Challenge #27 - Toronto Maple Leafs - Discussion Topic

[umwoz]

What's been the general consensus? Goaltending or Defense in the first offseason?

Not that I'm close, at the 40 game mark soon. I may have found a way to almost get this D playing close to serviceable.

[bruins72]

I know I'm planning on going after goaltending first if there's an upgrade available. Defense will need addressing and I'm also not in love with my centers on this team. Most are better suited to wings. I think if should be do-able though. I've got the UFA signing, the pick for player (or vice versa) deal, and the normal 1 for 1 player deal. I'll probably go for the one $3M UFA signing rather than the $2M combined for two players, unless there's some quality available for cheap and I can find a goalie in a trade.

[Beukeboom]

Goalie is an absolute must IMO

[bruins72]

I'm finally starting to get a bit of a feel for this team. I really struggled in that first 20 games but towards the end of that segment, things started turning around a little bit. I won a game 10-5 against the Sabres and then went on to lose a bunch of games by 1 (or in the shootout). Then I won game #20 5-1 against the Avs and I've kept the winning streak going now with 3 straight wins so far with a 7-1 win over the Senators and a 5-3 win of the Devils. Let's hope this second segment of 20 games keeps going as well as it's started!

It's funny, I put Kessel down on the second line with Connolly and Lupul and he started performing better.

[umwoz]

I'm finally starting to get a bit of a feel for this team. I really struggled in that first 20 games but towards the end of that segment, things started turning around a little bit. I won a game 10-5 against the Sabres and then went on to lose a bunch of games by 1 (or in the shootout). Then I won game #20 5-1 against the Avs and I've kept the winning streak going now with 3 straight wins so far with a 7-1 win over the Senators and a 5-3 win of the Devils. Let's hope this second segment of 20 games keeps going as well as it's started!

It's funny, I put Kessel down on the second line with Connolly and Lupul and he started performing better.

It really seems like he produces way better with Lupul. I did the opposite and put Lupul up with JVR down on the second. Both of them reacted really well to it.

[Mattias.William]

After 40 games, things aren't looking tooooo bad... 19-17-4 actually. I still have the worst PK in the league, but my PP is rather average for a team that is hovering around the .500 mark.

These are the lines I'm using at the moment:

van Riemsdyk - Grabovsky - Kessel
Lupul - Connolly - Kulyomin
MacArthur - Bozak - Komarov
Steckel - Deschamps - McClement

Gunnarson - Phaneuf
Liles - Komisarek
Franson - Holzer

I initially had Liles and Phaneuf paired together, but that really didn't work well for me on even strength -- kept them together for the special teams though.

The surprise right now is Kulyomin (spelling is usually Kulemin in North America I think) anyway, he has 46 points in 40 games (2nd on the team) he leads the team in +/- with +17, he leads all forwards in Average Time on Ice with 21:32, and he leads the team in Average Rating with an 8.63.

I suppose I just jynxed it now, didn't I?

[batdad]

LOL Kulemin numbers. Loosie....sheesh.

[timmy_t]

LOL Kulemin numbers. Loosie....sheesh.

It's because he weighs 224 lbs and gets a lot of hits. Make him 180 lbs with the exact same CA and he won't do a thing.

The game engine is biased towards bigger players...

Or, he's overrated by Loosie like you said.

[batdad]

More fun blaming Loosie. But yeah the size thing. Bet John Scott cannot do that though.

[timmy_t]

No, probably not.

[umwoz]

Might as well make this a season wrap up post.

11th in the East. Most goals for, most goals against.

This team has some offensive potential for sure, it's just missing depth at every position, and of course a top end goaltender. Both Scrivens and Reimer(with his 5 anticipation) played completely awful.
Player of the year was Kessel with 114 points including 55 goals(2nd in the NHL). Kessel and Grabo were 4th and 5th in NHL points, respectively. The Marlies finished first in the league with both Kadri and Colborne tearing it up before choking in the 2nd round of the playoffs.

Overall, bad year, but with some hope. I don't expect to have any new young faces on the team next year but the draft went exceptionally well. Was somehow able to snag Lindholm, Zadorov and Slepyshev. All of whom were inquired about by other teams after the draft. Should build a good forward core in the future, and Zadorov looks like he might be a steal on the back end. I'll have them playing in the AHL, as I'd rather them not be getting 6.00 AvR's in the top European leagues.

Going into July 1st, the plan is in net. This team is begging for a #1G and hopefully one can be had at <$3M. Not ruling out a trade of one of the top 6 forwards to bring in a solid defenseman if the opportunity arises. This team sorely needs balance.


