angryjay93

Yeah, I can see how Kasper could be more effective on the left but this is the line I used to lead the classic league in goals scored one season, so of course I had to mention it. While I'm boasting about myself, I forgot to mention John Tucker, he of the Blitz 1 championship team. John Tucker 2 games played, 1:22 ice time, 1 check against. JOHN M.F. TUCKER!!!

Didn't want to quote your entire piece, that'd just be too large to re-post. But I really do appreciate your feed back on the subject at hand and I have good news for you, I'm not going to completely shoot you down about the Rangers. I think you said it best that the Rangers require a different play style from Detroit, Boston or Montreal and I couldn't agree more with the assessment. The Rangers do rely on puck possession and sound puck movement, they are just not a team built to do this to great effectiveness on a consistent basis. Gartner is a top 10 player, I personally don't like him that much, but its harder to argue the results in stat keeping leagues where Gartner time and time again shows up near the top of the list in points. Tikkanen is starting material, I dont have the draft results right in front of me but he is typically a late 2nd-3rd round pick due to his speed alone. Leetch and Patrick are very skilled with the puck and have no issue chipping in on offense. Messier on the other hand is a guy who plummets in the GDL draft being left on the board until a heavily influenced(alcohol) Hokkee picks him up in the mid rounds. Yes, hes a great puck mover if he can stay on his skates. Thats the catch though, keeping him on his skates. Another thing that kills the Rangers is their lack of shooting prescision, among the starters, the highest accuracy rating is a 3. Make all the pretty pass plays you want, the team just isn't going to score on a consistent basis. I and many other guys have seen it, when the Rangers are on, they can do a lot of damage. When they are off, paying much attention defense isn't needed because they cant hit the net to save their life. Can the Rangers beat Detroit and Chicago? Absolutely Are the Rangers dangerous in the hands of an elite player? You bet Are they a top 10 team in the game? Probably not But hey, if you can make them work at the highest level, then kudos to you.

This is one of the few teams I have a lot of exposure to in the SNES version and I agree that it is a very daunting lineup. I mainly stuck with Tick-Gartner-Messier, I liked the speed and shot power in the middle for the big one timers since guys like Messier are so inconsistent with their one timer due to the weak shot ratings. Olczyk and Bourque did prove some worth in spot duty, but I never gave the lighter guys any chance, it'd be interesting to give them a shot now that you mention that they have some value, although I wonder how valuable they'ed be against a human opponent as opposed to a CPU. Patrick probably turns into the best defenseman, hes faster and a better checker than Leetch, plus his offensive ratings are comparable. Is Beukeboom worth anything now? He's a big boy, is it safe to assume he can lay some lumber out there? Probably a top 5 team in SNES, SNES players feel free to confirm this assumption or call me an idiot, either way.

Looks like I emptied the clip here today with the postings of NYR and Tampa in the same day. Could be a week or so before I reload and start posting again.

