Challenge #40 - All-American New York Rangers - Discussion

[jesterx7769]

lol jester, can't wait to see them, haha

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r461 ... iygscg.jpg

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r461 ... cq4a5l.jpg

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r461 ... c4of3r.jpg

[Kopi]

So I finished my 1st season as regular season champ and I lost in Eastern Conference Finals against Tampa 4:2. Must say I had a great season with not so many injuries (only Stepan who should be out 3 months but came back earliers so I could even use him at last two games with Tampa).
Few thoughts on players:
Goalies did great that is why will keep them both also for 2nd season (Miller and Zatkoff)
In Defense there was always something missing..McCabe and Lovejoy just didnt play as i expected. Then Lovejoy injured and i called up Potter and he become regular. Potter was a nice surprise with 21 games 2 goals 7 assists 9 points and AVR 7.33. McBabe and Lovejoy do not want to resign with me.
Of the forwards i can say i expected more from Heyes and Nelson as they didnt pass AVR 7 mark despite having important roles. Normaly my 4th line sucks but Tangradi - Vitale - Arcobello did very well. Vitale was the only player that has fights alowed so he was also among the top penalty guys in NHL yet whole NYR was the least penlized team in NHL!
I did manage to resign almost all the players for next season except McCabe, Lovejoy, Tangradi, Arcobello, Florek and Summers of the ones that were in NYR or close to call up.

Here are Players Stats

[visualdarkness]

lol jester, can't wait to see them, haha

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r461 ... iygscg.jpg

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r461 ... cq4a5l.jpg

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r461 ... c4of3r.jpg

You like trading draft picks eh?

[jesterx7769]

lol yup, it was more of an experiment at 2am really.

My initial goal for 2016 draft was to do whatever possible to trade up for one of the top USA kids (Matthews, etc). However it is literally impossible to trade up into the top 10 with these rules- anyone who does is a liar and cheat. I had even McDonough+Stepan or Yandle rejected for a 5th overall pick.

So after the draft my goal was to focus on the 2017 draft. I want to get as many 1st round picks now, in hopes those teams would do bad in 2017 and I could luck out. Worse case scenario I would have a bunch of 1st round picks to trade. This is where all the pick trading came in:

- Trade players for 3rd round picks if needed, trade two 3rds for one 2nd
-Trade players for 2nd rounders
-Trade two 2nd rounders for a good teams 1st rounder (ie AZ/Flyers 2nd for Canadiens 1st)
- trade two good team 1st rounders for a one bad team 1st rounders (ie Canadiensa nd Blackhawk 1st for AZ 1st)

I think in the end I had 6 or 7 first round picks, which I ended up trading a bunch in players.

I then loaded up my game and did a test to see about getting into the top 10 of 2016. It's literally impossible, the AI would not accept the 11th and 12th ovearall pick for 10th overall- its crazy.

[bruins72]

I finally got around to logging my 60 games segment of season 1. I had a much better quarter there than I had the previous 2 quarters. I went 8-4-8 for that stretch. While it's not exactly great, it's a nice improvement and I'll take it. I've found with this team I have to play pretty conservatively and also roll 4 lines most of the time.

[visualdarkness]

I finally got around to logging my 60 games segment of season 1. I had a much better quarter there than I had the previous 2 quarters. I went 8-4-8 for that stretch. While it's not exactly great, it's a nice improvement and I'll take it. I've found with this team I have to play pretty conservatively and also roll 4 lines most of the time.

I had an 8 games winning streak in the third quarter but some atrocious goaltending and my regular awful PP/PK (PP 12.7%) settled us at 12-8-0. I find the complete opposite as I am playing some guys a lot.

I am starting to hate Kreider as he is so frustrating 5on5 and destroys lines while being one of few guys scoring on the PP. Stepan is just plain meh at best and contributes with very little and loses every important faceoff. All in all my first line is plain broken no matter who plays there.

Miller, Hayes, Zucker and Nelson are my heroes jumping around my second line. Miller is trying to win the goalscoring in the league!

[stone169]

Stepan is just plain meh at best and contributes with very little and loses every important faceoff. All in all my first line is plain broken no matter who plays there.

Miller, Hayes, Zucker and Nelson are my heroes jumping around my second line. Miller is trying to win the goalscoring in the league!

I've been trying to unload Stepan since I started, but no one seems to want him. I don't know why?

[visualdarkness]

Stepan is just plain meh at best and contributes with very little and loses every important faceoff. All in all my first line is plain broken no matter who plays there.

Miller, Hayes, Zucker and Nelson are my heroes jumping around my second line. Miller is trying to win the goalscoring in the league!

I've been trying to unload Stepan since I started, but no one seems to want him. I don't know why?

I wouldnt either.

