 y/o LD/RD Mark Pysyk 2007 2nd round
3. 19 y/o C/RW Fredric Weigel 2007 5th round
4. 19 y/o RW/C Yasin Cisse 2007 3rd round
5. 19 y/o RW/LW Luke Moffatt 2007 4th round
6. 18 y/o LD Stuart Percy 2008 2nd round
7. 22 y/o LD/RD Kevin Shattenkirk
8. 21 y/o LD Cameron Gaunce
9. 21 y/o C Kelsey Tessier
10. 25 y/o LW Alexandre Picard
11. 22 y/o G Trevor Cann
12. 24 y/o RD/LD/LW Raymond Macias

Probable lines for the start of S3:
Wolski-Lecavalier-Svatos
Stastny-Duchene-Hejduk
Schaefer-Hensick-Foy
Koci-Stoa-Stewart
(Picard-Durno-Haydar)

Liles-Clark
Quincey-Boynton
Hannan-Holos

Anderson
Weiman

Marsac · Post by **Marsac** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 7:18 pm

Oh, I failed to mention that we faced the Islanders in the finals with a center lineup of Marleau, Jokinen, Tavares and Briere.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 9:03 pm

I've struggled in the third set of season 2 but I'm still hanging on to first place!

Marsac · Post by **Marsac** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 11:24 am

Getting ready to start off season 3 but Liles, Stastny, Stoa and Weiman are on the IR so the lineup for opening night will likely be as follows:

Anderson
Cann

Quincey-Clark
Hannan-Shattenkirk
Holos-Boynton

Wolski-Lecavalier-Svatos
Picard-Duchene-Hejduk
Schaefer-Hensick-Foy
Koci-Durno-Stewart

Let's take a look at the new additions to the lineup. Cann played in two scrimmages recording one win, 5.93 GAA and .854 SV%. Shattenkirk played four games and was +2. Holos played all nine games, scoring 1G 2A and +3. Picard played four games picking up an assist and delivering 13 hits. Shaefer played all nine games, scoring 3G 1A -1. Foy played four games, picking up three assists.

Stastny and Stoa got hurt in their only games but Weiman played six with a 3.06 GAA and .902 SV% while Liles played five games, picking up two assists and being -1.

kuulapaa · Post by **kuulapaa** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 11:43 am

After Stasty got injured I was in a hurry to strengthen my roster. My team has been having problems both in goal scoring and in defense but I came up with a conclusion that there are enough offensive forwards in my roster and went after some defensive ones.

During the autumn I had made several trade offers. In most of them there were Tucker and/or Salei involved. Few of the offers were accepted too, but I cancelled them because I wasn't getting just what I was looking for. Anyhow, I got a pretty good picture about what I could get for those guys. At that time I was searching for a LW who would've been ready or almost ready to play in my 2nd line and a young-ish offensive RD. Now I decided to go for two forwards and therefore needed someone to trade out instead of Salei.

I made some offers with Sertich or Mercier with Tucker, but got no real success with them. Then I tried McLeod who was for some reason rated with four stars by many teams. Somehow the whole league seems to be short of LWs, so there wasn't so much to choose from. I ended up trading Tucker and McLeod to Tampa for Stephane Veilleux and Steve Begin. I figured I'll get some more speed and backchecking with this trade. I also could use Begin as my 4th line/PK center.

Now, when they have played 10 games in Avalanche, Begin has been playing better and fits the team pretty well. His AvR isn't very high (6.40), but that's normal with my defensive forwards. He has 6 assists which is more than I expect from him. Veilleux seems to be some kind of wanna-be offensive forward. I played him in 3rd line (my defensive line) and his morale dropped very low. I tried him in 2nd line LW position, but he didn't produce anything. Now he is in 4th line and very low. His AvR is awful (5.70) and he has got one goal and no assists in 10 games. I have to try to change his personal tactics in some way, I just haven't figured it out how.

Otherwise team's play has started to show some little signs of improvement lately, we are 4-5-1 in last ten games

Stewart and Svatos have been disappointments comparing to last season, Preissing and O'Reilly have disastrous +/- -rates (-14 and -16) but Parshin is promising, Liles is 12th in points in league's dmen stats and Hejduk is pretty solid. We are 14th in West and 11 points behind the last playoff spot, so there are many wins to take if we are going to get into playoffs this season. But if nothing else, this is interesting. Not so much fun though, but interesting.

Post by **joehelmer** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 8:49 pm

During the weekend I played my third season, I was keeping on to my 3rd place through the third segment, then during the fourth segment my players decided that the golf course was very tempting after two years on it. But in the last few games my team once again remembered how to win games and we made it to 5th in Western. We were down on 7th and only a few points to drop out of playoff.

My defense isn't the best, but we score more goals than we concede so at least we win the games.

When the playoff came we faced the Stars who ended up in 4th, we won that series 4-1, in the conference semi final we matched up against the Ducks, who won President Trophy, we won that series 4-0.

In the conference final we face the Blackhawks and once again we won 4-0.
In Stanley Cup we faced Washington Capitals, who had finished 2nd in Eastern, and it was a very close series which we losed 4-2, everything is AO's fault.

No Stanley Cup this year, but if I manage to keep my key players and some depth I think next season will be a success once again. I think I will try the Waiver tier for season 4.

For my trade in season 3 I scouted all NHL to find a good LW and I tried a few times to trade someone for O'Reilly, all was turned down except one for Pacioretty and I used him in my second line with Duchene and Svatos. In 30 games for me he scored 21 points (10+11) in the playoff he got 25 points (10+15) in 19 games.

Earlier I was thinking that my board was crazy to think we would challenge for the Stanley Cup, but in the end we lost in game 6. Which I think is very good as in the earlier seasons I ended in 13th in Western both seasons.

Post by **Danny** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 10:44 pm

So I've won the Presidents trophy in the third season... and I might not even survive the first round. Was leading the series 3-1 vs the Kings, now it's 3-3, had Budaj on the IR amongst others and Anderson underperforming. Van Ryn, Stewart and Stastny also missing most parts of the playoffs so far. All 4 should be back for game 7 though.

Post by **batdad** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 1:05 am

Joe--You and B72 with Pacioretty? Is he becoming the new Marleau or Nitty? Wow...I never would have thought. And like with the other two I am likely not to join in the fun. I just cannot see him becoming the guy. If he does...Lidas time for some tweaking.

Cannot wait to get at my second season playoffs. Not sure who I get. My 82 games are done, but noone else is. I will win Pres Trophy. Hejduk sure tanked the last quarter...scored all of 6 goals in his last 22 games. And only 1 in his last 15...and it was an empty netter. He ended up with 56 goals, and I think 83 points (game not up right now). Boy my Hejduk does not like to pass. And noone scores on his rebounds as he beat Ovi out for the most shots title by like 50 shots or something. Kovi wins the Rocket Trophy passing Ovi in his game 82.

Post by **Danny** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 1:29 am

Nitty, Ovi and Kovi ? I blame the avatar

We won game 7 vs the Kings, facing the Jackets in the semis. Played them in the first round the first two years. Now the game says they're my bitter rivals.

Looking at the standings I've noticed the Nucks came in 2nd overall in the league points-wise...and are seeded 4th in the conference. Seeding system sucks.

Post by **Danny** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 2:15 am

I'm leading the Jackets 2-1 but Lombardi is down again

That's his 8th injury since the trade, and it's nothing minor, usually at least around 2 weeks. I didn't know I traded for Foppa

Post by **joehelmer** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 5:34 am

I tried to get another player, but their teams didn't want to do the trade, he had been traded to Capitals earlier in season 2, I traded O'Reilly (he had 3 stars in interest) for Pacioretty (4 stars) and they said "There's a lot to like here", so I think both teams benefited by the trade.

After I read that B72 had traded for Pacioretty I tried to find another player, but as I said their teams wasn't interested in a trade with me.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 2:21 pm

batdad wrote:Joe--You and B72 with Pacioretty? Is he becoming the new Marleau or Nitty? Wow...I never would have thought. And like with the other two I am likely not to join in the fun. I just cannot see him becoming the guy. If he does...Lidas time for some tweaking.

Pacioretty definitely isn't "the guy". He's not anywhere near a Marleau type thing. I've found him to be a serviceable LW that is good for rounding out a line but not as the focal point of a line. If he didn't have a solid passing center and a good shooting winger, I don't think he'd do much. Plus, he has to play the 2nd line. He just doesn't work on the 3rd or 4th and I have my doubts over whether or not he'd do much on the 1st line.

Post by **batdad** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 10:45 pm

Up 3 games to 1 on the Dead Things. 1 more win...in 3 tries and I will be off to the STANLEY CUP FINAL in year 2.

I beat Minnesota in 7 including a game in which I lost in the 6th...yes 6th OT. That is the second longer than 3 OT games I have had. That was hell.

I beat Calgary in 5. Now the Dead Things must DIEEEEE

Marsac · Post by **Marsac** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 2:15 pm

Ten games into season three Wolski is having a great start to the year, he's been on the scoresheet for half of the goals we've scored so far and watching the highlights I'd say he has been involved in even more than that. He has 8G 9A so far, Hejduk is second in scoring with 7G 5A and Lecavalier third with 2G 8A. Hejduk has fired 63 shots at the net already. Quincey has the best start of the D-men after replacing Preissing on the first PP unit, 2G 5A.

Update on our "new" arrivals: Stoa has played 5 games, scoring 3 goals and being -1. Weiman has played in and won three games with a 3.02 GAA and 0.90 SV%. Foy has played 8 games, now on IR, scoring 1G 1A and delivering 38 hits. Picard has played all ten games picking up 2A while being +1. Schaefer has played six games, currently on IR, scoring one goal and being -5, he needs to pick up his play for sure. Holos has played in all ten games and is +2.

Post by **batdad** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 5:57 pm

Season 2 is over. Defeated the Caps 4-1 in the Final!

Awards

Stanley Cup: Colorodo Runner up: Washington
Calder Cup: San Antonio Runner up: Providence
Kelly Cup: Springfield Runner up: Ontario
Memorial Cup: Kelowna Runner up:Londo
WHL: Kelowna, OHL: LOndon, QMJHL: Quebec (host-Erie)

World Champ: CAnada, Russia, Slovakia, USA (Gold-4th) Relegate: Latvia, Hungary Promote: Slovenia, Great Britain

World Jr: Canada, USA, Sweden, Czech Relegate: Slovakia, Slovenia Promote: Great Britain, Hungary

Wow Great Britain to top pool in both men's and jr categories already!!

Art Ross: Johan Franzen WHAT?????
Masterton: Brian Berard
Norris: Brian Berard
Conn Smythe: Craig Anderson (2nd Luongo, 3rd Stastny)
Calder: Evgeny Grachev StL Runner UP: Matt Duchene BRAMPTON RULES!!!
Selke: Scatchard NJ (Still overrated)
Adams: Sacco
Hart: Oli Jokinnen-Minnesota
Clancy: Saku Koivu, Anaheim
Lady Byng: Milan Hejduk
Pearson: Thornton, San Jose
Rocket Richard: Kovalchuk, Atl (Ovenchicken 2nd, Milan Hejduk 3rd)
Vezina: Craig Anderson, 2nd Budaj reversal from season 1

1st ALL STAR: Craig Anderson
2nd ALL STARS: Petr Budaj, Scott Hannan

SNUBBED: MATT DUCHENE NO ROOKIE ALL STAR even though 2nd in Calder.

Must get through draft and to July 1st and will post stats.