Blackhawks Challenge 9.1 and 9.2 discussion thread

Post by **batdad** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 4:38 am

I have Josh Harding...I have Josh Harding...on my farm team. WAHOO!!!!

Anyway..my blog for the preseason is up. Boring,and annoying it is. But deal with it. I am tired and cranky.

It should give some details to my thought process..well it would...if I had one.

Post by **Danny** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 2:47 pm

God this team sucks without Nieds

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 3:05 pm

batdad wrote: Anyway, looking at the roster thread...I really like that so many people have different takes on what to do with this. Just about each and every player has been chosen. The only ones who have not: (Barker, who maybe should have been in C, not B...ah well we all learn), Bochenski, Bolland.

I went against the norm with my core and kept Bochenski in my core. I figured, what the heck. I can always dump him going into season 2. I also left Blunden out of my core. I wanted to have lots of options for my homegrowns. I've still got a few days of the preseason left and the team seems pretty good. I've just got to dump a couple more guys that I don't want. Then I'll be set.

I'm ashamed to say that I did go with some of the usual suspects when trading. There are only so many teams you can dump salary on. I sent Khabi and a few prospects that I didn't expect much out of to Washington for Sutherby, Clymer, and Morrison. Then I got 2 Sharks. I sent Ruutuu, Hamilton, and Vandermeer (plus a couple junk prospects) to San Jose for Hannan and Michalek. I couldn't resist! I love having those guys. Then I made what I thought was my best move, but it enraged my fans and worried the board. I dumped Lapointe and Cullimore (plus a couple prospects, one decent and one junk) on Nashville for Kariya. I needed a marquee LW to go on the top line with Handzus and Havlat. Kariya fits the bill perfectly. Now if I can just dump Caron, MacDonald, and Low I'll be all set.

Oh yeah... funny thing... Arkipov is averaging a point a game in the preseason. More surprising is that he's averaging 4 hits per game! His average rating for the preseason is 8.29!

thunderbug · Post by **thunderbug** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 3:51 pm

Is anyone else noticing teams who normally do well down and the bottom and teams that are normally horrid are actually playoff bound? Just looking at my division Chicago is leading the division in 3rd place. (2 more games to 20). The Blues are in the playoffs. The Redwings are in 10th in the conference. The Predators are last in the conference, and battling the Devils and Avalanche for last place in the league with 1 point separating them.

Post by **Danny** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 4:37 pm

In my game Blues, Preds and Wings are on 13, 14 and 15 in the conference

The Jackets are in 8th place currently (30 games into the season)
Wings usually suck while Blues usually do quite alright in other games as well, at least from my observations.

Meanwhile, my team seems to be turning it around now, I dropped from 3rd to 9th after Nied's injury but 4 straight wins brought me back on track, my Hawks are second in the West now.
Just worried about injuries now, I've lost Pothier for 2 weeks, and he got injured again for another 2 just after a few minutes in his comeback game. Sharp has been injured for 3 weeks and just now Connolly got injured

, luckily he'll miss only 2-3 games.

Post by **batdad** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 7:28 pm

Ouch Danny...sounds like you should tone down practices. Or ice time. Your guys are falling like flies. Must be a reason.

I have only played 3 games, and Nashville..well they have too. They are dead last at 0-3. They have 5 goalis for and 20 against.

Yep...they played me twice. Hurts to lose 8-1 and 7-2 to high flying Handzus (5g 4a in 3 games, and Heatley 4 g 5 a). Now if only Havlat would get going. No goals 3 assists in 3 games.

Post by **Danny** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 7:56 pm

Dawes went down for 3 weeks as well. He was scheduled to be out for 10 days, but after 10 days he was listed day to day for another 10

I just hope it's a coincidence because I'm not doing anything differently, same schedules as always, giving players a rest when they're tired so they can always go with 100% condition into games and I've got good trainers

We'll see.

Post by **batdad** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:05 pm

Funny..how none of them are your core players...save for maybe Sharp (have not looked)...well not really funny I guess.

I will take this time to remind everyone: When a core player gets injured at all...play it safe...TAKE A SCREENSHOT, so you have proof of the injury in case the core player/homegrown ....does not meet his games or minutes played requirements.

It happened to me in the trial with Gilbert BRule---lucky I had the shot!

thunderbug · Post by **thunderbug** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:10 pm

will the core eligible fluctuate from year to year? So for example could a player we did not start the game with be part of the core i.e. in batdad's case Heatly.

Also lalime went down with an injury but didn't take a screenie because of the situation. (He was out for 1 game I probably would have started Boucher for anyway.)

