EHM The Blue Line

Oh I dunno about that.

Oh and awesome. Signed 2 of my guys playing in Europe, they came over on June 7....

When you start 55 guys under contract. 5 of them are guys in unsigned prospect list. I released all 5 of them.

Then...when I signed the two Euros up to 52 guys, and needed to "play the waiver game". Waived Parise since not re signing him, and waived Linus Arnessen since not bringing him back either.

Montreal picks up Arnessen
Florida picks up the 100 year old Parise.

WAhoo back to 50.

After checking here, looks like I went with the convention and took Herman Dicks, although a certain Russian Netminder was EXTREMELY hard to not reach on.

Heh. Yeah I saw him too. But...lots of decent goalies on the prospect list. I really wanted to avoid Dicks, but just could not justify it.

I will also play in this challenge, first time in a while for me, looks like a interesting challenge.

So I'm in mid-July and Anisimov decided to retire, due to a recurring injury. So that means bringing up yet another young guy from the minors. This team is in desperate need of some toughness! They've got some skill but they're just not tough. We could use more size too. There's also so many guys that look good at a quick glance but they're missing *something* that would make them so much better. Berthet? Height. He'd be a killer shutdown defenseman if he wasn't so short. Vandersteen would be killer if he had more creativity and anticipation.

Size is definitely a problem, first thing i did was bring up the 2 giant centers from providence...

Khomutov and Skudra? Khomutov is okay for a 3rd or 4th line center but his insanely low work rate is very troubling. Skudra really needs to be better at positioning and he'd be a decent #2 center. I really like Owens as a potential 1st or 2nd line guy down the line but his aggression and bravery are so low and his lack of agility could be a serious hindrance.

batdad wrote: Oh and anyone else get the St Louis Blues in financial mess note?

I just got this in the beginning of August.

bruins72 wrote:Khomutov and Skudra? Khomutov is okay for a 3rd or 4th line center but his insanely low work rate is very troubling. Skudra really needs to be better at positioning and he'd be a decent #2 center. I really like Owens as a potential 1st or 2nd line guy down the line but his aggression and bravery are so low and his lack of agility could be a serious hindrance.

Yeah, those 2. Using them as 3rd and 4th line centers with Khomutov playing in the PK aswell. I like the look of Owens and will be using him as my #1 C to start, he isn't really a #1 C but hopefully he will grow into the role. I like the balance it gives the lines to have him there between the swedes. Yeah, almost every player has a weak point, but to start with im looking past those to see who delivers.

Peter_Doherty wrote:

bruins72 wrote:Khomutov and Skudra? Khomutov is okay for a 3rd or 4th line center but his insanely low work rate is very troubling. Skudra really needs to be better at positioning and he'd be a decent #2 center. I really like Owens as a potential 1st or 2nd line guy down the line but his aggression and bravery are so low and his lack of agility could be a serious hindrance.

Yeah, those 2. Using them as 3rd and 4th line centers with Khomutov playing in the PK aswell. I like the look of Owens and will be using him as my #1 C to start, he isn't really a #1 C but hopefully he will grow into the role. I like the balance it gives the lines to have him there between the swedes. Yeah, almost every player has a weak point, but to start with im looking past those to see who delivers.

I'm using Vandersteen as my 1st line center but I'm wondering if I should use him as a right wing instead. I've got Owens as my 3rd line center. Khomutov is my 3rd line left wing and Skudra is my 4th line center. I'll see what happens when I get to the pre-season I guess.

Oh and surprisingly, Parise had a lot of offers and finally signed with the Sharks. They gave him 2 years at about $3.5 each.

Oh boy. Losing Anisimov. I hope I don't, but bet we pretty much all do. Anyone have him keep playing?

LOL at Parise deal.

Blues have traded Tarasenkov to Vancouver. yeah that team needed more. Also on the move Seth Jones and 4 or so other guys who are being asked about by teams. FIRE SALE in St Louis

Just lost Loui for 3 months with a knee injury, i really wish i had kept Brouwer right about now. The depth from AHL is pretty much non existent, got no idea how to fix this. Just as i started to actually win some games also Vandersteen is up at #1 C now, Owens down to the 2nd line. Not sure what to do with Dicks, using him on the 2nd line as captain, his number are OK but his avg rating is low, guessing his weight isnt helping. With Loui out though i think i have to keep him up so yeah...

OUCH. My team needs are amazing.

key D
Key C
Key RW
Core LW
Depth D

Wow.

Also...we are way under the salary floor so I guess we are going to be getting some fines?

You are using Dick right off the hop? Wow. He is nowhere near ready.

batdad wrote:OUCH. My team needs are amazing.

key D
Key C
Key RW
Core LW
Depth D

Wow.

Also...we are way under the salary floor so I guess we are going to be getting some fines?

You are using Dick right off the hop? Wow. He is nowhere near ready.

Yeah, was going to use him for a few games then send him down. But he's doing better then i thought, and now with Loui out i don't think i can afford to send him back to juniors. Haven't made the executive decision yet though Is it bad for his development if he's doing 2nd line minutes in the NHL with a 6.30-6.50 avg rating instead of lighting it up in the juniors? His morale is fine for now, been keeping an eye on that.

Peter... did you lose Schenn? I've got him as my #2 center fortunately.

Batdad, I haven't seen movement on Jones yet. Don't count out Anisimov in your game yet. I know Parise retired in some people's games but he signed a new deal in mine. Maybe Anisimov won't retire for a bit in your game?

I'm going to try out Dicks to start, giving him regular 3rd line time and 2nd PP unit duties. I'm also going to give him a little PK time. We'll see how he does. If he struggles, I'll send him back to junior.

We are so far below the salary floor, it's ridiculous! This team is picked clean of all of it's meat. Honestly, I think this team might be more of a challenge than I initially anticipated.

Dicks has to perform in camp if he wants a shot at all. Likely will not sign him.

Peter-Yeah it can. I do not keep up young guys if avg rating is not AT LEAST 6.5, and more like 7 or above. Down to the next level they are eligible for until find a good place where they can have success.

This team is freaking horrendous. Good young guys who are not ready, bad...very bad...middle age guys, and average if not less than average older vets.

And the 14 goalie prospects. QUIT DRAFTING GOALIES> JESUS>

Yes, i lost Schenn, he apparently hates me

edit: Okey batdad, will keep a close eye on Dicks then, if his avg rating starts going down instead of up or his morale goes down i will send him back down.

Ouch losing Schenn. Nothing worse than losing the only guy you have capable of centering a 3rd line.

Hired a whole staff for Providence, and resigned as GM of the team.

Hired Cory Clouston as an assistant coach July 9 2024. (To replace the one idiot I was allowed to fire, now I have 4 other idiots left to go. Hope they retire)

batdad wrote:Ouch losing Schenn. Nothing worse than losing the only guy you have capable of centering a 3rd line.

The big guy from RUS/UKR is doing a good job, but i would have liked to have Schenn, then the big guy could have been LW where depth is a big issue

ANisimov retired for me

Nathan McKinnon signs with Penguins. With Crosby resigning with them, and Matt Barzal...wow down the middle in Pitt.

I lost Schenn as well, he didn't want to sign a new contract.

I overpaid to keep him. Knew I was well under the cap, and knew with no one else coming that i needed him. he did not want to negotiate and it was set at 1.0 million. I offered 1.4 and got him for two years

He declined 1.5/year for two years for me