EHM The Blue Line

LOL. 67 years. Amazing. And you are a jerk for ending it. Should have waited another 67. BTW DID the team have to move because the city burned after winning?

Should've wait for 100 years without a cup. Would've made a Red Sox story.

Actually when I started this career I wanted to be the GM of Toronto (don't know why, I like the colors) or Anaheim (been a fan since they came to the NHL, still using my purple Mighty Ducks backpack bought in 1993 for my sport equipment!).

and.. when I won the Stanley I beat the Flames.. so maybe Toronto was burning.. (bad joke, had to try..)

YES! I beat the darn Sharks. 4-2 with that Regen in net.


And GARTH SNOW...finally got fired from NYI on the same day. Must be something to that.

Heh, I faced Philadelphia Flyers in the 1st round. (Tampa, season 2, won the series 4-2. Game 6 I won 10-0) Next day: Holmgren got fired.

Even the game AI takes better decisions than the real Flyers.

LOVE THIS GAME!

2018-19 WOrld Jr Championships.

QUarter final round features these two games:

Kazhakstan (just promoted to this group) vs Czech Republic.
Norway(also just promoted) vs United States

The top two teams waiting for advancement?

1. Canada
2. AUSTRIA-won their group by beating USA 2-0, Russia 4-0, Slovakia 4-0, and Czech Rep 2-1. They have allowed 1 goal. OUTSTANDING. BETTER SCOUT THAT TEAM.

RELEGATION ROUND

1. Russia
2. Slovakia
3. Sweden
4. Finland

That looks more like a semi final round than a relegation. OUTSTANDING.

Better yet. Norway beats USA in quarterfinal and Slovakia is relegated for sure. Russia is in tough and may be relegated as well. Although if they beat Sweden and Finland loses to Slovakia, it will be either Sweden or Finland relegated. (They tied in the group stage so not sure which one)

Kazakhstan unfortunately loses to Czechs.

So semi finals...not sure who will play who.

Austria-Norway would be awesome so that one of them gets to the final. Or they beat Canada and Czechs and both go to gold medal game.

World junior update

Gold-Canada
Silver-Czech Rep
Bronze-Norway
4th - Austria

Relegated..

1. Russia
2. Slovakia

Heads will roll in Russia baby.

Season #3, 2015-2016 is about to start.

The team is ranked #2 behind Montreal as the best pretender for the Cup. We'll see where this goes. I have the feeling the team is more solid than last year because of the additions I've made so maybe the time as come!

Here's the line-up.

Landeskog-Duchene-MacKinnon
Tanguay-Stastny-Parenteau
Horcoff-Dubinsky-McLeod
Mitchell-Hishon-Lazarev

Johnson-Ekblad
Siemens-Holos
Holden-Barrie

Varlamov
Harding

Guys in black are the newcomers on the team. Lazarev is my first round pick #26 in 2014. Small Russian guy, 5,10 178 pounds. Scouts were praising him but never thought he would be that good. He showed up to training camp with 5 green attributes, don't know what he did in summer to get that. For pre-season games I put him on the second line with first PP and darn, 12 pts in 5 games. Crazy training camp as well. Had to sign him to try. I'm already guessing that because of his shape his rating will suck but I'll send him back to junior if he has too much difficulty.

First draft report came out and it seems the draft will suck again this year. Haven't seen nothing good in the top 30 except the kid ranked #1. Might take my two first rounder to try to land Fowler then.

Ovenchicken just scored his 50th goal, in his 45th game of the season. Next closest to him...33.


And my team? REbuilding year right? Or not....

My team just lost a game for the first time in 23 games. Winning streak of 22 games. Loss to Edmonton on January 26, 2019.

The last loss I had before that? December 9=shootout loss to Minnesota.

The last regulation loss before that?

November 25 2018.

So I had gone on this run

27-0-2. Insanity.

My current record for this rebuilding/reloading year is 40-6-4.

I have scored an average of 4.46 goals per game.


Not one game have I played at anything past Normal-Equal (f-d), and have never once matched lines. I have only changed my breakout at even strength, and my breakout and forecheck on the PP.

PK I have not touched at all.

I have changed my forward combinations every 2nd game, so the other teams could not match up to me, and that is all I have done.

This young team (only 3 guys--Backes, Weber, and Hjalmarsson are over 30)

Average age is 25.04.

Totally a surprise for me from these guys.

Well I'll forget the Cup for this year I think. 17 games into the season and it's a complete nightmare. I'm 11-4-2, seems okay looking like that but the team is a-w-f-u-l. The only thing keeping me alive are Tanguay and Stastny who are on fire.

My so successful line Landeskog-Duchene-MacKinnon seems to sleep 4 games on 5 most of the time and despite line changes, new partners, it never works!

Defense sucks as well. My PP seems to finally doing okay but it's the PK who fell down the cliff. 81% so far. Ekblad sucks. Johnson play 1 games on 3. Only guy doing something is Siemens.

Varlamov, oh god that Russian swiss cheese. 4 games into the season he was fantastic since then he sucks, sucks, sucks.

I've never give that much warning in a WHOLE season in EHM than this one. And the first quarter is not even done! Can't believe it. Seems like all my stars decide to sit on their asses. I'm trying to change my tactics and even what my coaches are doing and nothing seems to change.

Funny fact. I did my best game ever in my EHM history earlier this evening. 12-4 against Dallas.

philou21 wrote: I did my best game ever in my EHM history earlier this evening. 12-4 against Dallas.

Dallas just lost 15-2 against SJ. Had a look at their goalies....barely have junior skills LOL

One is 7.30 and .753%. The other is 6.47 and .836%.

how can comp AI let this happen?

I just discovered Lethonen was on the IR for a long time. Seems their backups just sucks.

So I wanted some comments on trades offers I have on table before the deadline. I'm probably going to get rid off Parenteau since he is UFA and is wanted by alot of teams. I've got two offers for him but I dont' know if they are "politically correct". (I always try to make my trade close to reality despite what the management can say)

1st. Parenteau and Pickard for Marcus Johansson. The kid seems to have alot of potential both IRL and in the game. Him and Parenteau have equal productions numbers though. I threw Pickard in the trade because they wanted a goalie, even though in-game Pickard looks like a normal back-up. Since I signed Harding I don't need him anymore. But I don't know if Pickard have a good value anymore. I don't know about Johansson either

2nd. Parenteau vs Hanzal. A simple one on one. I was surprise that Phoenix offered that. Hanzal is a good players. Not putting alot of numbers but definitely ahead of Parenteau in terms of versatility IMO. I thought adding a pick to this one to have a better balance. I could really use a big guy like him my line-up is kinda small.

Both guys are really interesting. One is big and a good two-way foward and the other is still young but seems to have good potential. Could replace Stastny if I can't resign him after the season.

Any thoughts?

philou21 wrote:So I wanted some comments on trades offers I have on table before the deadline. I'm probably going to get rid off Parenteau since he is UFA and is wanted by alot of teams. I've got two offers for him but I dont' know if they are "politically correct". (I always try to make my trade close to reality despite what the management can say)

1st. Parenteau and Pickard for Marcus Johansson. The kid seems to have alot of potential both IRL and in the game. Him and Parenteau have equal productions numbers though. I threw Pickard in the trade because they wanted a goalie, even though in-game Pickard looks like a normal back-up. Since I signed Harding I don't need him anymore. But I don't know if Pickard have a good value anymore. I don't know about Johansson either

2nd. Parenteau vs Hanzal. A simple one on one. I was surprise that Phoenix offered that. Hanzal is a good players. Not putting alot of numbers but definitely ahead of Parenteau in terms of versatility IMO. I thought adding a pick to this one to have a better balance. I could really use a big guy like him my line-up is kinda small.

Both guys are really interesting. One is big and a good two-way foward and the other is still young but seems to have good potential. Could replace Stastny if I can't resign him after the season.

Any thoughts?

For me the second one sounds most realistisc, (but Caps traded away Forsberg irl).....
You can also try to see if they really a RW? And have a decent set up of center behind Hanzal? That is some things i look for when im trading.

I don't care if they're not RW (Johansson is C/RW). I could change the spot of one player or two and everyone would fit in.

Caps approved the trade but I accepted nothing so far. Phoenix came back with a counter-offer. They want Siemens as well haha No freaking way. I hate when a team likes an offer alot then just come back with something that I need to give more.

philou21 wrote:I just discovered Lethonen was on the IR for a long time. Seems their backups just sucks.

Sounds just like my old Finnish Elite League save which in Antti Raanta got injured for 9 months after a skull fracture and that sent Porin Ässät into a woe. Though it was a miracle that he returned after it, doubt that it would happen irl after that kind of an injury.

Both trades are close to being decent, but the first one is closer. Hanzal is too much for Paranteau straight up IMHO. But I am not playing with the db you are, so it may not be the case (i have not looked). as for the Washington deal, it to me would be bang on if you dropped Pickard from the deal. But again...not using your db and have never looked. Both are not HORRIBLE as not 15 for 1 deals.

Dallas just lost 15-2 against SJ. Had a look at their goalies....barely have junior skills LOL

Yeah there are definitely management for AI choosing weird goalies for teams. Almost like an afterthought much of the time and fit under cap guys.

So...after my 23 game unbeaten streak I am 15-10-1. I have lost 3 times to Edmonton in that streak by bad scores

7-2, 8-2, 5-1.

I have also beaten Toronto 12-1 and Detroit 11-0. So what gives? Weirdness.

I have not been happy with Forbort and Vlasanek this season. Noone wants Vlas (he is a 1 start to everyone, yet has scored 20 goals 5 times for me...oh well) but he is struggling without the twins. Lots of 5s and 6s and only 10 goals in 50 games.

I need a LW....badly for the playoff run. I need to dump salary to get one. There are only 4 teams more than 10 points out of a playoff spot, and EXACTLY ONE Left winger on an expiring contract I have a chance of fitting under the cap by moving Forbort and possibly Vlas.

His name: Martin Hanzal. LOL. Florida is 20 points out...they really suck, and Marty is their only 30 point man. Yeah 30 points, noone else has it in 60 games.

They also have a veteran dman as pending UFA, who is at best a #6 guy...Bodnarchuk age 30.


So....I look at this and decide I need Hanzal as he will be that top LW I need.

Forbort, Xavier Gagne G (age 19 my 2017 6th rounder-who projects as an average starter), and Willie Kaiser (my 2014 3rd who is 6'7 245 and projects as 1-2 dman, and is doing okay in 3rd year in Manitoba, but will never crack my roster with younger guys who are excelling on way up or already there)

to Florida for

Martin Hanzal Exp UFA age 32, 6'5.
Andrew Bodnarchuk exp UFA age 30 not big though,

Both guys will just play this year out and then go away. Florida would not take Vlas and his 1.1 mill which I would have loved to have dumped as well.

Henrik is going to retire, he will not sign with me, or anyone else. Numbers are way down now, skating to 10.

So after this deadline deal and the one I made coming out of October

Rinkinnen (a top rated LW who plays like garbage)
Alex Plante (dman I got last season as depth guy and played a few games, but did nothing for me)

to Chicago for

23 year old RD Adam EVes (projects as 3-4 guy, but likely 5-6 guy) Hawks 3rd round pick in 2013.
20 year old LW Dylan Grennier (Rangers 4th in 2016, now moving to 3rd club and will play rest of year at least in minors, projects as 3rd liner)

My AGM was not a fan of this deal, but Rinkinnen needed to go. So here is my lineup down the stretch and for 2019 playoffs.

Gutsevich-Stenstrom-Yakupov
Hanzal-Bjugstad-Backes (smallest guy is Backes both height and weight)
Pouliot-Bourque-Hornak
Vlasanek-Barzal-Laurila
Cotnoir-Hakkala

Cotnoir was acquired in deal in off season for Ellerby as thought Forbort was going to be a stud this year. He was not.
Hakkala is my 2014 7th rounder, last overall. WAHOO> So cool to get him on the team. he is doing quite well actually with a 7 rating so far.
Barzal of course is not a regen, he is a youngster from Burnaby and he is going to be a good one. He was my 2015 2nd rounder (56th). His skating is weak, but everything else is amazing. Doing quite well and getting some PP2 time for me.

On defense

Arszamastsev-Weber
Sjogren-Hjalmarsson
Hlookoff-Eaves
Bodnarchuk

Eaves of course I mentioned in trade for Plante.
Hlookoff is my latest attempt at an undrafted UFA signing. Signed him 2 years ago, and he has been good in Manitoba. Age 22 and is 6'2 222 from Sarnia Ontario. I have no clue how this guy was not drafed as my scouts nailed him after the draft as a 1-2 potential guy. He is looking pretty darn good. Just sort of popped up playing in the OHL with Oshawa and going to mem cup as a 19 year old. Must have developed in his 20 year old season. I dunno. But he is doing well for me on my 3rd pair.