[bruins72]

I can't seem to get Miller or Nelson to be productive for me. Kreider has been great, one of my top goal-scorers (tied with Zucker). Hayes and Stepan have both been streaky for me. No consistency. Also, the only person on my team that can win faceoffs is Vitale. That is one of my biggest frustrations.

[visualdarkness]

Faceoffs are frustrating with this team. I dont know how many goals against directly after a faceoff that have been scored against us. Also pulling the goalie is almost useless if your centermen cant win the faceoff.

[Peter_Doherty]

LOL Jester, nice trades

Kreider and Stepan are doing great for me, JT Miller is frustrating and i just can't seem to get a 3C to play well (tried Nelson, Brickley, Miller, Arcobello, Patrick Brown and some others), noone is doing good there, might have to try and trade for another good C and demote Hayes or something.

[visualdarkness]

My lines usually looks like:
Nelson/Kreider - Stepan - Atkinsons
Nelson/Zucker - Hayes - Miller
Foligno/Kreider/Nelson - Arcobello - Foligno/Watson/Nelson
Bourque - Vitale - Etem
Tangradi

As you can see I use Nelson as a spark plug to energize struggling lines and Kreider to destroy working ones. My first line sucks (besides Atkinsons), my second one is great, third is inconsistent and fourth is nice for what it is.

[jesterx7769]

LOL Jester, nice trades

Kreider and Stepan are doing great for me, JT Miller is frustrating and i just can't seem to get a 3C to play well (tried Nelson, Brickley, Miller, Arcobello, Patrick Brown and some others), noone is doing good there, might have to try and trade for another good C and demote Hayes or something.

Don't worry about a 3C, its a glitch in the game. I have Backes there and he is doing TERRIBLE. I think its just how the game is coded unfortunately. Even with less ice time he should be performing well with good line mates move any player from line 2 or 3 and you see big change instantly

[MWE]

Faceoffs are frustrating with this team. I dont know how many goals against directly after a faceoff that have been scored against us. Also pulling the goalie is almost useless if your centermen cant win the faceoff.

In four seasons with this team I've never pulled the goalie once.

[saberhagen83]

Don't worry about a 3C, its a glitch in the game. I have Backes there and he is doing TERRIBLE. I think its just how the game is coded unfortunately. Even with less ice time he should be performing well with good line mates move any player from line 2 or 3 and you see big change instantly

You know this could actually make sense. I too have had major problems with my 3C (in every save actually), the wingers are doing fine but the C mostly play worse.

I've managed to pick up Glendening at the deadline in season 2, so Hayes has moved back out to wing and it is going a little better. But I would expect Glendening to play better...at least my PK has gone up sooo...all is not bad. We're gonna make the playoffs again in year 2 (no problems this time), just hoping for a more competative 2 or so rounds this time around.

Edit: Nope. 2nd round exit...I hate the Penguins now, 2nd year in a row they knock us out!

[Asher413]

Was able to mostly match the deals I made last time in going back on the save after my error. The team is better, but weak on Goalie (and realistically there's only about 5 or 6 American goalies that aren't still at backup/1B level.). There isn't much depth after the first few forwards, but there aren't any 'bad' forwards now in the lineup. Have about 4.5 million in 'cap' space (to the 65m challenge limit), so I'm hoping to pry something free to add to depth. Leddy won't probably get to stay forever with his salary, and he may have to move if a better player is available.

Goalies: Hellebuyck, McCollum

Had to move Miller to get under the salary limit, and since he was WAAYYYY too old to be paid 6 million a year for the next six years (what he wanted), he had to go. No one is scouted higher than 3 stars, hopefully some develop.

Defense: McDonagh, Yandle, Leddy, McCabe, Erik Johnson, Braun, Potter.

Potter is a weak link, but right handed. Leddy is hanging on, but come the first healthy scratch, his salary will be too much to keep. Johnson was the upgrade, but again the pipeline only has 3 star guys, so at some point I either need a high pick (and a good American available) or one of the good young guys to have a fallout with their managment.

Forwards: Parise, Kreider, Vesey, Gibbons, Stepan, Kesler, Nelson, Vitale, Megna, Cole Cassels, Barber, Atkinson, Arcobello, Trocheck, JT Miller

Parise and Kesler were the big adds, Kesler still cost Lovejoy and a 2nd (one day before this time, so something about the way my save played out...), Parise cost Kevin Hayes and a 1st, so that was a bit. I see this as three great players now in the lineup, then... the rest. A lot of guys who are one or two things from great (like, Barber needs to learn how to skate). Drafted Logan Brown (essentially cost Etem and Watson for the pick) and Clayton Keller, I didn't play out the Bruins challenge enough to know if that was a good idea or bad, but they still excite me. Can't seem to move some of the waiver required guys, so in that regard, hopefully no guys in Rochester show me they're ready this season.