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 attack in their favor to cash in on some easy/garbage goals. RAPON!!!: Andersson-Bradley-Kasper Mikael Andersson: 6 weight, 2/4 skating, 2/2 shot, 3 sth & pass, 2/3 aware, Shoots: L Oddly enough, this no shot, straight line, burner-ish type player is the best offensive winger on the roster. Players don’t get much more unspectacular than Andersson, but he does the trick in many instances. Being the only player on the roster above 3 speed, Andersson’s ability to quickly move the puck up the ice is a vital change of pace in an otherwise sluggish attack. Thankfully, Andersson does have an average set of playmaking skills to go along with his speed so he isn’t just carrying the puck up the ice for his health. Scoring though, is something of an art with Andersson, his piddly shot wont strike the fear into any goalie as he is mainly an in close deker. While not the biggest of hitters on defense, he is still able to bring down the heavyweights with ease and it is nice to have one player on the ice with a bit of speed to run down players in open ice. Brian Bradley: 4 weight, 4/3 skating, 4/5 shot, 3 sth & pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: R One of the prevailing traits of an expansion team is a dearth of top end talent; this is not the case for Tampa as Bradley is a border line Round 1 pick in the GDL draft. The one obvious weakness about Bradley is his speed. Fine, it is what it is, pretty dang average, but it does not hamper him enough from being one of the games truly legitimate snipers. Bradley’s shot turns a pop gun offense into one that can hurt any team in the league as he is dangerous from almost anywhere inside the offensive zone. Despite his lack of speed, Bradley is still very capable of bouncing off a few body checks and driving the puck to the net in close for a floater or deke. What sets Bradley apart from several other sniping slugs is that he can really check the snot out of the opposition, which comes in real handy in helping to change the tide of a game. Steve Kasper: 5 weight, 3/3 skating, 2/3 shot, 3 sth & pass, 1/3 aware, Shoots: L Much like Andersson, on a standard team Kasper wouldn’t garner a 2nd look despite his ability to body check effectively. For the Lightning though, Kasper is a good wing option because he has just enough playmaking ability to feed Bradley consistently as he is rather adept at dodging and absorbing body checks to make the play. It is pretty rare for a forward to have such low offensive awareness, but this doesn’t hamper Kasper too much as he is still able to convert on the odd goal and he is very focused on defense, which isn’t a bad thing to have when the other two forwards are going to be doing a lot of work on offense. This is the most balanced line the Lightning can hope to ice as it provides some speed, some scoring touch, and a good deal of defensive ability. If either Andersson or Kasper can augment Bradley’s production, the Lightning becomes rather effective, and not in just expansion team terms, but league wide terms. TRAPON!!!: Kasper-Bradley-DiMaio Rob DiMaio: 5 weight, 2/3 skating, 2/2 shot, 2 sth & pass, 3/3 aware, Shoots: R If all you wanted in your life was another guy just like Kasper, but less skilled, then you can stop your search. Strictly a weight bug option, DiMaio provides a bit more defensive edge then Andersson which could come in handy in an attempt to slow the game down and turn the neutral zone into a wasteland of turnovers and mutilated bodies. With the puck on his stick DiMaio is as unskilled as they come, but if he’s allowed to waltz right in on the goalie, he’s bound to convert on some of his chances. While this is in the running for slowest line in the league, it is an effective trap line because not many teams can match a line of 5-4-5 weight. It essentially eliminates the body check for the opponent as they are now reduced to poke checks and holds which may provide some problems. The scoring touch isn’t reduced all that much by a change from Andersson to DiMaio as Bradley is still the obvious go to player. Who’s the Fattie? Bradley-Kontos-Andersson/Kasper Chris Kontos: 8 weight, 3/3 skating, 3/5 shot, 3 sth & pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: L While it may be a difficult decision to give up such a superior weight advantage, sometimes it’s useful plugging a little extra offense into the lineup against a heavier team if things start to go awry. Kontos greatest and only strength is his ability to finish. Kontos isn’t unfamiliar with the concept of filling the slot, and with a pair of flyweight options on the wing, they should be able to feed him enough chances to make him worth icing. Using Kontos in a one-on-one fashion is likely to end unsuccessfully as he has neither the skating ability or weight advantage to work his way into the danger areas, if this is a main mode of attack for the user, it’s likely best to put Kontos on the wing or just leave him on the bench entirely. No other expansion team has one player with a 3/5 shot or better, Tampa has two. If they can get chances, they are going to put some goals on the board. The defense takes a hit though, but against a heavier or slower team, it’s a trade off worth considering. Other Options: None of the players remaining on the roster are worth GDL consideration, hell; Kasper, Andersson, and DiMaio never get drafted. Still, it doesn’t hurt to talk about a couple of other bums. Marc Bureau: 7 weight, 3/3 skating, 2/2 shot, 3 sth, 2 pass, 3/3 aware, Shoots: R Average skating middle weight with a sub par skill set, you didn’t expect anything good did you? Danton Cole: 7 weight, 3/3 skating, 2/2 shot, 2 sth & pass, 3/3 aware, Shoots: R The thing about Danton Cole is... Forwards: 5/10 Defense: On paper, the Lightning have the worst rated and most unimpressive defense in the entire game...and they don’t play far from it. While not crippled by a brigade of heavyweights, the Lightning have the slowest top pairing defense in the league that is compensated by no other skill. Roman Hamrlik: 7 weight, 3/2 skating, 3/1 shot, 3 sth, 2 pass, 2/3 aware, Shoots: L Hamrlik garners nothing more than a shoulder shrug from me. He’s slow, isn’t a threat offensively, doesn’t give a good breakout pass, and he doesn’t do a good job of containing a light weight bearing down on him with speed. This is the Lightning’s #1 defenseman though, the price of having a legitimate forward on an expansion team is rather steep it seems. Marc Bergevin: 6 weight, 2/2 skating, 3/0 shot, 2 sth & pass, 2/2 aware, Shoots: L Things have already degraded down to this? Damn, that was fast. Bergevin is light and he is also light. Ignore his shot, he’s never going to use it and if he does, well, I don’t need to tell you how it’ll end. Bergevin is pretty good at dealing with slugs, mainly because he is light. Have I mentioned that Bergevin is light yet? Good, I just wanted to make it clear that Bergevin is indeed light. The main objective of the Lightning defenders is this. Don’t get caught out of your own zone, slow down the attack, and allow the forwards to mop up. If breakaways are limited and the Lightning defenders stay home, Bergevin and Hamrlik can do a fairly bang up job and contribute to the defensive game plan. If they get caught though, they won’t be able to do a thing about it. Also, don’t let them carry the puck for too long, they won’t intimidate anyone with their abilities. Other Options: The rest of the pairings I can suggest are of equal stink, so I’m not even going to bother breaking them down. Bob Beers: 9 weight, 3/3 skating, 2/2 shot, 2 sth & pass, 3/3 aware, Shoots: R Bad ass name, bad player. If a heavy defenseman is going to be iced he has to have some skills, Beers possesses nothing worth mentioning though. Bergevin provides a similar skill set in a slimmer package, don’t keep this Beers on ice. Shawn Chambers: 9 weight, 2/2 skating, 2/1 shot, 2 sth & pass, 3/3 aware, Shoots: L Hey, this is a major improvement from when he was rated a 1 overall in NHL 93, take what you can get. Chris Lipuma: 6 weight, 1/1 skating, 1/0 shot, 1 sth & pass, 2/1 aware, Shoots: L I mention Lipuma because he is a default sub, I’d suggest subbing him, but honestly, what’s the difference? At least Lipuma is light. Why does this sound familiar? Defense: .5/10 Goalie Zone: Wendell Young is not Glenn Healy, I can’t get much more positive than that without lying through my teeth. Wendell Young: 6 weight, 3/3 skating, 2/2 aware, 3 puck control, 3/2/3/3 save, Catches: L Young occasionally gets starting consideration in the GDL and Blitz leagues, he typically platoons at best though. Be prepared to use a lot of goalie control with Young, he isn’t very strong against most scoring tactics although he may provide a few surprising saves from time to time. Goalie: 2.5/10 Bottom Line: Despite a horribly rated defense and below average goaltending, the Lightning ought to be respected. Their ability to score and play team defense allows them to play a few different styles and adjust to their opponent as needed. Against a superior team in the hands of a skilled player, the uphill climb to victory will still be a daunting, yet not impossible task.

