angryjay93

Montreal 4.5 Geoff Courtnall

Montreal 3.17 Oof, err...I mean Ulf Samuelsson

Montreal 2.5 Esa Tikkanen

Montreal 1.17 Kevin Stevens

i was hoping line changes would stick around when i joined the league, im all for it.

it feels so good to be back

Congrats on getting to your 3rd straight finals, not sure if thats ever been done before in any leauge. You have done a superb job of indentifying talent you can work with (Lindros, Makarov, Wilson, Soderstrom) and then filing in the holes with various players (Gilmour, Messier, Stevens, Recchi, S. Smith, Manson) to round what almost always seems to be a daunting lineup to go against. Good luck to you in the final.

canadiens

looks cool, count me in if theres space

Not sure if you ever changed your password, but the default one is the same as the user name.

Don't get too excited guys, this will be the only league ill be signing up for. im still fighting connection issues at home and will have to travel to play games. i really hope i can make it work, but its far from a lock. As for my line making articles, Im sorry ive left that on the back burner. Just been so busy with work, but its almost back to normal, which means Ill have more time to write new articles.

One of the best in the business, happy birthday halifax!

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 with heavy guys with skills or use a line featuring weight buggers with marginal skills. Choosing the middle road isn't an attractive option due to the fact that there will be very few strengths to utilize. Feed Lemieux: Mullen-Lemieux-Jagr Joe Mullen: 6 weight, 4/3 skating, 3/5 shot, 4 sth, 3 pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: R Joe Mullen is plan B when it comes to scoring, his 3/5 right handed shot on the left wing is very useful for unloading one timers. With Lemieux, Jagr, and Murphy passing the puck, Mullen should get ample opportunity to shoot. Mullen's other key attribute is his 6 weight, he is by far the most skilled Penguin at an acceptable weight, thus allowing him to be effective on defense and able to carry the puck up ice without getting mauled easily. So, whats Mullen's glaring issue you ask? His speed, only a 4/3 skater, he is not the fleet footed man this line is desperately in need of, also, hes a mediocre 3 passer, not ideal for a guy carrying the puck a lot. Mario Lemieux: 10 weight, 5/4 skating, 4/6 shot, 6 sth & pass, 6/4 aware, Shoots: R Lemieux is easily the most skilled player in the entire game, 4/6 shot, 6 sth, 6 pass, 5/4 skating, 6 off aware, Lemieux is the total package...except for his bulky 10 weight. Due to the fact that he can get knocked down by the majority of players in the game, Lemieux is at a distinct disadvantage when carrying the puck up the ice or dancing in the offensive zone. The user must be adept at picking their spots when deciding to go 1 on 1, if successful; Lemieux has all the tools to succeed. Where Le Magnifique really shines though is in his one-timing ability, he just sits in the slot and picks corners with sniper precision, this should be the main method of goal scoring. Jaromir Jagr: 10 weight, 5/4 skating, 3/3 shot, 5 sth, 4 pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: L One of the more frustrating players in the game to use, Jagr is more or less in this spot by default due to his 5/4 skating, 5 sth, and 4 passing. Those skills are limited though by his 10 weight and 3/3 shot. Jagr must be used cautiously on offense, he is prone to being pushed around very easily, his passing and skating skills must be used to perfection to get much production out of him. Typically, Jagr will get attacked with vicious body checks, which could bring the defense out of position opening up a passing lane to Lemieux or Mullen, take advantage of it and try to get some quick offense. Defensively, Jagr isn't much help aside from the pokecheck. This line doesn't provide a lot of 1 on 1 razzle dazzle or defensive prowess. What it does provide though is a skilled line that should be able to cash in on a high percentage of its chances, which will be vital since chances likely won't be aplenty. Grinding Wings: Mullen-Lemieux-Straka Martin Straka: 5 weight, 3/3 skating, 2/2 shot, 2 sth, 3 pass, 3/2 aware, Shoots: L Martin Straka is your run of the mill weight bugger, 3/3 skating, 5 weight. All we're trying to get out of him is some solid defense on a team bloated with heavyweights. He is capable of carrying the puck up the ice and using his 3 passing to dish off to Lemieux or Mullen. Don't get carried away with Straka on offense though, only a select few are capable of squeezing production out of him on a consistent basis. To Hell with Skill: Straka-Mullen-Mceachern