Other notes:
Essentially spent time trading 4th line guys (Foligno, Tangradi, Lashoff, Warner, Warren) for picks, so I will still pick in the 2nd round.
No idea how to form these lines, I'm trying to put some of the top guys on the 2nd or 3rd line so I can use them on PP and PK and stay under 20 mins. I may just spread out the 5 on 5 lines to minimize the damage and pray for PP goals.

Looking forward to a better season, but somehow I need to get young talent in because we have a lot of big contracts.

[visualdarkness]

So we got in to the playoffs but facing the invincible Caps resulted in a 0-4 sweep....

Faceoffs are frustrating with this team. I dont know how many goals against directly after a faceoff that have been scored against us. Also pulling the goalie is almost useless if your centermen cant win the faceoff.

In four seasons with this team I've never pulled the goalie once.

I take it as you dont micro-manage during the games?

[visualdarkness]

I hate how I always am the worst PP coach in every challenge. I just dont touch it anymore after I set it once unless it falls bellow 10% because whatever I do I make it worse. I despise that section of tactics and lose probably 10 games a season on it.

[Peter_Doherty]

Done with season 2, managed to win the cup!

Ended up 3rd in the East on less ROW then Caps during the regular season and in order went through Islanders (4-0), Capitals (4-2), Canadiens (4-1) and Oilers (4-0).

Let's take it from the top, regular season was very solid overall and everyone except whoever i put in that 3C role played well. Only had one major injury aswell which was a broken shin for Justin Braun (second major injury in two seasons, he's getting traded).

Craig Anderson and Jeff Zatkoff were solid in goal, both above .910 with a margin. On D everyone did what i expected more or less, apart from Leddy who was AMAZING with a bit more ice time then last season, he ended up with 16 goals and 60 points and will be in the running for Norris. My forward group did well, Kreider won the teams scoring race just infront of Stepan with 36+36.

During playoffs it continued more or less the same with a few exceptions, Jason Zucker really geared up and had the most points on the team with 19pts in 19 games and because of injuries i had Jordan Schmaltz, Riley Barber and Sonny Milano play for 12, 13 and 9 games and they were all great, Schmaltz with 2+6 in 12, Barber with 7+4 in 13 and Milano with 5+2 in 9, all three will be in the lineup next season.

Rochester cruised through the regular season in AHL and ended up with 116 pts, sadly they faltered in the first round against Syracuse for some reason. They were carried by Barber (45 goals), Schmaltz (63 points) and Milano (80 points) for most of the season. Hellebyuk was really solid aswell and will probably take Zatkoffs spot as the backup next season with Demko going to Rochester.

[CJ]

I hate how I always am the worst PP coach in every challenge. I just dont touch it anymore after I set it once unless it falls bellow 10% because whatever I do I make it worse. I despise that section of tactics and lose probably 10 games a season on it.

There's an idea for the game! We would be able to hire a "power play" coach that would handle those tactics.

[bruins72]

I hate how I always am the worst PP coach in every challenge. I just dont touch it anymore after I set it once unless it falls bellow 10% because whatever I do I make it worse. I despise that section of tactics and lose probably 10 games a season on it.

There's an idea for the game! We would be able to hire a "power play" coach that would handle those tactics.

Honestly, I've long thought that when you click "Ask Coach" it should figure out your tactics based upon the coach's tactics attribute and their preferred style of play.

[Peter_Doherty]

Made two trades before the draft 2017, first i sent JT Miller and our 1st rounder (#30) to Red Wings for their 1st (#14) and 3rd rounder, then i sent Justin Braun and Marc Arcobello to Canadiens for their 1st (#21)and 2nd rounder. The draft doesn't look great for American players outside of Khodorenko which i won't get but i hope i'll get some depth atleast and maybe one of them has some potential

Some AHL trophies handed out to my players, Barber won the Willie Marshall Award for best goalscorer with 45 goals.
Connor Hellebyuk won the Baz Bastien Trophy as the leagues best goalie and the Harry 'Hap' Holmes Memorial Award for allowing the least amount of goals, Halverson 2nd.
Sonny Milano won the Red Garrett Memorial Trophy as the best rookie in the AHL and was 3rd in the voting for the Les Cunningham Plaque as the most valuable player.
Jordan Schmaltz came in 2nd in the vote for Eddie Shore Plaque for the best defenceman.

Made another trade before the draft, traded up from #14 to #11 to give myself a shot at Farrance, used #74 to get it done.

Edit: Went through the draft, got LD David Farrance at #11, then i traded down from #21 to #24 where i picked C Scott Reedy, at #51 i took RW Stuart Brenk, at #65 (pick i got for trading down) i picked C Casey Mittlestadt and with my last two picks i got RW Collin Leach and G Mark Crabb.