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 are light, they aren’t big hitters, pair that with a sheer inability to score the puck consistently up and down the roster and the Ranger forwards have an uphill battle on both sides of the rink. Feed the ‘Stache: Tikkanen-Gartner-Messier Esa Tikkanen: 9 weight, 5/5 skating, 4/2 shot, 4 sth & pass, 3/4 aware, Shoots: L With his enticing 5 speed, Tikkanen typically always finds a use in the line-up despite being rather heavy, especially for a winger. Often times though, his speedy presence can come at a very frustrating cost. The biggest culprit of this is his poor shot rating. Even after making a beautiful deke or receiving an easy one-timer, Tikkanen is well renowned for his ability to miss the yawning cage...consistently. Oddly enough for a heavyweight, Tikkanen is best suited as a puck carrying set-up man. He has the speed and elusiveness to give the defense fits and he can easily keep pace with Gartner to feed him for some offensive chances. One of the disadvantages of being fast and heavy though is that it may be tough to line up a poke check at such a high speed. If Tikkanen is struggling with his goal-scoring and defense, he becomes a liability, especially if he’s getting pushed around in addition. Don’t be afraid to sub him out if this occurs, his strengths don’t make him immune to a benching. Mike Gartner: 7 weight, 5/5 skating, 5/3 shot, 5 sth & pass, 4/4 aware, Shoots: R No doubt Gartner is an enjoyable player to use, but to steal a term from baseball, he is wildly effective. Along with Mike Modano, Gartner probably leads the league in stupefying moments where the user is left saying “I can’t believe he missed that!” or “Only Gartner baby, only Gartner!” A unique combo of speed and shot power, Gartner is about as effective from 5 feet from the goal as he is 50 feet. Gartner is an extremely gifted one-on-one player, although a bit heavy, his cannon like shot power adds another element to his game that most players don’t possess. Also gifted with a great play-making skill set, it will likely fall by the way side since the Rangers have no one worth putting at center. The attack will eventually lead towards getting Gartner the puck and letting him do his magic. While not a big hitter, Garter does have the speed to get involved on the fore check or back check to try and work the poke check. The more turnovers and counter attacks he creates, the more opportunities he has to use his speed to wreak havoc. Mark Messier: 10 weight, 5/4 skating, 3/3 shot, 5 sth & 5 pass, 4/4 aware, Shoots: L Aside from Eric Lindros and Cam Neely, no other player in the league may have as much trouble matching performance with overall rating then Mark Messier. Sublimely skilled (if shooting is ignored), Messier would suggest to project as one of the elite playmakers in the league. Alas, using Messier as a playmaker is akin to playing chicken, tempting fate and nearing closer and closer to the edge of the cliff, deciding when to move the puck with Messier is always a dangerous game. Icing Messier though is the lesser of many evils, while Messier doesn’t bring anything unique to this line, other than his wretched defense, he is capable of making a quick give and go pass to Gartner to spring him into space. Just don’t ask Messier to score, getting him near the net is nearly impossible and he has no ability to score from range. No need to fall off that cliff. While an extremely mobile line that is gifted at moving the puck, it is held back immensely by its severe weight disadvantage and lack of finishing touch. For the most part, the offense is all about feeding Gartner at some point and letting him light the lamp because Tikkanen and Messier are so inept at doing it themselves. Defensively, using the mobility of the line is key, keeping the opponent to the outside and attempting to use the poke check should be the main goal. Feed the ‘Stache 2: Tikkanen-Gartner-Amonte Tony Amonte: 6 weight, 4/4 skating, 3/3 shot, 3 sth & pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: R Amonte is arguably the best of a bunch of light weight players with plus skating and mediocre skills, but that isn’t meant to be much of a compliment. Despite never garnering starter consideration in the GDL, Amonte still finds a use on the Rangers because he brings a more defensive presence then Messier which allows Tikkanen to be the main playmaker. Amonte lacks both finishing and creative skills, but he is quick and light which will hopefully limit the amount of turnovers he commits. Trading in a little playmaking skill for some defensive prowess may be a wise decision because Messier isn’t exactly adept at getting to the prime offensive areas in which to create offense for Gartner. The end game is the same though, get the puck to Gartner and let him do something amazing. Are we sensing a theme yet?: Turcotte-Gartner-Amonte Darren Turcotte: 6 weight, 4/4 skating, 3/3 shot, 4 sth, 3 pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: L If one Amonte wasn’t enough, here’s a second winger just like him to accompany Gartner. I feel compelled to copy and paste what I wrote for Amonte and insert Turcotte’s name where needed. I’m trying to be a credible author here though, so this is what I have to say about Turcotte. While Turcotte isn’t Amonte, he isn’t not Amonte, do you follow? What we’ve done here is turned a fast, skilled, heavy line into a less fast, less skilled, less heavy line. It’s probably a useful line when playing light weight teams such as Detroit, Vancouver or Boston, but aside from Gartner, there just isn’t enough skill being iced to truly compete with the opponent unless the Rangers play out of their mind. Again, on offense the idea is the same, get the puck to Gartner. Again, and again, and again, and again... Other Options: Turcotte and Amonte are ok players who can at least skate a fair bit and not got mangled. What lies below is a ragged collection of guys who will get mangled but are more skilled, or won’t get mangled, yet are somehow less spectacular. Adam Graves: 6 weight, 4/4 skating, 2/3 shot, 3 sth & pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: L Typically good for a 4th or 5th forward spot on a GDL roster, Graves fittingly enough is the 5th or so best forward for the Rangers. Read what I wrote for Turcotte and Amonte, then insert a puny shot which is compensated by no other skill. For the truly masochistic, run Turcotte, Amonte, and Graves out on the same line. That ought to be fun. Ed Olczyk: 9 weight, 4/3 skating, 4/3 shot, 4 sth & pass, 3/3 aware, Shoots: L If Ed had a bit more speed he’d be somewhat useful with his plus skill set. What the reality is though is a guy who doesn’t really set up all that well in the offensive zone and will have issues getting his shot off because why would you try to feed Olczyk when the puck is already on the stick of Gartner? Alexei Kovalev: 7 weight, 4/3 skating, 3/4 shot, 3 sth & pass, 3/3 aware, Shoots: L This version of the AK plays a bit more like a single action revolver in the hands of a noob. A bit slow, cumbersome to use, and lacking shot power or a threat from range, AK is a desperation option at center if the user strongly desires to put Gartner out on the wing. Sergei Nemchinov: 6 weight, 4/3 skating, 3/4 shot, 3 sth & pass, 3/5 aware, Shoots: L Slow moving, defensive minded forwards don’t have much place in ’94, especially if they aren’t a super light-weight. Useful in the 5th or 6th forward slot for the GDL, but only if he doesn’t get playing time. Forwards: 6/10 (3/10 if Gartner is hurt or in the box) Defense: Much like the forwards, Leetch is a very solid #1 option, he is supported by a skilled heavyweight and then a few solid yet unspectacular options. Patrick-Leetch Brian Leetch: 6 weight, 6/3 skating, 4/1 shot, 5 sth & pass, 4/4 aware, Shoots: L Comfortably among the top 10 defenders in the league, Leetch provides a lot of positive attributes to the team, but he lacks the one dominant skill that the premier players typically possess. While having only average speed, Leetch is surprisingly fast due in large part to his perfect agility and light weight which allows him to accelerate quickly and turn on a dime. This asset is useful not only on offense, but defense as well in that he is very easy to use and has the checking power to bring down some mid-heavy weights. Offensively, its pretty tempting to try and get Leetch involved because he is a far better puck carrier than Tikkanen or Messier, but his lack of shot accuracy hampers his finishing ability and his passing can sometimes be a hindrance, especially in close because he passes the puck so hard, the receiver has a tendency to have the puck bounce off their stick. Overall though, don’t be too afraid to integrate Leetch in the offense, just remember he is the one covering Messier, which leaves the right side of the ice extremely vulnerable if Leetch gets wiped out. James Patrick: 9 weight, 4/4 skating, 4/1 shot, 4 sth & pass, 3/4 aware, Shoots: R A solid #2 option, Patrick has all the skills that we can ask for a player in his position...except for his weight. On a team with some major checking presence, having Patrick on the ice wouldn’t be as big of a deal as he could be compensated by his teammates thus allowing his skating and puck skills to shine. On the Rangers though, Patrick is just another strong skating heavy weight who seems to constantly be playing a game of hot potato until the puck gets on Gartner’s stick. If Patrick can manage to play some solid defense and use his speed to run down some breakaways, he becomes a very useful option. A highly skilled duo, Patrick and Leetch will not look uncomfortable with the puck. They just do not get the help they need in terms of a physical presence from the forwards that would make them a highly regarded pairing. Zubov-Leetch Sergei Zubov: 7 weight, 3/3 skating, 3/2 shot, 3 sth & pass, 3/4 aware, Shoots: R Nothing about Zubov stands out and makes him extremely useful. He is merely mentioned because he is the lightest option aside from Leetch and his skill set isn’t crippling. If Zubov can sit back in his own zone and play a steady game by covering up the slot and not committing turnovers with the puck, he’s doing his job. This could be a useful pairing against a heavy team such as Pittsburgh or one with a slug in the middle such as New Jersey, NYI, or St. Louis for example because Zubov then becomes a body checking presence. If Zubov is sitting back in the zone, then it gives Leetch a bit more leeway on offense and not too much skill is lost with the benching of Patrick. Other Option: Only one other guy is worth icing, the Rangers are hampered with fat and unskilled d-men on the bottom half of their depth chart. Kevin Lowe: 8 weight, 4/3 skating, 3/1 shot, 4 sth, 3 pass, 2/4 aware, Shoots: L A very heady player, Lowe has found himself some occasional starting duty in the GDL because he stays in his own zone, can move the puck around a bit, and is a decent skater. If Lowe stays within himself, he’s fairly effective, just don’t try to wheel and deal with him. Defense: 6.5/10 Goalie Zone: Aside from Boston, no other team provides a pair of worthwhile goalies that should garner equal consideration as a starter. Much like Boston though, neither option is elite, they are merely league average at best. Mike Richter: 7 weight, 3/4 skating, 4/4 aware, 3 puck control, 4/4/4/4 save, Catches: L While Richter may have the superior save ratings, he has some issues getting to the puck, even in manual goalie. Richter is a bit on the heavy side for a goalie and his lack of agility makes his first move sluggish which can be the difference between a save and a goal. Richter is very rarely in the top portion statistically of most leagues, don’t feel compelled to make a reach for him in the draft. John Vanbiesbrouck: 5 weight, 3/4 skating, 5/5 aware, 3 puck control, 3/4/3/4 save, Catches: L Vanbiesbrouck is by no means a great goalie either, but he’s a bit easier to move around the crease which makes him the more effective goalie of the two despite slightly downgraded save ratings. Sure, his overall is pumped up by high awareness, he, unlike Richter though, is not unfamiliar with the upper end of the goalie statistics on occasion. Most users typically tend to lean towards using Beezer, don’t be afraid to play a hunch though as both are fairly similar. The Rangers could be a lot tougher with a solid goalie in net, but that just isn’t the case. Goalie: 5.5/10 Bottom Line: When taking a close look at the Rangers, it becomes noticeable that they are similar to the Penguins due to their heavy lineup and lack of scoring touch. What sets the Rangers apart though is their speed, a top 10 player in Gartner and a solid, light defenseman in Leetch. If Gartner can shake loose and be a force the Rangers play pretty well, but the opposite typically provides a very ugly result.