Shawn McEachern: 7 weight, 3/3 skating, 3/3 shot, 3 sth & pass, 3/3 aware, Shoots: L Mceachern is just a beefed up version of Straka, 7 weight and a 3/3 shot and skating, there isn't much at all special about Mceachern, but for those managers looking for the most capable weight bug line available should look no further. This line possesses a capable scorer in the middle and some feisty wingers, but it provides nothing more than expansion like speed and could easily be overwhelmed by a faster team. Other options: There are three other players I have yet to mention who possess varying skills...but of course, have maddening weaknesses. Ron Francis: 9 weight, 4/3 skating, 4/3 shot, 4 sth & pass, 4/4 aware, Shoots: L Ron Francis is the most balanced of the three, but that doesn't help too much considering hes only a 4/3 skater with a 4/3 shot at 9 weight. He doesn't provide anything particularily helpful to any line combo, but he might fit in somewhere. Kevin Stevens: 11 weight, 3/4 skating, 3/4 shot, 4 sth & pass, 5/3 aware, Shoots: L Kevin Stevens is another frustrating player in that he has this great 77 overall rating, but produces very little on the ice. At 11 weight and 3/4 skating, Stevens is not suited to use his 4 passing or 3/4 shot effectively because he spends so much of his time on his butt. But if you got a thing for Stevens, then go for it. Rick Tocchet: 9 weight, 2/2 skating, 4/5 shot, 3 sth & pass, 5/4 aware, Shoots: R Lastly, Rick Tocchet possesses one of those coveted 4/5 shots, but at 2/2 speed and 9 weight, it won't get used often. He is one of the worst puck carriers in the league, and thus should only be used as a one timing option. As a whole, this group is at a real disadvantage, it takes a lot of solid passing, creativity, and timing to utilize any trio that is iced. Forwards Rating: 4.5/10 Defense: Aside from Ulf Samuelsson and Larry Murphy, there isn't a whole lot of depth in this unit. With that said, this group isn't completely lost, between Murphy and Samuelsson, this is a skilled duo that can pass the puck around effectively and help keep the fore checkers at bay. Murphy-Samuelsson Larry Murphy: 10 weight, 4/3 skating, 4/2 shot, 4 sth & pass, 4/5 aware, Shoots: R Murphy has some elite skills at defense, 4/2 shot, 4 passing and sth, and 4/5 awareness. The downside is his 10 weight and slightly above average 4/3 skating. I find it preferable to hide Murphy behind Mullen or Straka because they can then help cut down or slow down on rushing forwards into Murphys area and it allows him to be a bit more freewheeling with his rushes up the ice. Although he isn't a quality body checker, Murphy does seem rather adept at protecting the slot in the defensive zone and picking off many passes that come his way, thus salvaging at least a little defensive value from him. Ulf Samuelsson: 8 weight, 4/4 skating, 3/0 shot, 3 sth & pass, 3/5 aware, Shoots: L Ulf is a very solid defensive option, even though he is not a great open ice hitter, his 5 defensive awareness will often times keep him in the defensive zone protecting the slot. Like Murphy, Ulf is also adept at snuffing out passes in the offensive zone, hopefully that skill can help kick start some counter attacks. What really makes Ulf useful though is his 4/4 skating, this skill allows him to keep up with some of the faster forwards in the game and apply a solid poke check. Other Options: Paul Stanton: 8 weight, 3/3 skating, 4/1 shot, 2 sth, 4 pass, 2/3 aware, Shoots: R If injuries or penalties arise, Paul Stanton is the best option, his 3/3 skating, 4 passing and 4/1 shot at 8 weight allow for a lot of the same skills that Murphy has in a slightly more user friendly package. Brian Fogarty: 8 weight, 1/1 speed, 1/0 shot, 2 sth, 1 pass, 2/1 aware, Shoots: L Memo to new users, you don't get to draft this guy unless you are from Pittsburgh or you get clearance from the Pittsburgh boys, capiche? Defense Rating: 6/10 Goalie Zone: Tom Barrasso: 10 weight, 4/4 skating, 4 puck control, 4/4/4/4 save, Catch: R With 4 ratings all across the board, Barrasso couldn't be much more solid without being spectacular. At 10 weight he can be a bit cumbersome to use in net as his acceleration is lacking, on the flip side, he will be very tough to ram into the net. He is typically picked in the top 5-10 goalies in most draft leagues and performs reasonably well. Goalie Zone: 7/10 Final Word: Typically in the discussion for worst non-expansion team, the Penguins are a very difficult team to use. Despite this fact though, most users seem to do fairly well with them in classic league play, which means the skills of Lemieux, Samuelsson, Murphy, and Barrasso must be getting this team somewhere.

