EHM The Blue Line

In another week we'll be wrapping up the current challenge with the Toronto Maple Leafs. We've had great participation on this one and want to keep that going with our next challenge. So I'm asking everyone to vote for which team they want to use. Please be aware that the different options given in this poll use different databases.

The Buffalo Sabres option is using the modern team from the post trade deadline release of the TBL Rosters (v5.3). The Sabres were sellers at the trade deadline and this is the weakest team I've seen from them in quite some time. This version of the DB seems like a good time to use them.

The Atlanta Flames option uses a retro team from Nino33's 1974DB. Obviously, this DB is set to how things were in 1974 (as close as TBL will allow with league structure and rules). Nino will release a new version of this DB with tons of additional work he's done since his last release. I believe he's gotten rid of any instances of modern players and staff while adding in some more historical European players. I participated in the Detroit Red Wings challenge we ran using the first version of these rosters and it was a lot of fun. I learned a lot about some players from before my time (I was born 2 years before these rosters were set) and enjoyed seeing some familiar names pop up in the drafts.

I encourage everyone to join in on the challenge, regardless of which team we use. These challenges are a lot of fun and give you something to discuss with the other members of the TBL community.

Sabres with their new roster sounds interesting The pieces are there to turn the team around

Can I play with FHM and can I sign Sestito in the first season?

No FHM yet. We plan on incorporating FHM into future challenges but not until it's had a full non-beta release and we've decided it's something that can be used fairly in challenges. Once we've got that, we'll be looking to run an EHM challenge and an FHM challenge at the same time (as long as there is interest in either case).

You know this is a really hard one to vote on for me. I didn't get a chance to play the Retro Red Wings, so the Atlanta Flames look interesting to me. On the other hand, I would absoslutely love to start a challenge with a real goaltender, so the Sabres look great too. (although their head coach looks horrible!)

How did everyone like the retro challenge when they did it?

bruins72 wrote: The Atlanta Flames option uses a retro team from Nino33's 1974DB. Obviously, this DB is set to how things were in 1974 (as close as TBL will allow with league structure and rules).

That should read as close as EHM will allow with league structure and rules.

timmy_t wrote:You know this is a really hard one to vote on for me. I didn't get a chance to play the Retro Red Wings, so the Atlanta Flames look interesting to me. On the other hand, I would absoslutely love to start a challenge with a real goaltender, so the Sabres look great too. (although their head coach looks horrible!)

How did everyone like the retro challenge when they did it?

I was really torn on this vote. I went with the Flames because I enjoyed the Detroit challenge so much. You really had to take a different approach with that challenge than you normally would. The type of players were different than now.

That being said, I'll also enjoy a challenge with that Sabres team too.

Voted for Sabres as I don't really have an interest in playing with a database where I know no one. Sabre's are interesting starting with Miller as you can focus on the team and not be like the Leafs where you lost so much simply bc of goalie.

I really hope FHM incorporates rookies better. In EHM your rookies are basically worthless for 4 seasons which isn't realistic in today's NHL. That will make challenges more interesting.

jesterx7769 wrote:I really hope FHM incorporates rookies better. In EHM your rookies are basically worthless for 4 seasons which isn't realistic in today's NHL. That will make challenges more interesting.

I believe that it is realistic. It's these NHL teams that are playing their youngsters too much too soon. Not every rookie is going to be a Sidney Crosby and score 100 points in their first season.

The 1974 DB does have players you know, it's just that they are little kids right now. Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux are the first two I can think of. Gretzky can be drafted in the 5th draft and Lemieux in the 9th draft.

Um not to start an argument in an unrelated thread but how can you say top players not even cracking line ups is realistic? There is a median between 100 points and not cracking the line up. Plenty of young guys are contributing on teams which you can't do in EHM because their gap is too big.

jesterx7769 wrote:Um not to start an argument in an unrelated thread but how can you say top players not even cracking line ups is realistic? There is a median between 100 points and not cracking the line up. Plenty of young guys are contributing on teams which you can't do in EHM because their gap is too big.

Did you actually read my post? I did not say that.


Here's what you said:

jesterx7769 wrote:Voted for Sabres as I don't really have an interest in playing with a database where I know no one. Sabre's are interesting starting with Miller as you can focus on the team and not be like the Leafs where you lost so much simply bc of goalie.

I really hope FHM incorporates rookies better. In EHM your rookies are basically worthless for 4 seasons which isn't realistic in today's NHL. That will make challenges more interesting.

Here's what I said:

timmy_t wrote:

jesterx7769 wrote:I really hope FHM incorporates rookies better. In EHM your rookies are basically worthless for 4 seasons which isn't realistic in today's NHL. That will make challenges more interesting.

I believe that it is realistic. It's these NHL teams that are playing their youngsters too much too soon. Not every rookie is going to be a Sidney Crosby and score 100 points in their first season.

The 1974 DB does have players you know, it's just that they are little kids right now. Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux are the first two I can think of. Gretzky can be drafted in the 5th draft and Lemieux in the 9th draft.

We both have our own opinions. I respect yours even though I do not agree with it 100%. Please don't put words into my mouth (or posts).

Do you realize that this game came out in late 2006, almost 7 years ago. The NHL was a veteran's league back then and they didn't take guys straight from the entry draft and into the line up. It is possible that when the designers made this game they had this in mind.

Not going to settle anything here. But playing kids in the NHL too soon, kills them even if they do score 25-40 points and are average players. Detroit model of development is the proper way to go IMHO. Too many very promising players have had their careers not turn out based on being in the show too early. I am right now hoping and praying that RNH...who could be a superstar...is not one of those.

Okay, so it looks like we'll be going with the Sabres for our next challenge. I really think we should try out the Atlanta Flames in our next challenge though. We're due for another retro challenge.

Anyhow, the current challenge ends in a couple days. Once that one ends, we'll start the new one.

I never voted either way but I agree about the retro challenge next.

Hey B72, I pm'd Archi to see if he could look into a problem with the draft picks not showing up for the Sabres (or the majority of NHL teams for that matter). The draft pick swaps show up in the extra config file but they aren't showing up when you start a new game.

It's a pretty big deal because they should have the following extra picks from trades:

Minnesota Wild - 2013 1st and 2014 2nd (they gave the Wild a 2014 4th)
LA Kings - 2014 2nd and 2015 2nd
St. Louis Blues - 2013 2nd and 2013 5th
Florida Panthers - 2013 5th

What do you think?

Not having those picks would definitely make a big difference. I'm not sure why they're not showing up.

I think they should just not get the picks. it is a challenge, not a kick butt. And put Ryan Miller on Washington.

since he fixed the rosters version "d" instead of "c" I am assuming we are using "d"?

That is correct. We're not officially launching the challenge yet because I had a request to extend the Maple Leafs one another day to allow a player to finish his season.

The challenge will be using the Buffalo Sabres and the TBL Rosters 5.3d. The rules will be the same as the last challenge. If anyone wants to start the challenge now, they can. You just won't be able to log you stats until the official launch.