Word, I'd be more focused about improving Carse's worthless connection than RWD's mediocre one.

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 Verbeek: 7 weight, 3/4 skating, 4/4 shot, 4 sth & pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: R A personal favorite of Kgman and owner of the vaunted and equally as mysterious “long stick” rating, Verbeek is a very solid if unspectacular player. On his own, Verbeek isn’t an extremely dangerous player, something of a middle weight with solid skills; he is best suited as a complimentary player. Verbeek could just as easily be the center of this line, but his superior passing skills and comparable skating and weight ratings to Sanderson make him a better fit as a playmaker that can set up teammates. On defense, Verbeek is fairly standard, but his lack of agility might give him an issue in keeping up the faster players in the league. Geoff Sanderson: 6 weight, 4/4 skating, 4/4 shot, 4 sth, 3 pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: L It’s really fortunate that Sanderson is on a team as weak as the Whalers because he is best suited as a center, but he is not among the top centers in the league. Blessed with solid ratings across the board, Sanderson is equally as capable of being a one-on-one threat from the middle as he is a one-timing threat. With that said though, he isn’t a dominant player in either facet, which limits the offensive upside of the team. While not an elite defensive player, Geoff can certainly hold his own in tight checking games, although he may struggle against the likes of a Roenick or Fleury. Terry Yake: 6 weight, 3/3 skating, 3/4 shot, 3 sth & pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: R As mentioned in the Anaheim article, Yake isn’t a good player to center the offense around, but in a supporting role, he can do the job. Hartford, has only two forwards with 4 speed, Yake is the best mix of light weight and skill among the rest of the Hartford front line and he should be able to nicely augment the efforts of Verbeek and Sanderson. Yake will be able to hold his own defensively in many cases, pot some chances and is capable of distributing the puck, what else can we ask for from the 3rd F on a lower tier team? None of the individuals on this line are jaw-dropping, but Sanderson and Verbeek do a fairly good job of feeding off each other and making them rather dangerous if not taken seriously. Yake is a nice role player and if he can click with the other two then Hartford can get rolling. Defensively, this isn’t a checking line, but its light enough to where they can trap if necessary to slow the pace of the game. 2 and a half on 3: Verbeek-Sanderson-Nylander/Kron Mikael Nylander: 5 weight, 4/3 skating, 3/2 shot, 3 sth & pass, 3/2 aware, Shoots: L The superior skater of the two, Nylander is the prototypical weight bugger in that he wouldn’t get much consideration to start if it weren’t for the fact that he could crack some skulls. Being that Nylander was still fairly young when the game was made; he doesn’t have his sublime puck handling or passing skills that made him a solid 2nd line center in future editions. While he is kind of a black hole on offense due to a sheer lack of shooting acumen, he does bring a true lightweight to the lineup and could aid a back line that isn’t exactly blessed in that regard. Robert Kron: 5 weight, 3/3 skating, 2/3 shot, 3 sth & pass, 3/4 aware, Shoots: L Kron is the more defensive minded of the two, he may be a better fit to play the pure grinder role. The offense though, is still sorely lacking and it will certainly hamper Hartford’s ability to keep up in a high scoring game. Every once in a while, Kron will get plugged onto the right wing in GDL to be a guy to cause some havoc. In those situations he is usually paired with a pair of elite talents that can light the lamp more effectively than the Hartford duo. Temper your expectations when icing Kron or Nylander. Hartford’s skill level really takes a big hit after Yake, but Kron and Nylander do posses average skating and are capable of providing a helping hand on defense. This is a better trap line in which to play with, but it puts more stress on Verbeek and Sanderson to provide offense. Other options: Here are a couple more options to help fill out the roster in the 9th-11th round of the GDL draft. Andrew Cassels: 7 weight, 3/3 skating, 2/4 shot, 3 sth & 3 pass, 4/4 aware, Shoots: L Suffering from Craig Janney disease, Cassels is a playmaker who just didn’t get the blessing from the ’94 Gods as his skating and passing ratings don’t reflect his real life skills. Combine that with weak shot power and being a middle weight, Cassels is nothing more than emergency option off the bench. Robert Petrovicky: 5 weight, 4/3 skating, 3/1 shot, 3 sth & pass, 2/2 aware, Shoots: L Another pesky winger, but the awareness and Hawerchuk like shot make him a liability with or without the puck. But in user control, he’s a solid checker and might be able to lead a rush or two and set up a goal in his best of games. Forwards: 5.5/10 Defense: Hartford’s defense is really a mixed bag, guys like Zarley Zalapski and Eric Weinrich are true heavyweights, but there skills and skating make them useful. Adam Burt is another solid option off the bench with his middleweight and decent skill set. Again though, the Whalers don’t have a stud to rely on, and hopefully a pairing can be made that enhances their attributes. Burt-Zalapski Adam Burt: 7 weight, 4/3 skating, 4/1shot, 4 sth, 3 pass, 2/3 aware, Shoots: L Burt has a tendency to fly under the radar, but the truth of the matter is he does have some plus skating and a respectable shot in a fairly reasonable weight package for a defender. The goal here is to hope that Burt and Zalapski can feed off each other as both are capable on offense, but the user really has to pick their spots as they both do have their flaws. Zarley Zalapski: 10 weight, 5/4 skating, 4/2 shot, 4 sth, 3 pass, 4/5 aware, Shoots: L What makes Zalapski different from the typical heavyweight defenseman is his supreme skating abilities. He is very adept at using his skating to help him utilize his puck skills and calm the game down or give the offense a jolt. These skills must be used judiciously though as he is a moving target to most any forward in the game. Defensively, Zalapski is pretty solid in his own zone, but he is strictly a poke checker in open ice. Along the boards Zalapski is nimble enough to distribute some big body checks, again though, it is best to use this skill wisely. Staying within Zalapski’s abilities is the key here, if that can be done, he can reward the Whalers with some strong play. Despite this not being a top duo in the league, it is still a dangerous one, especially with the puck on their stick. Weinrich-Zalapski Eric Weinrich: 10 weight, 3/4 skating, 3/2 shot, 3 sth & pass, 3/4 aware, Shoots: L Not too many teams can ice a pair of defenseman with 4 speed, Hartford can, albeit at 10 weight a pop. Sometimes Burt can go a little lame brain on defense, Weinrich can fill the void if need be and be a bit more heady in his own zone. While a bit sluggish in the handling department, Weinrich still has enough straight line speed to chase down some breakaways and his skill set is good enough to keep the Hartford offense going with a nice breakout pass. Hartford doesn’t possess a weight bug defenseman, therefore a pairing this heavy can be suggested because there is enough skating and skill here to be effective still. In games against fast, weight bug lines though, this pair might struggle and be pressed into making bad decisions. Other Options: None of the other defenders on the roster are GDL worthy, but it’s entirely possible to lose a couple of guys to injury or penalty, so let’s look at the best of the worst. Allen Pederson: 10 weight, 2/3 speed, 2/1 shot, 2 sth & pass, 1/3 aware, Shoots: L The only other defender with 2 passing and 3 speed, he should be little better at getting the puck quickly off his stick then the rest of the options. Still, there are reasons as to why he is never drafted in the GDL, namely his weight and entire skill set. Dan Keczmer: 7 weight, 2/2 skating, 1/2 shot, 2 sth, 1 pass, 2/3 aware, Shoots: L So...yeah...just keep your other defenders out of the box ok? Defense: 5/10 Goalie Zone: Fitting right in with the team, Sean Burke is more or less random mish-mash on paper, but not too shabby on the ice. Sean Burke: 10 weight, 4/3 skating, 2/2 aware, 4 puck control, 4/4/4/4 save Catches: L More often than not, a goalies overall rating is inflated by his awareness, a rating that doesn’t mean a whole lot. Burke benefits from the opposite, he’s actually much better than advertised. Blessed with solid rebound control and pads, if Burke can get to the puck, he’s pretty dependable. The weight might prove a little problematic, but his flaws are less numerous than a similar rated Richter, Blue, or Vernon. Goalies: 6.5/10 Bottom Line: No player by himself on the roster is going to scare the opponent, especially an opponent with a top team. As a unit though, the Whalers are very solid and can pull off some major upsets, especially in the hands of a seasoned veteran.

I should be around again tonight, hopefully by 6 EST or so. Drop a line here if you can play so I know who to expect.

Question Smoz, is this doable?the first part, not so much the artifical AJ part, but I do have a narcissistic need to see myself plastered all over the team matchup screen. Also, if Molson wants to sponsor my Team Matchup analysis feature, thatd just be swell. I will take my payment in beer...the entire payment.

Great job on the weight bug fix analysis Smoz, I always love reading this stuff and the links your provide to the blitz page are incredible, I really wish I could do something similar for my analysis. Just wanted to build on a couple of things you wrote about. I totally agree with you about Pierre and I think thats reflected in some of the earlier posts in this topic. Almost all 5 speed players stilld find a use in Blitz and Hogue is no exception, but he still among the mid-lower teir for 5 speed players. King was a part of my Blitz 1 team, and he can be useful against slower heavier teams since he is pretty tough to run over with a body check. Still, he had issues skating into scoring areas consistently enough and he just didnt convert enough of his chances. On defense, Darius was on my Blitz 1 team as well and rode pine behind Bob Rouse and Michel Petit. It's kind of nice having a 7 weight player who can hit, but hes not fast enough to use it consistently on the likes of a Yzerman or Roenick, nor is he big enough to affect a Kontos or Sandstrom. Like you said, he's built for that #3 role. I'm not a big fan of Krupp, his mobility is a major concern, the 3/3 skating of mcsorely is a noticable improvement in the same weight class. I'd rank the Isles defense in this fashion; Malakhov, Kasparitis, Kurvers, Krupp, Pilon, Norton, Lachance. After the disease though, the order could easily be flipped around based off preference and I wouldn't put up much argument.

Just point the way. Uhhh, oh yeah, insert '95 sucks blast here.

Not too many guys out west for me and hokkee to play '94 with. I guess we will just have to do our own thing in Vancouver because that is one hell of a place. The rest of you stay away, more beer for me and hokkee!

I dont think I've ever asked for mine or anyone elses #2 back.

Updated the status of the articles, Hartford may get posted before Washington.

Looks like I fouled, I meant wander. But, he probably wonders too now that you mention it.

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 weight, 5/5 skating, 4/3 shot, 4 sth, 3 pass, 4/5 aware, Shoots: R A human battering ram, Fleury is the single most dominant defensive player in the game. No other player can match his checking power which is enhanced by his blazing speed and chippy AI demeanor. Fleury is entirely capable of changing the momentum in a game with a huge body check and quickly converting the turnover into a big goal. When Fleury has the puck, he is still a very dangerous player, but not quite as much due to his lack of dominating puck skills. This is the only thing that keeps Fleury out of the top 5 players in the game. He simply doesn’t have the shot and passing consistency of the other dominant players, but when Fleury does get rolling and catches on fire, he becomes nearly impossible to stop. Gary Roberts: 7 weight, 4/4 skating, 4/5 shot, 4 sth, 3 pass, 5/4 aware, Shoots: L I find it a little puzzling that Roberts doesn’t get as much hype as Robert Reichel or Sergei Makarov on the Flames because Roberts is a cool guy, he scores goals and doesnt affraid of anything. Roberts is the best pure shooter on the team, he is great at finding open ice in the slot and is not a major liability weight wise. Part of the issue from what I’ve seen is that most users try to make Roberts a winger, with his limited passing ability though; he just isn’t suited to be a playmaker from the wing. Robert Reichel: 6 weight, 4/4 skating, 4/4 shot, 4 sth & 4 pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: L With plus skills across the board coming in a light package, Reichel is capable of doing a lot of everything for this line. He can go one on one from the wing and be just as dangerous shooting the puck as he is passing it. Defensively, Reichel can throw his weight around and be another legitimate checking force on the ice. Sometimes, Reichel’s AI goes a bit wonky though and he tends to wonder aimlessly in all three zones. But when under user control, Reichel is extremely useful and is a great fit to aid Fleury and Roberts all over the ice. The thing I like about this line is the options available to Fleury on offense. He is going to be the main puck handler in rushes up the ice and being on his off wing allows him to either pass the puck off to a streaking Roberts or Reichel if the defense swarms him. If the defense sags back towards the goalie, he is more than capable of using a slapper or using his speed and resiliency to slice through some defenders for a deke of some sort. Everyone on this line is more than capable of scoring, playmaking, or playing defense, even if the opponent focuses on Fleury, Reichel and Roberts are a deadly 1-2 punch. Grind Line: Makarov-Fleury-Reichel Sergei Makarov: 6 weight, 5/4 skating, 2/4 shot, 5 sth & pass, 4/2 aware, Shoots: L A personal favorite of mine and many others, Makarov can be mentioned in the same breath as Wayne Gretzky and Dale Hawerchuk when it comes to elite playmakers. What Makarov brings to the table, which is only enhanced with a player like Fleury beside him is that he is perfectly capable of carrying the puck up the ice and then dishing off a spectacular pass to Fleury whether it be for a one-timer or to break him loose for a rush on net. Makarov’s only weakness is shooting from beyond the face-off dots, he just isn’t going to do a lot of damage from outside. But in close, Makarov is more than capable of lighting the lamp with consistency and that’s where most of his chances will come from, right in the goal maw after Fleury wreaks his havoc. With this setup, there is a bit more defensive presence here and the Flames can really hem the opponent in their own zone with a ferocious fore check. On the flip side, the Flames can play a trap game and they have plenty of skating and skill to take advantage of odd man-rushes with deadly precision. Other Options: It’s unlikely the Flames depth will be tested beyond the top 4 forwards because they are so versatile. There are still some useful pieces here that might be worth a 3rd forward spot on a GDL roster. Joe Nieuwendyk: 8 weight, 4/4 skating, 4/4 shot, 4, sth & 2 pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: L Another skilled scorer, Nieuwendyk is best used as a center as his shooting and awareness are his main strengths. But on a team stacked with lighter, and equally as adept shooters, Nieuwendyk may only be the 4th best option at center on the team. If employed on the wing, his passing and weight will severely limit his effectiveness. In the GDL, if Nieuwendyk is lying around in the 5th round and a goal scoring slug is needed for center, there are certainly far worse options. Paul Ranheim: 8 weight, 4/4 skating, 3/3 shot, 4 sth & 3 pass, 3/4 aware, Shoots: R Ranheim has seen some GDL duty on the wing and has provided decent minutes when called upon. The plus skating and average skill set here is the main draw, despite being a bit heavy, Ranheim can be a solid penalty killer and is nicely suited as a 4th forward. Chris Lindberg: 7 weight, 3/4 skating, 2/3 shot, 3 sth, 2 pass, 2/3 aware, Shoots: L Nothing more here than an 11th-12th round option with some speed in a fairly svelte package. Pickings can get pretty slim for 4 speed players near the end of the draft; Lindberg is worth keeping in mind at that stage. Forwards: 9/10 Defense: No other team in the league may have as deep a blue line as the Flames who have 8 legitimate GDL draft options. Most of the players are mid-late round selections though and the top pairing is fairly clear cut. MacInnis-Suter Al MacInnis: 8 weight, 4/4 skating, 6/1 shot, 4 sth & pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: R MacInnis provides such an interesting conundrum, much along the lines of a Ray Bourque. It’s hard not to notice the perfect shot power rating, in fact, it becomes hard not to fall in love with it and try to utilize it whenever possible. In practicality though, it can be difficult to get MacInnis into position to use the slapper because most forwards can take him down with a good body check and then an odd-man rush typically ensues. MacInnis also isn’t the best stay at home defenseman due to his girth and inability to stay in position due to a lack of awareness. If it’s possible to reign in the up ice rushes with MacInnis, then he becomes a very useful puck distributor from the back end he always has that booming shot in his back pocket when the chance presents itself. Gary Suter: 7 weight, 5/4 skating, 4/2 shot, 4 sth & pass, 4/5 aware, Shoots: L There aren’t too many d-men that are as skilled and steady as Suter, a perfect fit for such a free wheeling team. Suter can easily be forgotten in the grand scheme of things because he doesn’t have the checking power of Sweeney, the speed of Housley, the passing of Coffey, or the shot power of MacInnis. What Suter does have is a very solid skill set across the board and he is capable of a little bit of everything. While his only weakness may be in containing the super light weights, Suter has the skating to keep pace with them in open ice and still cause them some problems. The only beef with this pairing is that it doesn’t provide a major physical presence. There can be instances in some tough match-ups where an equally skilled and fast line up can carve the Flames defense up if the offense leaves it in some precarious situations. Overall though, this duo is extremely mobile and skilled and can chip in some serious offense if it isn’t respected. Other Options: The top pairing is set in stone for the majority of users, but here are some other players to consider just incase. Roger Johansson: 7 weight, 4/3 skating, 2/1 shot, 3 sth & pass, 2/2 aware, Shoots: L A fairly swift skating defenseman in a middle weight package, Johansson is capable of being a decent puck mover from the back and he won’t hamper the Flames attack. Weak shot rating and awareness ratings though really hold him back and keep him outside of the Top 50 D-men. Chris Dahlquist: 8 weight, 3/3 skating, 3/1 shot, 3 sth, 2 pass, 1/4 aware, Shoots: L A kgman favorite, Dahlquist does provide a fairly intriguing package. Despite his modest weight and passing abilities, Dahlquist has some nice skating and a very unique 1/4 awareness rating that allows him to hone in on defense and be a major presence in front of the net. This might come in handy for the Flames as well if MacInnis is being a real dope on defense. Frank Musil: 9 weight, 4/4 skating, 2/1 shot, 2 sth & pass, 2/3 aware, Shoots: L Speed is always such an enticing thing to have on the back end and that is Musil’s main/only strength. While he is heavy and pretty lackluster in every other category, he is still worth a look because of his skating. Kevin Dahl: 7 weight, 2/3 skating, 2/1 shot, 3 sth & pass, 2/4 aware, Shoots: R Ideally fills in as a 4th defender in the GDL, the speed, weight, and passing skills are the main draw here. Hopefully those assets keep him from drowning on the PK. Michel Petit: 9 weight, 3/3 skating, 4/1 shot, 4 sth, 3 pass, 2/3 aware, Shoots: R The plus shot rating is the main asset here, some users like to have all their defenders with 4+ shot power ratings in the GDL. Petit fits the bill there and can certainly hold his own with the puck, the defense is a concern. Trent Yawney: 7 weight, 3/2 skating, 2/0 shot, 3 sth & pass, 2/4 aware, Shoots: L A bit of a slug, Yawney can be a nice find in the 11th round as a less useful version of Dahlquist. Defenders: 7.5/10 Goalie Zone: The soft underbelly of the Flames lineup, if the opponent can manage to stem the tide of the Flames offense, Mike Vernon might not be able to shut the door consistently enough to keep the Flames in a tight game. Mike Vernon: 4 weight, 3/4 skating, 4/4 aware, 4 puck control, 4/4/3/3 save, Catches: L One of my favorite whipping boys, Vernon is among the dregs of the goaltending profession in ’94. Possessing neither the skating of Terreri nor the pads of Burke, Vernon is inferior to most goalies near his overall rating. Thankfully though, he is behind a lineup full of studs that can help keep the pressure off of him. Goalie: 4/10 Bottom Line: Calgary can really run and gun, they have a scary good offensive weapon at every position. Chemistry can be a little off at times though as several skilled players have struggled through classic seasons with the Flames, that doesn’t take away from their upside when things start clicking.

Just for clarity sake. Muff dive is actually a term a friend of mine and I used when playing Madden to refer to a player diving and missing an easy tackle. Hence, what I mean when I say it about McLean is that he will make a solid save and then on the next shot whiff epically.

That's actually spot on.

Vancouver Canucks Team Overview: I have good news and I have bad news. First, the bad news, Vancouver’s defensemen are among the worst collective unit in the entire game. Now, for the good news, the forwards might be the best unit in the league on both sides of the puck. The forwards are so good in fact, that they can easily overwhelm any team in the league and be an unstoppable force. Forwards: Even the most insatiable thirst for speed can be quenched by the Vancouver forwards as they are the only team in the league that can ice 3 skaters with 5+ speed. While they aren’t the most skilled unit in the league, there is still plenty of talent to fill the back of the net with great ease. Slash and Burn: Ronning-Bure-Courtnall Cliff Ronning: 5 weight, 5/5 skating, 2/3 shot, 4 sth & pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: L A plucky winger, Ronning is a pain in any opponents behind because of his ability to check, carry the puck, and skate like the wind. Sure, his shot ratings are pretty lackluster, he’ll never blow a slapper by a legitimate goalie, but he’s got just enough accuracy to be a useful one timer option from inside the face-off dots. Ronning is really the ideal support player for a superstar such as Pavel Bure. He can support Bure on offense with solid passing skills and is easily able to keep up with Bure’s frantic pace. Also, if Bure goes solo, Ronning is very capable of manning the fort on a counter attack and laying waste to the attackers. Pavel Bure: 5 weight, 5/6 skating, 4/4 shot, 5 sth, 4 pass, 5/4 aware, Shoots: L Speed, kills. That attribute alone may make Bure the single most dominant one-on-one force in the league...yes, perhaps even more so than JR. Give me a chance to explain myself here. Only two players in the league can consistently C check Bure, Andrei Kovalenko and Theo Fleury. Aside from that, the best way to stop Bure is with the poke check. It is a lot harder to stop Bure’s 6 speed than Roenick’s 5 speed with a poke, that and that alone is why I think Bure is tougher to stop with the puck on his stick. Bure is much more than just a deker though, he is a very complete player. He has the tools to snipe one timers and slappers from distance as well as play a dominating defensive game, especially against heavier teams. No doubt, Bure is a top 3 player. Geoff Courtnall: 7 weight, 5/5 skating, 3/3 shot, 4 sth & pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: L The final burner of the line, Courtnall is the least effective of the three, but that isn’t to say he is ineffective. Courtnall can tend to get lost in the grand scheme of things due to Bure’s offensive acumen and Ronnings two-way dominance. He is yet another dangerous option with the puck on his stick due to his superb skating and playmaking abilities. While not the most gifted of goal scorers, he is plenty able to slice through an unsuspecting defense and light the lamp consistently if the opponent focuses too much on Bure and Ronning. Defensively Courtnall isn’t the best defender by any means, but he is plenty able to stay involved in a play or run down breakaways by C checking a heavier player or obstructing a lighter player with a poke check or hold. While some people may see all the speed on this line as a bit redundant, it really isn’t. There is a good reason why every 5 speed player not named Kevin Dineen or Randy Wood get drafted in the first 2-3 rounds of the GDL draft. It’s because speed is a rare commodity in the game, a commodity that can flat out dominate. Having three light, skilled players with 5+ speed can spell doom for the opponent if used competently. Three Pronged Attack: Ronning-Linden-Bure Trevor Linden: 9 weight, 4/4 skating, 4/4 shot, 4 sth & pass, 4/4 aware, Shoots: R Here we have our resident slug for the one-timing crowd out there. Linden isn’t the most adept player in the league in finding the slot, but he does it plenty well enough to give the Canucks a very solid scoring option down the middle while he is flanked by some speedy wingers. You couldn’t really ask for a more ideal situation to put Linden in if Bure and Ronning are used in a playmaking capacity because the defense will have to respect the speed on the wing which should give Linden all the chances he needs to unleash his respectable one-timer. A bit of a black hole on defense, he does at least have decent skating in which to try to keep up and stay involved defensively on the fore check or a C check into the boards. This is a really fun line to use because Bure can now use his slapper to offset his net crash and floating tactics. Also if Bure gets clamped down he can now feed a dangerous shooter, an option the previous line didn’t have before. Ronning plays the same role as before except for maybe focusing a bit more on the defensive side of the puck now due to losing a small weight and speed advantage that was previously had with Courtnall’s presence. Other Options: Vancouver actually has some nice depth here, while these guys may never come into duty during a classic game, they usually come into play in GDL leagues to provide a solid first option off the bench. Murray Craven: 6 weight, 3/3 Skating, 3/4 shot, 3 sth & pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: L If Craven is starting in the GDL, he is probably being asked to do a little too much, but he just might yet prove useful still due to his ability to set up shop nicely in the offensive zone and use his slightly above average shot. Craven is more ideal as a first option off the bench because he is a little on the slow side and not a super light weight that can throw his body around too aggressively. What makes him even harder to use on Vancouver is that he just does not keep up with the flow of the game at all and will easily be forgotten. Greg Adams: 7 weight, 3/3 skating, 3/5 shot, 3 sth & pass, 4/4 aware, Shoots: L This looks a little familiar to Craven, but this is more of a Chris Kontos wannabe. An able sniper when given the chance, but Adams chances are limited due to his porous skating and non-genius level awareness. He could fill in for Linden if he gets injured, but he might be a little too slow for Bure and Ronning to feed effectively. Again, another useful option off the bench, but some obvious warts keep him out of the starting lineup. Anatoli Semenov: 7 weight, 3/3 skating, 3/3 shot, 3 