Finally got a goalie!!!! Howd I do?!

[Fighting_Emu]

My first pool. Bought the team from a previous owner and had a lot of work cut out for me. Anyways I didnt have a goalie to begin with so after starting ww backups in year one I broke the bank to lock up Toskala (when he was a shark). At that time I knew one was moving and Toskala being cheaper and actually having better numbers I thought he might stay. Didnt pan out like that. So when I had the opportunity to land Crosby and Toskala had to be part of the package I bit the bullet and did it.

Last year I sandbagged for the high draft pick as part of my rebuild. Now in year 3 I feel like Im still one year away but wanted to push the envelope and see what I could do. I had about 16 offers out for guys ranging from Ellis to Turco to Lundquist. At the end of the day the guy I had made a pitch for Kipper to said hed do Legace and for way less than my other offers were. My basic package was Kaberle OR Campbell Plekanec OR Hemsky and my 1st for a premier goalie. He offered me Leclaire for Voracek straight up. As a stipulatuion of our league (you can only carry two goalies) I had to drop Rask.

Howd I do?

I love pros[pects as much as the next guy but I think this team really helped me now and in the future. Ive made a ton of changes recently and think Im poised to be a dominant team. Ill post my original lineup and edit my sig to show my current one...

[JHM]

Fighting Emu,

You\'ve done a great job on the rebuild. Every piece of the puzzle is interesting. Now you face choices! Do I want to threaten and when? Many of the pieces in your puzzle are currently \'hot\'. Some of them will be absolutely wonderful. A few will disappoint. If you are brave and push and shove about, you may have the good fortune of capitalizing upon the \'hot\' element of many of these kids. Similar to what you described in acquiring Leclair. I would now work to stabilize the team with more proven commodities. As you work steadily through your trades, see if you can flip a puppy for a more stable commodity. A more stable commodity that you really like! For many, many years, I insisted on having this wonderful youthful team like you\'ve got. Often it was the most valuable team in the league, but it struggled to be a champion. Three years ago, I finally dumped a bunch of draft picks for some veterans that consistently smack points on the table. Voila, a championship followed. And then another. I got edged last year. Too many injuries to critical guys down the stretch. The other guy mortgaged so much, that he appears to be out of the race this year. Anyway. Keep poking & prodding. You appear to have the hang of it!

[Fighting_Emu]

Original team 3years ago. We kept 9 back then, now we keep 12.:
C
B. Richards- Ton of value back then- 100+points and a cup. Part of Crosby trade.
Zetts- Next to no value- huge injury risk. Moved straight up for Toskala while he was a shark. Bad move- :S.
Morrison- dropped for Mueller- later traded.
W
Afinogenov- Huge season- had lots of value but was an injury risk. Moved in Crosby trade.
Jason Blake- Wow! Moved him at the very best time! Believe it or not he was one of my biggest commodities back then. Moved in Crosby trade.
D
Souray- Huge back then also in Crosby trade.
Corvo- Not a huge commodity back then
G
Thomas- Just a backuop back then.
Denis- I was desperate!!!

So hows that stack up to my new 12 keepers?
Crosby, Berglund Brassard
Nash, Hemsky, