Challenge #38 - Shark Attack! - Discussion Thread

[radiskull]

Interesting. Seems like many of you guys don't give Hartman a big chance. He's on my 2nd line now and 4th in the team for points. 43 games, 19-25-44. Definitely didn't think that he'll be that good.

[visualdarkness]

Interesting. Seems like many of you guys don't give Hartman a big chance. He's on my 2nd line now and 4th in the team for points. 43 games, 19-25-44. Definitely didn't think that he'll be that good.

He has been on all my lines and kills the top two lines and the PP when he's on it. He has been given every chance to steal a spot but he has failed. Now I call up Boyko instead for the top two lines when there's an injury.

[m0fownz0r]

Quick question, does July 1st trade deadline apply to the 2nd season and after that?

[bruins72]

In this challenge we're opening up the trading on June 15th of each season.

[m0fownz0r]

Yeah, I got mix'ed up in the dates. What I meant, since we have to trade or drop players prior to the draft, in the first season, does the same apply for rest of the seasons?

I'm wondering because we have to provide a screen shot of the trades on July 1st and I don't know whether I missed my window or I can still make a move or two.

While on this subject, any of you feel the urge to trade Couture away? I mean, he has great stats, albeit a little slow, he produces pretty decent numbers but I just can't raise his raiting above 7.0. Maybe it's something with the ratings system. For example, Monahan had 10g 10a in the playoffs and his avg. rating was just about 7.0 or a bit below - how is that even possible? I mean 10g in the POs, on their own, should grant you higher rating??

[Smylie]

Thought I would give this a whirl..... First part is done and I got everyone traded before the draft..... I have 4 1st 's and 4 2nd round picks so I will get to the season after that...... I have posted the screen shots in the other place but will give this some more verbage when I get home tonight!

[stone169]

Yeah, I got mix'ed up in the dates. What I meant, since we have to trade or drop players prior to the draft, in the first season, does the same apply for rest of the seasons?

I'm wondering because we have to provide a screen shot of the trades on July 1st and I don't know whether I missed my window or I can still make a move or two.

While on this subject, any of you feel the urge to trade Couture away? I mean, he has great stats, albeit a little slow, he produces pretty decent numbers but I just can't raise his raiting above 7.0. Maybe it's something with the ratings system. For example, Monahan had 10g 10a in the playoffs and his avg. rating was just about 7.0 or a bit below - how is that even possible? I mean 10g in the POs, on their own, should grant you higher rating??

According to the rules...

Season 2 and on

Each season on June 15th the veteran age will drop. You'll have the option of trading away these veteran players or keeping them. The same restrictions apply here that applied the when you first took over the team but the age will drop

2016-2017: Players aged 28 or older may be traded
2017-2018: Players aged 27 or older may be traded
2018-2019: Players aged 26 or older may be traded
2019-2020: Players aged 25 or older may be traded

As for Couture...#1 centers are hard to come by. I personally would not trade him unless I had someone ready to step into the role. He can play on the PP and the PK. At least he does for me and he's my captain. Although what do I know, I finished dead last in 6 of 7 season during the last challenge and it's a safe bet that I'll be finishing last in my first season of this challenge.

[stone169]

So Hartman was one of the kids that I decided to send down to Worchester. He played 2 games and had a 1g and 1a. I was forced to call him up since Zolnierczyk went down with an injury.

Before the call up:
18 games 0g 2a

Since the call up:
4 games 2g 0a

[Sesyde]

Yeah, I got mix'ed up in the dates. What I meant, since we have to trade or drop players prior to the draft, in the first season, does the same apply for rest of the seasons?

I'm wondering because we have to provide a screen shot of the trades on July 1st and I don't know whether I missed my window or I can still make a move or two.

While on this subject, any of you feel the urge to trade Couture away? I mean, he has great stats, albeit a little slow, he produces pretty decent numbers but I just can't raise his raiting above 7.0. Maybe it's something with the ratings system. For example, Monahan had 10g 10a in the playoffs and his avg. rating was just about 7.0 or a bit below - how is that even possible? I mean 10g in the POs, on their own, should grant you higher rating??

I've had some thoughts on trading Couture away once my season finish. Just like for you, he does produce ok numbers but his rating is rubbish. That however seem to go for my centers overall. Forwards seem to get higher ratings easier than centers for some reason. I do believe that for to some extent it is because my lack of good centers, but I'm not convinced it's all down to that.

I think I will probably end up keeping him in the end though, I just have too many holes to fill before I can go after another no.1 C.

[radiskull]

Ok, 1st season is done.
I had a feeling that I figured out this game in the last challenge and now I'm certain about it. 62-17-3 and the Cup and the team is nowhere near the strength of my late Canucks.

But playoffs were very intense. Against Ducks every game was very close but we managed to win the series 4-1. And then Avalanche and us basically won every home game. Thankfully we had a home advantage. So 4-3 in the series. In the finals we swept Devils 4-0, but every game went to OT. And in every OT we scored on the powerplay.
Playoffs showed that there is definitely a lack of top skill in our lineup compared with other great teams. But still we've won.

Hertl got Art Ross with 44-47-91.
Wingels got Maurice Richard with 46-44-90.
Teravainen was awesome on the 2nd line with 29-59-88. I'm glad that I got him.
Couture? Well, not so great, yeah. But still 20-41-61. But in comparison with his linemates Hertl and Wingels this seems like he's got some troubles.
Hartman and Nieto surprised me. Ryan got 32-43-75 and Matt got 29-44-73. But in the next season I think Goldobin will become my 2nd line winger instead of Nieto. He managed to get 19-23-42 on the 3rd line and PP and jumped in skills in the offseason.
Of course, Sateri is pretty good. He got Conn Smythe with 1.52 GAA and 93.9% in the playoffs.

Overall the team is fine. I didn't reshape it in the offseason. Just traded away Fiala for picks. I have a pretty good pool of youngsters now and look forward for their development.

[bruins72]

Yeah, I got mix'ed up in the dates. What I meant, since we have to trade or drop players prior to the draft, in the first season, does the same apply for rest of the seasons?

I'm wondering because we have to provide a screen shot of the trades on July 1st and I don't know whether I missed my window or I can still make a move or two.

While on this subject, any of you feel the urge to trade Couture away? I mean, he has great stats, albeit a little slow, he produces pretty decent numbers but I just can't raise his raiting above 7.0. Maybe it's something with the ratings system. For example, Monahan had 10g 10a in the playoffs and his avg. rating was just about 7.0 or a bit below - how is that even possible? I mean 10g in the POs, on their own, should grant you higher rating??

The only time you have to trade or drop players is going into that first season. That's because we want to weaken the team initially. After that, you're not forced to trade or drop anyone. On June 15th, the age requirements for tradeable players is dropped. So on June 15th of 2016 you can trade anyone that's 28 or older by July 1st of 2016. You're not required to trade them though. It's just an option.

I'm not sure what might be causing the low ratings. Maybe giveaways? Or losing face-offs?

[bruins72]

As much as I don't love Couture, I'm not going to trade him. That last challenge taught us that decent centers are extremely hard to come by.

Hertl went down for 3 weeks with a hip flexor strain. I called up Fiala to take his place and he's performed well so far. In 2 games he's had 2 goals, 1 assist, a +3, 2 PIM, and he hasn't been a liability. Hertl is still out for another couple weeks, so we'll see if Fiala can keep this up. I almost called up Goldobin because his attributes looked better but Fiala was performing better down in Worcester, so he got the call.

[Syvis]

Just finished my first season and got knocked out in the second round by the eventual Cup winners, the Anaheim Ducks. I traded for Andrei Vasilevsky, Jacob Trouba, Andre Burakovsky and Nikita Kucherov before the first draft. Also got a bunch of picks with them. I was very happy with the young guys. Vasilevsky was my #1 guy through the season and he performed well. Trouba had a monster season scoring 70 points from the blueline. Kucherov was my first line RW and he scored 75 points. Goldobin tied Nikolaj Ehlers for the rookie scoring lead. Worcester also won the Calder Cup so overall the season was a success for the organization. I'm going into the second draft now but before that I'll try to trade a couple of my surplus 28+ guys for some picks.

[bruins72]

I'm so annoyed with the Ducks. Back at the start of the challenge, I tried trading for John Gibson, who they had let rot in the AHL for the whole previous season. They didn't want to give him up. So on July 1st, they let him walk as an RFA. They never signed him and now in late January, he's signed with a KHL team.

[Syvis]

I could get Chicago's first round pick (#16) or the Finnish Sebastian Aho for Harri Säteri. Which deal should I take?

[bruins72]

I'd go for the pick purely because Aho doesn't look like my type of player at all.

[stone169]

Made some changes to the tactics after reading the forums, and made some changes to my practice. I've watched my PK jump up 4 percentage points and my PP jump 2 percentage points. My PP has usually been pretty good, but my PK has cost me games. Finished with a record 9-8-3 in the second quarter.

[stone169]

I could get Chicago's first round pick (#16) or the Finnish Sebastian Aho for Harri Säteri. Which deal should I take?

I've had Aho in the last challenge. Good player, but you have to be patient with him.

[m0fownz0r]

As much as I don't love Couture, I'm not going to trade him. That last challenge taught us that decent centers are extremely hard to come by.

Hertl went down for 3 weeks with a hip flexor strain. I called up Fiala to take his place and he's performed well so far. In 2 games he's had 2 goals, 1 assist, a +3, 2 PIM, and he hasn't been a liability. Hertl is still out for another couple weeks, so we'll see if Fiala can keep this up. I almost called up Goldobin because his attributes looked better but Fiala was performing better down in Worcester, so he got the call.

I've decided to hold on to him, as well as E, Johnson. No trades for me after the 1st season. I'm gonna roll with the youth and try ot get a pick for any of the overagers that loses his roster spot.

Stalock might've won the Conn Smyth but Goldobin was gold when called upon when Domi went down for a few games!

[listro55]

First time challenge here.

Just finished the first leg, draft and trades done. I read the first couple pages a while ago and gave me an idea on what most are getting for value out of the players. I did notice that people believe fining and discipline on NTCs open up trading availability. Maybe a bit of an advantage to know, or not, but I'll post it anyway. Set their status as not needed. NTCs will waive without getting pissy with everyone, Or teammates either. I was also able to get better value out of my players because I didn't have to set them on the trade block.

Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, in separate trades with Winnipeg fetched me a first and second.
Niemi fetched the same from Washington.
Pavelski a first from Colorado.
Dagostini a 3rd and 4th from Pittsburgh.
Burns got me Dylan Larkin (instead of mantha) and their first.
Kostka and Vlasic went to Arizona for gormley, a first and second.
Braun went to Boston and got me M. Subban and isles 2nd.

I could not sign saterri, nor did I manage to resign stalock. Subban move was to replace saterri, now looking like its to replace both.

Grosenick was pulled out of Europe.
Oregan, Bergman were my prospects signed out of all losing rights. Boyko was also signed but his SKA contract he signed right before stated no release clause, so even at the end of May, I needed to wait till next summer before he joins me.

I ended with 6 firsts, 6 seconds, a 3rd, 2 4ths and my usual late rounders.
4th overall: Sean Day
6th overall: Adam Mascherin
12th overall Max Jones
15th overall Evan Fitzpatrick
20th overall: Luke Green
27th overall: Chad Krys

33rd overall: victor Rosen
36th overall: Brandon Saigeon
42nd overall: Alex Nylander
43rd overall: Kyle Clague
50th overall: Cliff Pu
57th overall: Tyson Jost

71st overall: Liam Zetterberg

4th round: Nikita Makeyev, Jack Lafontaine
5th round: Keenan Reynolds
6th round: Kiefer Bellows
7th round: Logan Stanley, Marcus Bjork.

I was surprised to see people take this zetterberg kid after reading thru a bit farther to see who did what like I did. I found simply at first his name stood out. My name is Liam to begin with, and to see it followed by zetterberg made me look deeper into him. My accounts recommended him as someone who could make an immediate impact, so I drafted him in the 3rd round as a 20 year old, he was unranked, but his stars were high compared to most. My first and second rounds were based on good players I felt I needed to get before they were gone. I chose Day over Matthews because I didn't see a defenseman of his calibre after him. I had green targeted since my scouts first started reporting, but I figured I could replace Matthews with one of the many forwards available. Enter: Mascherin.

Brown has never developed for me. So I steered clear of him. Matthews went after Day. It was between maher and Mascherin, anyone that has ever scouted as "like Sidney Crosby" has always been a bust by those standards. So maher got put aside. We will see if I'm right. When stalock wasn't signing, I thought I should get a goalie. At 15 I took Fitzpatrick, even over Patrick lain simply because I drafted jones earlier. Luke Green was available at 20 when he was ranked 14 so I snatched him up. I continued the trend of defense because I had to trade so many away.

Nylander was a wild card because I always draft him. He takes time but usually at least turns out some good Ahl numbers, helps others develope.

Ps: Torts in my HC.

I see people getting Demko... "Rights to..." I thought weren't allowed? Must be under contract?

[listro55]

Also... Cant sign UFA but what about Rfa?

[bruins72]

First time challenge here.

<snip>

I see people getting Demko... "Rights to..." I thought weren't allowed? Must be under contract?

Welcome! Glad to see another person joining us!

I must have missed that. If someone traded for the "rights to Demko", that's not allowed. Only contracted players can be traded (and draft picks).

[bruins72]

Also... Cant sign UFA but what about Rfa?

You can sign your own RFAs but you're not allowed to sign other teams' RFAs to an offer sheet.

[listro55]

Also... Cant sign UFA but what about Rfa?

You can sign your own RFAs but you're not allowed to sign other teams' RFAs to an offer sheet.

Nor trade for?

[m0fownz0r]

Also... Cant sign UFA but what about Rfa?

You can sign your own RFAs but you're not allowed to sign other teams' RFAs to an offer sheet.

Nor trade for?

nope