Edit2: Leddy 2nd for Norris, Lavy (Me won Jack Adams, Kreider 2nd for Hart, Anderson won Conn Smythe with Zucker 2nd and Stepan 3rd and Leddy + Kreider was in the First All Star team.

Edit3: And one final trade, sent Henrik Samuelsson and Boo Nieves to Wild for Jordan Schroeder, hopefully he can solidify my 3C.

[Peter_Doherty]

Start of season 3, made two trades before the season, had to trade Skjei because he had no spot on Rangers and he had to go through waivers, sent him and Kyle Connor to Sens for Colin White, White will start in Rochester. Then i sent a 4th and a 6th to Blues for Yakimowicz, pure AHL depth. My lineup for the start of the season;

Kreider-Stepan-Barber
Zucker-Hayes-Atkinson
Foligno/Vesey-Schroeder-Callahan
Vesey/Foligno-Vitale-Brown

Leddy-Trouba
McDonagh-Ruhwedel
McCabe-Schmaltz

Anderson-Hellebyuk

I decided to take it slow with Milano, Cassels, White and McCarron, all are probably NHL-ready but will start in Rochester. Halverson is developing nicely and looks right now like the most probable goalie to take over after Anderson, he'll split the AHL-duties with Demko this season. Farrance, Brown and Keller were all sent to OHL.

I don't really like having Vitale in the lineup still but i like doing the slow approach with the kids so he'll have to do for now, maybe i'll find a better veteran during the season, we'll see.

[visualdarkness]

So, season two approaching and my team looks pretty similar but a tad deeper. I traded away most of the farm mostly for picks as I wanted to shape it myself and the farm was aging. I had trouble unloading Stepan and Kreider for anything useful so I seems like I am stuck with them. I also ran into salary trouble after a while and I had to led Foligno go.

Notable trades:
Lovejoy, R.Miller for Byfuglien, 6th
Zatkoff for Montoya
Arcobello, Tangradi - Copp
Potter for Bitetto
Gibbons, Sieloff for J.T.Brown
Magna, Skjei for Merrill, 4th
Watson, 2nd for Kesler
R.Bourque, Foligno for 1st

Draft was quite intense:
13 - Logan Brown - C
59 - Adam Fox - RD
76 - Jalen Smereck - LD
78 - Dylan Malmquist - LW
83 - Darby Llewellyn - LW
92 - Ryan Larkin - G
96 - Kevin Kerr - LD
100 - Lane Bauer - C
102 - Hayden Shaw - LD
111 - Jeremy Brodeur - G
122 - Ryan Dmowski - LW/RW
126 - Robert Carpenter - LW/RW
138 - Cale Morris - G
158 - Tyler Sensky - LD
168 - Bob Nardella - LD/RD
193 - Will Smith - LW
198 - RIley Tufte - LW

Right now it looks like my lines will be something like:

Montoya
Hellebuyck

McDonagh - Yandel
Leddy - Braun
Merrill - Byfuglien

Kreider - Stepan - Atkinson
Nelson - Hayes - Miller
Zucker - Kesler - J.T.Brown
Bourque - Vitale - Etem


Edit: Just traded Kantor and Demko for Kinkaid and a 6th and both my fans and my board are cheering for a "a steal". Really?

[Kopi]

quick question..McCade didnt want to resign yet his rights stays with NYR...can i sign him from free transfer?

Edit: read the rules and notice I can but anyway I can as that would hurt my avr.club salary. Had to deal with that anyway as i traded and bring in Z Parise and R.Kesler. Not to mantion R. Miller is still in between the pipes.

Edit 2: Well i signed McCade

Anyway my team for 2nd season looks like that now:

Parise - Kesler - Atkinson
Kreider - Stepan - Zucker
J.Miller - Megna - Barber
Foligno - Vitale - Brickley

McDonagh - Yandle
McCabe - Kampfer
Summers - Potter

R.Miller
Zatkoff

My Trades:
Etem (11g 13a in previous season) was traded to Ducks (the Champs) for Maroon.
Justin Braun and Kevin Hayes was also traded to Ducks for R.Kesler and 3rd round pick.
Brock Nelson and NYR 1st round pick for Wild`s Zack Parise.
Nick Leddy for Panthers Steven Kampfer.
Arcobello for Coyotes 2nd round pick.
Ryan Bourque to Coyotes for 4th and 5th round pick.
Patrick Maroon to Coyotes for Christian Dvorak and 6th round pick.

Draft 2016:
59th Keoni Texeira
89th Derek Daschke
91th Luke Kirwan
149th Samuel Rossini
179th Ryan Lindgren
209th Charley Graaskamp