sth & pass, 3/4 aware, Shoots: L Could there be a more ho-hum player than Semenov? Semenov provides nothing attention grabbing, but he won’t sabotage a team with his play either. He could be a solid penalty killer and depth off the bench in the GDL. Petr Nedved: 5 weight, 2/2 skating, 2/6 shot, 3 sth & pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: L Likely one of the most uniquely rated players in the entire game, Nedved is the complete all or nothing package. His weight and shot accuracy would give the indication that he could be an extremely useful player, especially in the middle where he could torture opposing goalies. Things really start to fall apart soon though once his speed and shot power are taken into account. Man that shot power is bad, it limits him to being a dead eye from inside the face-off dots, but at that point, who isn’t a dead eye from there? Could be a solid 5th Forward for a GDL team if his wretched skating can be overcome. Dixon Ward: 9 weight, 2/3 skating, 3/5 shot, 2 sth & pass, 3/3 aware, Shoots: R Looking for a non toxic waste sniper to fill the 6th forward slot on your GDL roster? Ward just might be the answer...but let’s not get carried away. Ward’s weight, lack of skating and awareness make him a very mediocre option down the middle, but if your top sniper goes down and you need a 3/5 shot in the middle, Ward could possibly do his best Stephen Lebeau impression for a period. If I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. Vancouver really has a dynamic front line, this is where the Canucks bread will be buttered if it is to make a championship run. Forwards: 9.5/10 Defense: How about them Canucks forwards huh? Is it ok if I just keep rambling on about them? What’s that you say? Seriously? Fine, I’ll talk about their defense. It isn’t catastrophically bad like say the Isles defense is, but let’s face facts, the Canucks defenders just barely pass the smell test. Lumme-Lidster Jyrki Lumme: 7 weight, 4/3 skating, 2/1 shot, 4 sth & pass, 3/4 aware, Shoots: L Hey!? What's this? All right, this isn’t so bad, a borderline #1 D-man option with some pretty nifty passing ability which will come in handy for those long homerun passes to the speedy forwards. While not a major physical presence, Lumme is fairly positionally sound and is still able to abuse heavyweights with a C check and hopefully hound some of the lighter/faster forwards with his decent agility. Just don’t get too brash with him when he has the puck on his stick. Lumme is a bit on the heavy and slow side for an attacking defenseman. Also, his shot is just plain laughable, Guy Hebert does not fear it. Doug Lidster: 9 weight, 3/3 skating, 3/1 shot, 4 sth & pass, 2/3 aware, Shoots: R Nothing too alluring here, Lidster is a fairly standard heavyweight defenseman minus the booming shot of an Al Iafrate or Dave Manson. Lidster is mainly starting because there just isn't anything that worthwhile behind him to push him out of the lineup. All that can be said here is to try and keep Lidster in a defensive position, he doesn’t have the tools to lead a rush nor should he considering the talent on the rest of the roster. All we ask for is a D-man who treads water and uses his plus passing to start some offense from the back. Ok, so maybe the Canuck defense isn't THAT bad, but you can't help but be a little disappointed that it at least isn't a little closer to the talent of the forwards. If it were, the Canucks would easily be the best team in the game. Lumme-Plavsic Adrien Plavsic: 7 weight, 2/2 skating, 2/2 shot, 2 sth & pass, 3/3 aware, Shoots: L When lined up against a fat goal scoring slug in the middle, Plavsic is a capable defender because of his light weight and propensity to sit back in his own zone. When asked to mark the likes of a Selanne, Roenick, or Mogilny though, Plavsic quickly becomes a turn-style due to his lack of skating and checking power. With the puck, Plavsic is going to have major issues kick starting the offense with his skating or a homerun pass down the ice, he only gets mentioned because he is the lightest option on the Canuck D-corps. While this isn't a heavy hitting duo, they can throw some weight around if the likes of a Turgeon, Sandstrom, or Hull is iced in the middle. Lumme though is the only legitimate option with the puck on his stick and this might slow down the frantic Canuck attack a little more than desirable. Other Options: A couple of average skating, puck pounding fatties round out the useable portion of the Canucks defensive depth chart. Dana Murzyn: 9 weight, 2/3 skating, 4/1 shot, 2 sth & pass, 2/3 aware, Shoots: L The lighter of the two options, Murzyn is a pretty sub-standard option skill wise aside from that powerful shot. If shot power is a major concern, then he may be a very slight upgrade over Doug Lidster in that regard. Gerald Diduck: 10 weight, 3/3 skating, 4/1 shot, 3 sth & pass, 2/3 aware, Shoots: R Despite being the heaviest D-man mentioned, he may prove useful due to his shot and upgraded passing and stick handling ratings over Murzyn. Overall though, Diduck is a major stretch as a starting defenseman and will have to be sheltered by his teammates to cover up his glaring weaknesses. Defense: 5/10 Goalie Zone: The epitome of average, the goaltending situation in Vancouver lies somewhere between the greatness of the forwards and the mediocrity of the defense. Kirk McLean: 8 weight, 4/4 skating, 4/4 aware, 4 puck control, 4/4/3/3 save, Catches: L McLean is a standard goalie, he will occasionally make a quality save and then follow it up with a solid muff dive on a routine shot. There is no reason to make a stretch pick in the GDL for McLean, there are a handful of other goalies that are just like him. Goalie Rating: 6/10 Bottom Line: The Canucks win and lose with their speed. If they can dominate the puck possession and create useful chances on offense, they are an incredibly dangerous team that can become unstoppable. The flipside of that though, is that if the speed isn’t productive, this quickly becomes one of the most disjointed teams in the league and can easily get throttled.

I will be around tonight, try to be online around 930 est. i need to play everyone not named hokkee, sebe or zalex.

Good idea, he could do the TRAPON! line and i could do the RAPON! line.

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)

I hope to be available tonight starting sometime between 9-1030 PM EST. I know its late, but it's the earliest I can sign on today. Let's get some games in.

Thank you for the reinstatement. I'll be on for games tonight, ill do my best to be up and running by 9 est. Let's get em in boys.