Happy birthday donch, good to see you come around from time to time.

24-3, gdl 3

yeah...i got duped by that too...

One of the toughest I've ever faced, you have found your place in nhl 94 lore, enjoy your retirement.

An answer is long overdue here and this is my short answer...depends. Now, for a far more detailed answer. What it depends on for me personally is, whats my personnel? Do i have a big shooter in the middle, a powerful shot on the wing, gifted skaters, a combo, defensive specialist, etc.? Here are some examples I've used over time and my reasoning for doing so. GDL 1: Carson ®-Turgeon(L)-Recchi(L) All 3 have 4/5 shots, Carson and Turgeon are 4/4 skaters, Recchi a 5/4. I have a big shooter in the middle, and big shooter on each wing. Carson is a bit heavier, its tough to get to the net with him consistently, so its more useful to be able to feed him where its easier to do one-timers and let go of his slap shot. I liked Recchi on his forehand as well because he carried the puck a lot, so i wanted the slapshot as an option to keep the defense honest, also, hes fast enough to deke and his shot is strong enough to where the backhander isnt an issue. GDL 3: Hawerchuk (L)-Sandstrom(L)-Robitaille(L) Hawerchuk is a playmaker, not much of a shooter, so its pretty useless to keep him on his off wing to utitlize his slapper. Guys would typically sag off of Hawerchuk, try to take away passing lanes to my two snipers, so when there was open ice it was much easier and efficient to attack the net on hawerchuks natural side. Another strength to him playing his natural side was that he could use his forwhand pass to feed Sandstroms forehand...5 passer to 5/5 shooter can be devestating. Robitiaille was used on his off wing for similar reasons to Recchi/Carson. Blitz 1: Kelly Miller(L)-Kontos(L)-Holik® Miller had 4/4 speed and 3/3 shot, again, fairly useless to try and utilize his slapper a lot, much easier to use his skating to either crash the net or feed Kontos. Also, if i wanted to cut into the middle for a floater, i could do so, or i could fake the floater and stuff it in far post with a quick backhander. As for Holik, he was just a guy who could take and give a hit, and skate a little, he had no stand out skills with the puck. The most effective thing with Holik was crash the net and get a near post deke goal, much easier to do on his forehand than his back. Classic Spring 09: Turgeon(L)-Baker(L)-Smail(L)/Lazaro(L)/Lamb(L) Some different reasoning here then the other all Lefty line. Turgeon has 4/4 speed and 3/2 shot, not much reason for him to be on his off wing or in the middle. Easier for him to have the room to use his speed and make plays on his natural wing. Baker has the best shot, thus he goes into the middle. The other 3 are more or less the same player, average skaters, lack of shooting. The reason to put them on their off wing? Due to their inability to slap shot effectively or deke consistently, its easier to feed them one-timers if they get into position since theoretically, they are shooting on a goalie who will more likely be out of position than not. In general, what my constant goal was with my offense was being able to attack in as many ways as possible. If you got a big shooter who can go on a wing, put him there, open that option up, but, if there is a dearth of shooters on the wing, dont pigeon hole your self into difficult situations by putting them on their off wing.

Edmonton Oilers Team Overview: As Petr Klima goes, so does the Edmonton Oilers. While the supporting cast may be respectable with the likes of Dave Manson, Bill Ranford, and Kevin Todd, the team is completely reliant on the all league talents of Klima, getting the most out of him is the key to succeeding with Edmonton. Forwards: The main issue with the Oilers forward unit is that every player aside from Klima has a weakness that keeps them from being an upper echelon player. Craig Simpson and Doug Weight lack speed. Todd Elik, Shane Corson, and Todd lack skills. Zdeno Ciger lacks a distinguishing feature, the list goes on and on. All that can be done is to find a way to mix and match parts that keep the team competitive. Thunder and Lightning: Simpson-Klima-Todd Craig Simpson: 8 weight, 3/3 skating, 4/5 shot, 4 sth, 3 pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: R Simpson’s biggest asset is his 4/5 shot, keeping him on the left wing is best so he can unleash his right handed slappers. What helps further aid his goal scoring abilities is that he is fairly smart with his 4 off awareness, he seems to often times be in a decent spot to unleash a potent one timer. As mentioned earlier though, every non-Klima has a weakness. Simpsons problems compound each other, hes slow and heavy. At 3/3 skating and 8 weight, Simpson cant be relied upon to be lugging the puck up the ice consistently nor be relied upon to help out much on defense aside from the occasional poke check. Petr Klima: 7 weight, 5/5 skating, 4/5 shot, 5 sth, 3 pass, 3/2 aware, Shoots: R Without Klima in the middle, the team loses its best goal scoring option. Klima has that rare blend of speed and shot power, possessing 5/5 skating and a 4/5 shot. One-timing isn’t a strength of Klima or the Oilers in general, Klima possess only a 3 off awareness and no player on the entire roster is better then a 3 passer. Fortunately though Klima is a 7 weight, which allows him to be a very effective 1 on 1 deke artist. That’s really the key to this team, the offense is typically created by Klima, whether he slashes his way through the opposing defense, unleashes a slapper, or attracts the defense and dishes it off to Simpson for a quick one-timer. With other teams, its usually wise to attack with different players to keep defenses on their heels, with Edmonton, its wise to attack in different ways with Klima. Kevin Todd: 5 weight, 3/4 skating, 3/2 shot, 3 sth & pass, 3/3 aware, Shoots: L The defensive conscience of the line and the whole team, Todd needs to use his 5 weight and 3/4 skating to assert himself on the opposing teams most dangerous weapons or down low on the forecheck to pressure the defense. Aside from that though, Todd’s strengths are limited to his ability to rush the puck up the ice, but a question has to be asked, then what? With a 3/2 shot and 3 passing, Todd cant be feared as a great set up man or sniper, he is more or less useless as a goal scoring threat once he gets above the faceoff dots. This Is the most balanced line Edmonton possess, Simpson can compliment Klima in the goal scoring department and Todd can be relied upon to aid Klima in back checking and body checking. Despite our best efforts though, this line is still susceptible to fast, light, and skilled lines. Klima All: Todd-Klima-Ciger Todd-Klima-Elik Zdeno Ciger: 7 weight, 4/3 skating, 3/3 shot, 3 sth & pass, 3/3 aware, Shoots: L The definition of mediocre, 4/3 speed, 3/3 shot, 3/3 aware, 3 passing, and 7 weight. Zdeno Ciger looks like nothing special. But there is some sort of intangible about him that is obvious after using him for a while. He’s just consistent, and he seems to be in the right spot more often than not. Todd Elik: 7 weight, 3/4 skating, 2/3 shot, 3 sth, 2 pass, 3/3 aware, Shoots: L Although less skilled than Todd, Todd Elik does possess 3/4 speed and 7 weight, which allows this to be the fastest line Edmonton can produce. With his 2 passing and 2/3 shot though, it will be far from the most skilled line. The main strengths of these two lines is that with Todd playing the LW, no substitution will have to be made when going on the penalty kill. With Ciger, a slight weight advantage is gained at the cost of a little offensive fire power. In Elik, speed is gained, the lines aren’t as balanced, but it builds up some other strengths instead. Other Options: Shayne Corson: 9 weight, 4/4 skating, 3/2 shot, 4 sth, 3 pass, 3/4 aware, Shoots: L A real heart and soul player, Corson brings some speed and tenacity to a lineup. His weight will hinder him though and his putrid shot ratings will make him all but useless as a goal scoring threat. In blitz league though, this guy can be a real s**t stirrer. Doug Weight: 6 weight, 3/3 skating 3/3 shot, 4 sth, 3 pass, 3/4 aware. Shoots: L Sort of a happy medium between Todd and Elik, and by happy, I mean utterly boring. Forward Rating: 6/10 Defense: This just might be the easiest defensive pairing to make in the entire game, Igor Kravchuk and Manson are the pairing, there is no other way around it. Kravchuk-Manson Igor Kravchuk: 9 weight, 4/3 skating, 3/2 shot, 4 sth, 3 pass, 3/4 aware, Shoots: L As far as lumbering heavyweights go, Kravchuk is a pretty decent guy to throw into the fray. The extra uptick in his agility makes him fairly easy to use despite his weight and this allows him to be fairly effective in protecting the middle of the ice with his hooks and poke checks. He also has just enough of a passing skill set to help Klima spring into transition, not bad for a #2 defenseman on a mediocre team. Dave Manson: 9 weight, 4/4 skating, 5/1 shot, 4 sth, 3 pass, 3/5 aware, Shoots: L The more gifted of the two Oiler rearguards, Manson can be a fairly dominating force on defense despite his heavyweight status. With a 5 rating in checking and his pristine defensive awareness, Manson should do a bang up job of cleaning up house in front of Ranford. Throw in his blistering slap shot and above average skating, Manson is able to dabble into the offensive game almost as effectively. Very much so on the heavy side, but also on the smart and skilled side. As long as we dont pretend they're Petr Svoboda or Chris Chelios, this duo should do more than hold its own against most teams. Other Options: Brian Glynn: 11 weight, 3/3 skating, 4/1 shot, 2 sth & pass, 2/3 aware, Shoots: L Fat...ass. He's got the 4 shot power though, smoke 'em if you got 'em. Chris Joseph: 10 weight, 3/3 skating, 3/1 shot, 3 sth & pass, 3/1 aware, Shoots: R Ever wanted to see what 3/1 awareness looks like on a d-man? Throw Joseph out there and find out. Geoff Smith: 9 weight, 4/3 skating 1/1 shot, 3 sth & pass, 2/3 aware, Shoots: L A rather nimble defenseman, Smith has solid passing ratings to go along with it. The lowest rated defenseman on the roster just might be the best sub available, go figure. Defense: 6.5/10 Goaltending: Bill Ranford: 4 weight, 4/3 skating, 4 puck control, 4/4/5/4 save, Catches: L Don’t let the average rating fool you, its watered down by low awareness. Ranford has it where it really counts, 4 passing and 4/4/5/4 save ratings. He is one of the most coveted goalies in the league after Roy, Belfour, and Fuhr. His only weakness is 4/3 skating, but at 4 weight, it limits his sluggishness in net with the manual goalie. Goalie Rating: 7.5/10 Final Word: Against top tier teams, its an uphill battle, even if Klima goes off in a game. But against anyone else, the Oilers have enough presence in their own zone and offensive firepower to consistently keep up.

i believe i had 12 in a gdl game a few seasons back.

This power intrigues me, does it come in a bottle?

you turned stephane fiset, the season 1 Blitz A cup winner into Wakaluk??? You my friend, are not too bright.

Winnipeg Jets Team Overview: Although front loaded with superstars such as Phil Housley and Teemu Selanne, the Jets are not a premier team in the league. Their lack of depth and chemistry, chiefly at the forward position, allow opponents to key in on the speedy duo in an attempt to limit their damage. In the hands of a one on one specialist though, Housley and Selanne are as potent as any duo in the league. Forwards: After Selanne, the pickings get mighty thin in constructing a solid line. Most of the forwards are hampered by some skill that severely limits their effectiveness and possible chemistry with Selanne. With that in mind, building a line with the Jets isn't so much about building a line to work with Selanne, its more about building a line to cover for Selanne since he is one of the more potent weapons in the game. All Day Selanne: Davydov-Selanne-Borsato Evgeny Davydov: 6 weight, 4/4 speed, 4/4 shot, 3 sth & pass, 3/3 aware, Shoots: R Evgeny Davydov is the man riding shotgun with Selanne, he is the only forward who has a chance of keeping up with Selanne's mad dashes because of his 4/4 speed. Pair that with a 4/4 shot and 6 weight, Davydov is actually a somewhat decent option because he can unload his right handed shot from his off wing and also lead an attack if the defense focuses too much on Selanne. The main issue with Davydov is that he just isn't very smart, he doesn't set up in the offensive zone too well, he isn't defensive minded, and his 3 passing leaves a lot to be desired. Teemu Selanne: 6 weight, 5/6 skating, 4/5 shot, 4 sth & pass, 5/3 aware, Shoots: R Let's face the facts, if Housley isn't carrying the puck up ice, Selanne likely will, and with good reason. With 5/6 skating and 6 weight, Selanne is able to slice and dice his way through some of the more stingy defenses in the league. Only true lightweights such as Don Sweeney, Gord Hynes, and Jeremy Roenick can knock down Selanne in the open ice. Selanne is also a pain to line up with the poke check due to his superior skating; he should really be the main puck handler in any and all situations. If he wasn't already dangerous enough, his 4/5 shot makes him a threat from just about anywhere inside the blue line, a valuable weapon that should keep defenses on there toes as he wont need to get on the door step to light the lamp. Luciano Borsato: 4 weight, 3/3 skating, 2/4 shot, 3 sth & pass, 3/3 aware, Shoots: R The most surprising element of this line is Luciano Borsato. Modestly skilled, 3/3 skating, 3/3 awareness, 2/4 shot, 3 passing, Borsato wont make his mark on the score sheet. Where he will make his mark is on defense, with 4 weight, Borsato is able to knock down most any 6 or heavier player on a consistent basis. This skill can't be overvalued; Selanne will typically be off making offensive charges, as well as Housley. What better option to have on the right wing than to have a player who can throw his weight around and help out on defense? This is the most balanced line possible with the Jets for a one on one, deke specialist. While Alexei Zhamnov and Thomas Steen are more skilled than Borsato, neither are fleet footed enough to keep up with Selanne, nor will their puck handling and passing skills be needed because Selanne and Housley will be leading the rush so much. Team Concept: Davydov-Selanne-Zhamnov Alexei Zhamnov: 7 weight, 5/3 skating, 3/4 shot, 5 sth & pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: L For those of us who are one-timing junkies and cant find success slashing through the other team with Selanne; this line will have to do the trick. Zhamnov is a skilled distributor of the biscuit with his 5 passing and stick handling; the trick though is finding a way to set up a one-timer with this combo. Zhamnov's 5/3 skating and 7 weight means he's fairly easy to handle, but an average straight line skater. Typically, once Zhamnov has entered the zone with the puck, Davydov is skating around aimlessly and Selanne has already skated through the prime one-timing areas and has to reset himself. With only a 3/4 shot, Zhamnov isn't quite dangerous enough in terms of skating or shooting to be a major goal scorer. There is also the temptation to put Selanne on the wing and allow Davydov to be the center for one timers, but there are some inherent problems with that strategy. Selanne is not a playmaker, he is a goal scorer, due to his speed, the other forwards lag behind him and thus Selanne will be waiting around for them to catch up and set up, not a great way to run an offense. Also, because of Davydov's low awareness, he doesn't set up well enough to be a major one-timing threat. Lastly, by putting Selanne on a wing, its easier for him to get isolated on one side of the ice and become more predictable when it comes to attacking the net, keeping him in the middle allows him to use the whole ice more effectively. Other Options: Thomas Steen: 8 weight, 4/3 skating, 3/4 shot, 4 sth, 5 pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: L A second passing wizard, Steen suffers from the same exact problems as Zhamnov. Slow of foot, a tad bit too heavy for his skill set, and a non-intimidating