Challenge #30 - TBL - Discussion Thread

[bruins72]

All Tampa Bay Lightning / Challenge #30 discussion goes here!

[jesterx7769]

Wow, this is actually, an interesting challenge team. I simulated a year from a far and the bottom teams were (in worst order) Islanders, Oilers, Stars, Jets so I thought we may play as one of them. However the Lightning came in 24th. As mentioned though when you think of them you think of a good offense and PP but they are really shallow. I am usually much more offensive minded in my tactics and can usually put up goals but I am concerned how the new lowered scoring in the update effects and offensive team

[bruins72]

Take a look at the coaching staff too. They're pretty bad!

[jesterx7769]

Bishop is rated really really harshly as well. I can see my first season losing a lot of 5-2 games with such bad goal tending. I like my training schedule I always use and having good coaches definentley can improve your guys 1/2 more attribute points compared to bad ones when you do it right so i am going to have to spend a lot of time over hauling them.

[coombs14]

This is going to be interesting for me. The previous two challenge teams (Buffalo and Atlanta Flames) have all had exceptionally strong goaltenders meaning you at least had a solid last line of defence to build on. This time, its not looking so good. Plus, St.Louis has two more years in him maybe? Then what? Who replaces him?

[Leeman14]

I'm coming out of semi-retirement and giving this Challenge a run. Glad to be back.

[Círyatan]

Afternoon, gentlemen. I'm back for this one as well. Haven't played EHM in a while, but the team looks so terrible I thought it might be fun.

[bruins72]

Hey! I'm glad to see some of you guys coming back!

This team really is bad. I haven't had time to get past the pre-season yet but I can already tell it's going to be a struggle. I can't wait for the first off-season so I can add SOMETHING to this team.

[jesterx7769]

Yeah I am still in preseason taking time to go over everything and there isn't a whole lot anywhere especially even prospect wise. The Flames were a pretty good team overall with goaltending and top two lines but poor defense. This team pretty much falls into oblivion so hopefully we all make a lot of different moves to try improving in different ways. My main goal the first season will be to see if I still get 50 goals for Stamkos

[Círyatan]

I've finished the first segment and, frankly, I'm amazed that we're still grasping to a spot in the upper half of the table. Unfortunately, this is literally a one-line team. If Stamkos goes down we're toast.

I've been juggling my lines a bit, but it's usually some variation of this:

Purcell – Stamkos – St. Louis
Malone – Filppula – Paradis
Pyatt – Thomson – Crombeen
Killorn – Gauthier – Pánik

Brewer – Salo
Hedman – Lee
Carle – Šustr

Lindbäck
Desjardins

Two biggest surprises so far have been Šustr and Desjardins. Disappointments, Filppula and Carle. Marty's been playing erratically, but with him being that old and tiny it is to be expected.

I would've liked to have some prospects to look to, but alas. The draft doesn't look to good either.

[Peter_Doherty]

I'm joining my first challenge, just read through the rules. Anything in particular first timers miss that i should be aware of?:)

[Manimal]

I'm joining my first challenge, just read through the rules. Anything in particular first timers miss that i should be aware of?:)

Keep backup saves and follow those rules!

[Koekenbakker]

I'm joining my first challenge, just read through the rules. Anything in particular first timers miss that i should be aware of?:)

Same here!

[Peter_Doherty]

Just played Q1 in my first challenge ever, started out very rocky then turned it around last 10 games with 7-3-0. Stamkos is a beast, like a real beast bottom-6 is so bad that i played half the games with 7 D-men instead. Bishop is horrid in goal, Lindbäck started out bad but has started to play well now with 2 shutouts lately.
Played most games like this;
Paradis – Stamkos – St. Louis
Malone – Filppula – Purcell
Pyatt – Thompson – Crombeen
Tyrell - No-one - Walker

Carle – Sustr
Hedman – Salo
Brewer – Lee
Aulie

Lindbäck
Bishop

Positives; All the D-men perform well overall, Salo is the one that might be underperforming a little bit. Stamkos carries the offence with 12+24 in 20 games. Paradis has done really well to complement Stamkos and St. Louis. Filppula started out really bad but has started to play well now, Purcell has carried my PP. All in all a good start to the season, really wish i could get some bottom-6 forwards on waivers though Avs also traded away MacKinnon for Ian Cole, made me giggle.

[jesterx7769]

Finished Q1.

-Went very similar to what i was expecting. 8-8-4 so I am close to the .500 I was hoping for
- I scored 69 goals and had 69 against lol.
- My PP was good like I expected at 21% but I am second to last in league in PP Opportunities
-St. Louis was a HUGE disappointment for the first half of Q1 with only 3 assists in 10 games so I switched him to left wing to see how that goes.
-Paradis played great for me with 19 points in 20 games and really helps out my second line. Good surprise.
-Goaltending is a obv a big problem but we all knew that and it is the clear #1 priority in offseason
- I am only running 3 lines and my third line is horrible. I am trying to play defensive with them but they are already at a -13 ouch.
-As Peter mentioned above me, really wish I could grab some of these guys off waivers, they are letting all sorts of good players go this first season!

[bruins72]

Wow! This team is really stinking up the joint! I'm 10 games in and in 13th place. I know what you mean about the players going on waivers. I just saw Luke Schenn go up on waivers. He'd be a nice fit for us.

[Tyees]

Do I have to sign up somewhere? Or do you just start playing and submit? I've read the rules but don't know if there is a sign up sheet somewhere

[bruins72]

No sign-up. Just make sure to read the rules carefully and join in.

[Peter_Doherty]

bruins72 - To be fair almost any player would be a good fit the bottom-6 we have to play with is just horrid.

[Koekenbakker]

bruins72 - To be fair almost any player would be a good fit the bottom-6 we have to play with is just horrid.

They can barely skate

[Peter_Doherty]

My game dies when i try to get past 13th of february

Tried with 2 different save spots.. one on the 13th and one on the 11th... got another one on the 31st of January, i guess i will have to play from there?

[Manimal]

My game dies when i try to get past 13th of february

Tried with 2 different save spots.. one on the 13th and one on the 11th... got another one on the 31st of January, i guess i will have to play from there?

Sounds like you missed the CSD patch

[Peter_Doherty]

My game dies when i try to get past 13th of february

Tried with 2 different save spots.. one on the 13th and one on the 11th... got another one on the 31st of January, i guess i will have to play from there?

Sounds like you missed the CSD patch

I'm 99% sure that i used it until 3rd of February

edit: I'm going to re-play from my save on 31st of January, if that works how do i fix the Q3 challenge thing? i already submitted my Q3 stats, now im re-playing 6 games.

edit2: Didn't work, guess i fluffed up Can some mod be kind enough to remove my challenge-results so far. I will start over

[bruins72]

I PMed Archi to ask if he could reset your stats.

So I think things are starting to come together for my team... at least more than they were to start the season. I'm not in 8th place in the conference 17 games in. Stamkos is tied for 3rd place in the league in points with 27. St. Louis isn't doing as well as I would have hoped. Malone is doing okay despite being slow as molasses. Hedman is doing pretty well. Beyond that, this team really stinks. I'm using Helenius as my #1 goalie and Lindback as my backup. Bishop got sent to the AHL during the preseason. He's the backup down there! He's bad.

I've noticed a little bit of oddness in the league standings. Zherdev was signed by the Flames and is the #2 goalscorer in the league behind Ovechkin! He's playing on a line with Camelleri and Stajan and putting up goals. Also, Blake Wheeler was up there in the top 5 goalscorers for a bit too. I totally didn't expect to see those guys there.

[Peter_Doherty]

Thanks bruins72