EDIT: Have a question in regards to rules. I'm not in Season two yet, but I just renewed Lupul in late Season 1, so does he now apply to the "12 month rule" in which I cannot trade him?

[timmy_t]

EDIT: Have a question in regards to rules. I'm not in Season two yet, but I just renewed Lupul in late Season 1, so does he now apply to the "12 month rule" in which I cannot trade him?

He was with the team from the start so you can trade him. Whomever you sign/trade for/waiver claim in the second season will need to be on the team for a whole year before you can trade him.

[thunderbug]

Ok so for season 1, we didn't play a lot of defense. We ended the season in fifth. We even beat the Penguins in 6. We drafted 20th and got some pieces. All seem to be projects. I have started free agency, and sent offers to multiple goalies. I am hoping for Lehtonen, but will take what I can get. Any other moves will be via yt&

[umwoz]

Lehtonen at less than $3M? I didn't even attempt that, he was asking around 5 in my game.

I actually missed out on all the top goalies, ended up signing Emery who is playing rather well.

[thunderbug]

He was asking 4.6 in mine. I put it out there just in case. He ended up signing with the Caps, however will be playing for the Leafs next year. I ended up signing Budaj for just over a million a year. I traded Reimer for Lehtonen. My goaltending is now set for now.

[outdooral]

Glad to get that season over with. Probably one of the worst I’ve ever had.We finished dead last in the league with 26 wins and 60 pts. We allowed the most goals against (327) including 21 shorthanded goals against... What the Dickens......
Im surprised I didnt get fired and with my luck we probably wont even get the #1 pick.

Kessel had 41G 45 A and still was -10, Grabovsky had 32 G and 60 A and was -5

Priority 1 is in goal then maybe some size in the center.

[batdad]

Dead last? 60 points? Sounds like EHM is more realistic than we tend to let on.

[umwoz]

Replacing the minor league Goaltenders has made a world of difference for me. Went from around 11th in the East to 4th right now about 30 games into season 2. Thinking of making a move for a defenseman just to be certain.

[bruins72]

And the hits keep coming! Game #31 and I lose Grabovsky for a month due to fractured ribs. Looks like I'll be giving Kadri a look.

[umwoz]

Quick question. I took the screenshots for end of 1st season, and when deleting the extras(to be safe, ironically) deleted my trade screen for year one. I don't know if one from year two would still keep that history, so I'm wondering if one from year two would be sufficient? Or is my end of year statistics screen fine?(To show all players still present)

[batdad]

I believe in game if you check, you can click back to the previous year trades. So you should be able to load up two shots...One from year 1 2006-07 (or if you used CSD 2012-13) and one from the second season. Those two screens will then give you the overall picture and should CYA

Super Grabovsky got hurt? Wow. That is bad. Next thing you know Lupul will have 60 goals though so all is good.

[umwoz]

I believe in game if you check, you can click back to the previous year trades. So you should be able to load up two shots...One from year 1 2006-07 (or if you used CSD 2012-13) and one from the second season. Those two screens will then give you the overall picture and should CYA

Super Grabovsky got hurt? Wow. That is bad. Next thing you know Lupul will have 60 goals though so all is good.

Thanks for the help, I'll look.

I've lost my superstar scoring it seems, but the depth production is way up. 40 games into year 2, all 6 of my top 6 forwards are at least a point per game, four of them have 19 or more goals.

[bruins72]

And I've got my second set of 20 games in the books. Like I said before, I lost Grabovsky for a month. I've lost Kessel for a week at a time a couple times now. Liles is out for a few weeks now. We're still sitting at the bottom of the conference. Once in a while we manage to get up to 14th for a day or two and then it's back down. I guess I should be happy we'll have that high draft pick. Maybe we'll manage to land Barkov? It's too bad Jones and MacKinnon aren't as good in my game (don't know how they were set in the DB) as they are in real life.

[outdooral]

Sounds like you're having a similar season to mine....good luck.
I did get Barkov with the first pick, I dont have the rest to look at at the moment but it was a decent draft. I just signed Niclas Backstom for 4 years so hoping my goaltending woes come to an end. I didnt make a trade yet, trying to decide if i want to get a good Dman or defensive center.

[umwoz]

Half way through year 2 I'm really impressed with Rielly's development in the WHL. At this rate he'll certainly get his shot next year.

17 passing? Yes please, looks like a Toby Enstrom clone.