Building Lines with AJ

These are the upcoming articles I have for the team breakdowns and when they should be released. Vancouver Canucks: 0-2 days Washington Capitals: Mostly written, could be tomorrow, could be next year. Calgary Flames: 3-7 days (This is closer to completion than Washington, I might release it first.) Teams Left to Do: Dallas Stars Florida Panthers (Written, in need of editing) Hartford Whalers (Completed, ready for posting) New Jersey Devils (Completed, in need of editing) New York Rangers (Written, in need of editing) Ottawa Senators (Completed, ready for posting) Quebec Nordiques (LAST ONE!!!) Tampa Bay Lightning (Written, in need of editing)

If I have anything to say that is smart for once that is off-topic from what I usually write, I'll put it here. Tip of the cap to Smoz requesting a previous post to get stickied to get this rolling.

Feel free to post any comments on the format I use to write up my team reviews and any changes that I should make it easier or more enjoyable to read. Also, you're more than welcome to suggest future subjects for me to write on once I've completed all the teams.

Preface Welcome to building lines with AJ, I'd like to first thank you all for coming to this part of the forum and reading my features on each team, I hope they can provide some useful suggestions and spark some healthy debate so that vets and rookies alike can learn more about the game. For those who don't know me, I came onto the NHL 94 scene in October 2006 and I started playing in every league I could find. Before my retirement in June 2009, I had played in upwards of two dozen leagues, which has allowed me the chance to use and see most of the players in the game in extended action. Combine my league play with hundreds of online exhibitions and thousands of ga…

Defense Rankings The second of a series of quick reference pages where I recap the team ratings at every position, their ranking, and a quick blurb about the team. 1. Boston (8.5/10) � Don Sweeney is the undisputed champion of �94 defenders, Bourque, Wesley, and Murphy provide plus skating and skilled defenders despite being heavy. 2 (Tie). Chicago (8/10) � Chelios is a premier two way force, skilled yet heavy Smith, or light and unskilled Russell rounds out pairing. 2 (Tie). Detroit (8/10) � Lidstrom provides steady play with a physical edge, Coffey provides speed and playmaking, plethora of effective 6 weight clones for depth. 4 (Tie). Winnipeg (7.5/10) � Housley…

Forward Rankings The first of a series of quick reference pages where I recap the team ratings at every position, their ranking, and a quick blurb about the team. 1. Detroit (10/10) - Three non-heavyweight, slick skating, snipers, that can do it all. Yzerman and Ciccarelli are top 10 forwards. 2 (Tie). Chicago (9.5/10) – Led by the ultimate player, Roenick does get a helping hand from Larmer, not much else after that. 2 (Tie). Vancouver (9.5/10) – Bure and Ronning are super fast two way players, best duo in the league perhaps? 4 (Tie). Quebec (9/10) – Sakic and Sundin can snipe lights out while Kovalenko turns out the lights on defense. 4 (Tie). Calgary (9/10) – Fle…

Hey! A new world was opened for me when I started reading this forum a few weeks ago. I had probably read somewhere that there was a weight bug, but didn't think much more about it and thought that Lemiuex was the best because he has 100 in rating. I have always played with Pittsburgh but now it is tempting to try Detroit or maybe some other "faster" and less "fat" team .. Building Lines with AJ is absolutely incredible, hat off for an amazingly detailed job @angryjay93. But me and my friends play an NHL 94 tournament once a year and then with Automatic Line Changes and penalties. It is frustrating sometimes o…

Buffalo Sabres Team Overview: With a top 5 player at every position, it would seem like a given that Buffalo would be included in the best team in the game discussion. It is true that Buffalo is a very good team, but they aren't in the best team discussion due to the extreme weakness of their #2 Defenseman and what is an apparent lack of team chemistry and identity on both sides of the puck. Forwards: Blessed with the elite talent of Alexander Mogilny and a very solid complimentary player in Pat Lafontaine, the Sabres possess one of the more elite forward duos in the league. Aside from that, the Sabres own one of the most controversial players in the l…

Dallas Stars Team Overview: There may be no other team in the league that relies on pure, dumb, blind speed as much as the Dallas Stars. Chances should come in droves for the Stars because of their speed, it is entirely likely though that many of these chances will be wasted by their pathetic shooting ability. If they can figure out a way light the lamp consistently, the Stars have the defense and goaltending to support the forwards which make a contender for a top 5 team in the game. Forwards: Just like being a power bottom*, speed is the name of the game in ’94 often times, the Stars have that in spades. While Modano and Courtnall have a bit of a learning curve on t…