shooter. It takes a very special touch to milk the offense needed out of Steen to offset his porous defense. Stu Barnes: 5 weight, 2/3 skating, 2/3 shot, 2 sth & pass, 3/3 aware, Shoots: R If Borsato goes down, this is the weight bug back up option. Probably best to steer clear of Barnes since he doesn't seem too interested in offense. Forwards: (6.5/10) Defense: Winnipeg provides a unique set of defenseman that can be used effectively in a myriad of ways, because of this though; it can be a bit tougher to find the right combination to get the most out of the team. Balancing Act: Numminen-Housley Teppo Numminen: 7 weight, 4/3 skating, 3/2 shot, 4 sth, 3 pass, 3/5 aware, Shoots: R Aside from being right handed, Numminen is really ideal as a LD, his 5 d aware and 4/3 skating is sufficient enough for him to be considered a solid defenseman despite his middling 7 weight. The great thing about Numminen is that he is in good position quite often, which is critical considering who his partner is. Typically, the idea of the defense with Winnipeg is to either use Borsato or Housley, who ever is in defensive position to either shove the opponent off the puck or guide them into a situation where Numminen is lying in wait to either pick off a pass or apply a quick poke check. The key to Numminen is to never use him on offense, he does have decent skills, but his presence is so vital to the defense, that it would be very dangerous to get aggressive with him. Phil Housley: 6 weight, 6/5 skating, 3/2 shot, 6 sth & pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: L I'm not the biggest fan of Housley, furthest thing from it probably, but many more people love him than loathe him and thus he must be a recommendation. Housley is one of the more unique defenseman in the game with his 6/5 skating, 6 weight, 6 passing and stick handling. He can really push the pace of the game whether it be rushing the puck up the ice or sending a perfect laser type pass to a streaking forward. On the downside, Housley is a pretty lackluster defender, he has 4/3 awareness, not too often does a d-man have better offensive awareness. Furthermore, due to his offensive excursions, Housley will typically be well out of position and unable to help out on defense. Housley's only offensive weakness is his pitiful 3/2 shot, meaning he can only deke the goalie and sneak a slapper by some of the softer goalies in the league. Use Housley at your own discretion and hope that by putting him on the right side of the ice with Borsato, that Borsato will be able to cover him enough to not cripple the defense. Physical Presence: Bautin-Housley Sergei Bautin: 6 weight, 3/3 skating, 3/1 shot, 3 sth & pass, 2/4 aware, Shoots: L Sergei Bautin is cut from a similar cloth as Numminen; he is a steady, defensive minded defenseman who has an acceptable skill set. Bautin has average 3/3 skating, 6 weight, and 4 d aware. The main reason to go with Bautin over Numminen would be to get that extra little weight advantage on defense, but it comes at the cost of a little bit of skating and defensive awareness. Say What!!!???: Bautin-Numminen The main complaint about Housley is that he is too fast to control on defense, this recommendation is tailor maid for users who don't like to use their defenders as offensive weapons. Bautin and Numminen are the best two options in respect to defense, why not put them out there together if that's all a user is looking for? Also, this allows a user to insert Zhamnov on the right wing because Housley wont be taking away from his touches. Although the Davydov-Selanne-Zhamnov-Bautin-Numminen isn't great in terms of gaining advantage through the weight bug, it can be an effective lineup for users looking to use a more traditional strategy. Other Options: Fredrik Olausson: 9 weight, 4/3 skating, 4/2 shot, 4 sth & pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: R A very unique player, Olausson brings a respectable offensive skillset to the table at a pace that may be a lot easier to handle than Housley's. He could be a great #2 man to Housley in an all out attack formation or the #1 O-dman with one of the bangers at his side. The weight is a bit of a concern, but Winnipeg isn't a very heavy team, so he should be ok out there. Defense Rating: (7.5/10) Goalie Zone: Bob Essenssa: 3 weight, 4/4 skating, 4 puck control, 4/4/4/4 save, Catches: L Bob Essensa is one of the more coveted middle-tier goalies in the game because he is solid across the board. 4/4 skating, 4 save ratings in all categories, and 4 puck handling. The only thing to be wary of is the crash the crease strategy, at only 3 weight Essensa has a tendency to get pushed back into his goal. Goalie Rating: (7/10) Bottom Line: Winnipeg has top end skill that can compare with most other teams in the league, if balance can be found in the other positions, then Winnipeg is a solid team. If the support players struggle, things can get ugly in a hurry.

when i had the original game back in elementry school, i had to of taken every team atleast a dozen times and won a 7 game series playoff format. I probably used Ottawa and San Jose the most. But if you only do 1 game series, its 10 minutes a game roughly, 40 minutes for a playoff, multiply that by 26, thats 1040 minutes, which is over 17 hours. So to answer your question, it would take 1 day of uber dedication.

GO TAMPA!!!