Chernov
Collberg

Goalies have both been very average this year, both are 26 and need to start showing or they will be going.

I am very worried about playoffs. St Louis has beaten me 2x including a 4-0 game, and Edmonton is manhandling me now. San Jose of course is a big issue, and the Ducks have beat me twice. That is 9 of my 10 losses right there. And the Ducks are currently the team I would play first round.

Ovenchicken is up to 65 goals in 68 games. Unreal. ( i am getting close to the season end. Ovi also has 57 assists and leads the league with 122 points in his 68 games. (LOVE THE OFFENSIVE MIND OF THE OLD DBs like this one...cracks me up)

Closest to Ovi? Kovalchuk 107 points and Stenstrom with 106

batdad wrote:Both trades are close to being decent, but the first one is closer. Hanzal is too much for Paranteau straight up IMHO. But I am not playing with the db you are, so it may not be the case (i have not looked). as for the Washington deal, it to me would be bang on if you dropped Pickard from the deal. But again...not using your db and have never looked. Both are not HORRIBLE as not 15 for 1 deals.

Well I changed Phoenix deal. Parenteau and a prospect d-man for Hanzal and they accepted it. Washington as well. I might go for the younger guy, Johansson is 25, even though Hanzal shape is really interesting.

Hanzal is really good in my DB. Averaging ratings of 8.30 and I guess Phoenix use him everywhere this season he almost have 1 point per game. They rated him 5 stars but they still want to let him go.

For Washington, Johansson has good second line center stats but he plays on the first with Ovy and Backstrom. He's been putting good numbers because of that. Averaging 8.60 rating and even a 100 pts season. According to you I should pull out Pickard from the trade? If I do that, they will refuse the trade. I personnally think Parenteau vs Johansson 1 on 1 wiould never happen.

Oh sorry...Pickard is going to Washington from you. My apologies. Thought it was other way around. Actually that is a very fair deal.

The Phoenix one is good too as long as the prospect is at least a 3-4 dman.

Yeah...I'll take Johansson then, going for the youth! Nothing stops me for getting Hanzal in another trade though but I don't like doing that much trades at the deadline. I'm already looking to dump Barrie for a LD. I have way too much RD.

I think I've found my LD. Chicago doesn't seem to care that much about Hjalmarsson anymore. His rating sucks this season (7.10) but in the past he was averaging 7.50. I proposed Barrie and a second round pick, we'll see what they'll think of that.

Tampa Bay. New players: Bryzgalov, Zherdev, Cehlin and Carl Soderberg. Stats for Tampa players.
Season one we took the last playoff spot and was facing the regular season gigants Pittsburgh. It was a tough serie but in the last game Stamkos stepped up and we was trough to the next round.
Rangers had made a really great season, and we wasnt strong enough this time. With Stamkos out for a few days, Rangers steamrolled over us and a 4-0 win was well deserved. Lundqvist had two shotouts, and lead the team to a SC-final against St Louis Blues.
Blues was the stronger team this year, and could celebrate they won Stanley Cup!

In the draft we had the 15th overall pick, and i was suprised that William Nylander was still up for grabs. We had two 2nd rounds picks, were we drafted Lucas Wallmark and Maxim Lazarev. I think we made a big steal in the 5th round, a big russian center named Vladislav Boyko made me suprised that he still wasnt drafted.
Tyrell, Lee, Salo and Pyatt wasnt offered new contracts.
There was alot of great players on the free agent market. Stralman and Kulemin agreed to a 2-year contract, and we was done on the market.. i thought!
Now i need som help or tips.. Gaborik agreed on a 4-year deal worth $4million, should i sign him? Or should i sign Nylander who has sick attributes?

Gaborik - Stamkos - St Louis
Malone - Filppula - Zherdev
Kulemin - Soderberg - Purcell
Paradis - Thompson - Johnson

Hedman - Brewer
Carle - Stralman
Aulie - Sustr

Bryzgalov
Lindback

Players in the system: Namestnikov, Connolly, Nesterov, Milan, Barberio, Croombeen, Kucherov, Killorn, Palat, Panik, Gudas, Cehlin and Andrei Vasilevsky..
Unsigned: Drouin, Nylander, Lazarev, Boyko, Wallmark, Erne...