Calgary Flames Team Overview: Led by the most dominant defensive forward in the game, the Flames are a team spoiled with skilled players at the forward and defensive positions. Keeping the pressure on the opponent is the strength of the Flames, which is a good thing because goaltender Mike Vernon is the lone weakness on the roster. Forwards: Aside from the Kings and Red Wings, no other team matches the Flame’s ability to ice a highly skilled and light forward unit that compliments each other so well. Containing 4 top 50 forwards, the Flames can use several combinations to give the opposition fits. Scorched Earth: Fleury-Roberts-Reichel Theo Fleury: 3 weig…

Chicago Blackhawks Team Overview: It has been said that playing as Chicago is like logging in as invincible. The truth doesn’t stray far from that, due in large part to the cover boy of NHL ’94, Jeremy Roenick. Ed Belfour and Chris Chelios also play vital roles in supporting JR which help propel the Hawks into being one of the powerhouses of the league. A lack of depth though does provide a chink in the armor for which a skilled opponent can exploit. Forwards: Any forward corps with Roenick is a dangerous one, with that said though; the Hawks don’t have the most dangerous line combination in the league. Steve Larmer is a nice support piece, but he isn’t exactly wha…

Tampa Bay Lightning Team Overview: Chemistry is one hell of a thing, there isn’t much to suggest that the Lightning would be a competitive team as they own the slowest and least skilled defense in the game and an unimpressive set of forwards after Brian Bradley. Yet, somehow, almost inexplicably, they manage to cobble together a lightweight lineup that does just enough to win their fair share of games. Forwards: To say that the Lightning are utterly bereft of top end talent after Bradley would be an insult to understatements. At the very least though, the lineup is littered with useful, light weight options that can stir up some trouble on defense and work the counter…

St. Louis Blues Team Overview: One of the more overrated teams in the league, the Blues don’t have a single player on the roster that is free of a major weakness. The likes of Brett Hull, Brendan Shanahan, Nelson Emerson and Jeff Brown all have obvious deficiencies as players, but finding the right mix of these players with the other options on the bench can provide the Blues with a competitive line up that will frustrate opponents. Forwards: One main issue the Blues forwards are confronted with is a total lack of speed, which rules out using a one man slashing offense as an effective strategy. They also lack a masterful set up man and top tier sniper, making a traditi…

Toronto Maple Leafs Team Overview: An often overlooked team, Toronto doesn’t catch the eye of most people due to their lack of an elite speedster, bone crushing d-man, or stone wall goaltender. What they do have though, is a top 10 forward with a serious mean streak, some slick wingers, a couple of booming slap shots, and a very competent goaltender that when all put together, creates a nice little squad. Forwards: The forward unit here has a handful of very useful options at the disposal of the user. None is more important than Doug Gilmour of course, he will be the centerpiece of any line created and should be a major force offensively and defensively. The last four…

Detroit Red Wings Team Overview: Detroit can easily be considered one of the best teams in the game due to a dynamic offense which includes the likes of Steve Yzerman, Dino Ciccarelli and Sergei Fedorov who can always keep a user in a game. Couple this with a solid defense and average goaltender, Detroit can make inexperienced users dangerous and a masterful player deadly. Forwards: Most teams are lucky to have one definitive top guy and a couple of nice supporting pieces. Not Detroit though, their top 3 forwards are among the top 25 in the game, with Yzerman and Ciccarelli being in the top 10. The unit can do it all, skate, score, pass, check, deke, and so on, this i…

Florida Panthers Team Overview: Despite being hampered with the worst offense in the game, Florida can keep things interesting by playing a close to the vest defensive game carried by Gord Murphy, Gord Hynes, and John Vanbiesbrouck. No matter how good the defense performs, this pathetic core of forwards still has to squeeze some offense out, something they typically don't do. Forwards: Things are really rough for the Panthers when it comes to scratching out some offense. To further compound problems, the Panthers forwards don't excel defensively either. Forwards are typically the most important ingredient to a successful team, the Panthers can quickly become the worst…

New York Rangers Team Overview: After a very disappointing 1992-93 season, the Rangers were affected by multiple adverse adjustments to their roster from NHL �93 to NHL� 94. What�s left is a top heavy roster that is negatively affected by the weight bug. Not all is lost though, Mike Gartner is a border line top 10 player and Brian Leetch is a serviceable #1 D-man, these two players allow the Rangers to be a respectable squad. Forwards: Aside from the previously mentioned Gartner, the Rangers forwards are very average, they also don�t necessarily compliment each other well which further compounds the issue of constructing a solid line. While many of the substitutes a…