Post by **Danny** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:16 pm

Isn't there an injury record screen in the profile ?

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:22 pm

Hey Thunderbug!

The core doesn't fluctuate in the sense that you can change the players on it. The way the core changes over the years is that you're required to keep less and less players in your core. You drop a few after the first season and then you drop two more each season until you're left with only one. That's also where the homegrowns come into play. You're adding one each year and then required to keep him on your team for one year after.

If a player only goes down for a game or two, screenshots shouldn't be needed. What we're talking about is when a player is out for a long stretch because of more serious injuries and that keeps him from meeting his minimum number of games.

EDIT:

Yes, there is a spot in the player history where you can see their injuries too.

Post by **batdad** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:39 pm

Yep..I just like to be prepared!

And...as Bruins said--no Heatley will never be in my core for the roster. He cannot be, only players listed in the groups plus your homegrowns can be.

Post by **CatchUp** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:42 pm

I just clicked continue for the first time as a Blackhawks GM!

My blog is coming shortly after training camp.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 9:20 pm

It takes a long time to get started, doesn't it?

I started working on my game either Saturday or Sunday but didn't get to do much. I think I finally hit continue on Monday after spending a lot of time weighing options. Today I've been about ready to start the regular season but I wanted to get my blog ready first. I just posted a starter blog entry and I'm going to work on another to cover training camp and the preseason. THEN I'll finally be able to start the regular season!

thunderbug · Post by **thunderbug** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:14 pm

alright, I'm looking into my crystal ball trying to get a general sketch going of what I see next years team looking like and I was wondering if I could have someone who did not make my core in the first year on my core in the second year, but they were part of the original list. Also are there any breakdowns for future years as there are in the first as to how many come from a certain group? For example in year 2 1-3-3 each group loses one for the step from 10 to 7.

Post by **batdad** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:36 pm

No you cannot. You have to go from the 10 that you chose as core. There are no replacements outside of that 10.

Example: I do not have Khabibulin in my core year 1. I cannot move him into the core in year 2, and take Aucoin out who I already had in the core year 1. Aucoin is either one of the 7 or not. Khabi cannot come in to the core.

No breakdowns as to how many come from a certain group in years 2-7.

But they have to follow the plan for your groupl

Post by **CatchUp** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:59 pm

oooo...batdad is not going to be happy with me.

I've also got a deal on the table for Healtey. I'm sending back Havlat and Bolland and also getting Phillips. Various picks included as well. Accept? hmmm.

thunderbug · Post by **thunderbug** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 11:17 pm

Even if Havlat was not in my core, I wouldn't trade him. He is earning his 6 mill for me.

Post by **batdad** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 11:43 pm

Heh..copycat copycat. Come up with something original...and Phillips sucks

Post by **batdad** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 12:20 am

Ah gee darn...Hamilton injured and out for 2 weeks. Ah gee darn. Still gotta get him his games...which means a long stretch without sitting him out. Arggh

D. Keith--injured too...7 days though. And Emery...Argh... He was on fire.

Lalime--Sucks.

thunderbug · Post by **thunderbug** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 4:52 am

Lalime and Boucher both suck, but in small doses they are ok. Sounds like you are working your guys too hard batdad. I actually have Hamilton down in Norfolk with Bolland, Blunden and co. I am actually disappointed in Blunden. He is 7th on the team in points granted he has played 4 less games then rest because of injury, but he is still under a point a game. Barker actually has more points than Blunden. I know most of you probably have put Keith as a 2nd or 3rd pairing, but I actually put him on the first with Neids. Morrisonn just wasn't getting it done with Neids so I tried Keith out and they have been great together.

Btw, let's see if you guys don't know who the two GMs are.
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa18 ... ourney.jpg

Post by **batdad** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 5:23 am

I would agree...cept Hamilton plays about 5 minutes per game, unless he is going well, and D Keith is on my 3rd pair, and only kills penalties. So I think it was just dumb luck.

Post by **Lidas** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 5:42 am

Sharp just got injured for 4 months... I doubt he's gonna make the core player game played limit.

mod note: Duplicate post deleted batdad

Post by **Lidas** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 5:48 am

*grumble*

I need to learn NOT to click "back" in these forums to avoid double posting...
2nd time now in 2 days

Post by **batdad** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 5:48 am

OK...Lidas make sure you keep him on the roster, and that you have the screenshots of the injury length. Either from his history or the news item.

Post it when you post your season ending stats, and screenshots. It should be the last one. No worries ,we will be looking at games played ... so we will be looking for the shot. No shot, no bonus points.

Edit: no worries, you are learning!!