Philadelphia Flyers Team Overview: Although lacking an elite super star and a solid #1 defenseman, the Flyers do have some very nice pieces in place to construct a solid line that can take on a couple different looks. These two different looks include a solid offensive approach where elite shooters such as Eric Lindros and Mark Recchi make defenses respect all areas of the ice. The other is an approach built on the speed and checking of Pelle Eklund and Kevin Dineen. The user must recognize their own strengths and weaknesses and evaluate the matchup at hand in order to determine the appropriate line combination. Forwards: The forward unit is where the identity of the …

New Jersey Devils Team Overview: If the Devils were removed from the game, I don’t think many people would notice. If there is a more non-descript team in the game, I’d like to know because no one receives less fan fare than the Devils. Aside from puck pounding center Stephane Richer, the Devils have plenty of average players that aren’t particularly noteworthy or fun to use. Forwards: While somewhat effective, the Devils forward group is rather ho-hum. Aside from Richer’s shot power, no other forward possesses an elite skill. In fact, all Devils forwards are flawed, and they don’t necessarily offset each others weaknesses very well. From Russia with Love: Zelepukin…

New York Islanders Team Overview: One of the most overlooked and under used teams in the league, it is easy to forget that the Islanders do boast a nice 1-2-3 combo on the front line. To be fair though, the Isles are over looked for a good reason, their absolutely pathetic defenders and goalies. Make no mistake about it, this is not a team for newcomers, seasoned veterans only need apply, and it’d be wise to have a high tolerance for defensive ineptitude. Forwards: As mentioned earlier, the Isles have a nice trio of Pierre Turgeon, Benoit Hogue, and Steve Thomas. This is a very versatile line that can light the lamp. What the line lacks though is a true lightweight to …

Washington Capitals Team Overview: Aside from maligned superstar Peter Bondra, the Caps are a slow, heavy, and inadequately skilled squad that will wreak havoc on making effective line combos. In draft league formats, the Capitals do have some useful players to keep in mind to round out your squad, so don’t completely ignore this roster. Forwards: Creativity will be needed here to construct an effective line. Bondra is easily the best forward available, but his play style is so vastly different from the rest of the roster, that it will make it very hard to incorporate players such as Ridley, Khristich, or anyone else plugged in. Mish-Mash: Khristich-Bondra-Ridley …

Pittsburgh Penguins Team Overview: To the untrained eye, Pittsburgh looks like a world beater of a team, what with Mario Lemieux and his 100 rating. Alas, the real life story is vastly different and it is indeed a difficult task to find a competitive line, especially for those who don't specialize in one-timers. The defense is also inflicted with similar problems as the offense, looks great, but plays below the expected level. Forwards: This forward group reminds me a lot of Edmonton, except it doesn't have a top 15 forward such as Petr Klima. The biggest issue facing the Penguins is a lack of speed, weight advantage and shooting. A choice must be made, load up a line …

Ottawa Senators Team Overview: Ottawa is horrible. Yet, I like using them. It has nothing to do with the personnel on the roster, which is wretched; only 1 player on the roster is GDL draft worthy. The reason I like using Ottawa is because of all the trash talking that can be done after winning with Ottawa, unless the team you beat is Anaheim or Florida. Forwards: On a legitimate team, none of the Ottawa forwards would sniff the starting lineup. The best thing that could be said about Ottawa is that they do have the ability to mix and match a bit with their line combos as they aren’t filled with a ton of players that do the same thing. But when no one does anything wel…

Hartford Whalers Team Overview:Is there a team that holds a softer spot in the collective heart of the �94 community? The Whalers are the darlings of the league, mostly because they are the loveable losers. Despite a couple of nice players, they are well deserving of this moniker as they are only dangerous in the hands of the elite. Forwards: Led by the fairly dynamic duo of Geoff Sanderson and Pat Verbeek, the Whalers do have a couple of legitimate options up front. After that though, there is a random mish-mash of meager talent, but at least there are several light weight options to fill out the third forward slot. Brass Bonanza: Verbeek-Sanderson-Yake Pat Verb…

Montreal Canadiens Team Overview: Despite not having a true super star skater on the roster, Montreal is widely regarded as being one of the top teams in the game. They receive this distinction in large part due to a hard hitting, slick skating and opportunistic playing style...and oh yeah, the best goalie in the game Patrick Roy. Another asset of Montreal's is they do have a lot of flexibility throughout the lineup to play to most any user's strengths or needs to match up to the opponent. Forwards: Lacking a premier sniper or speedster, Montreal makes up for this with a hard hitting set of forwards such as Denis Savard, Stephane Lebau, and Vincent Damphousse to cause…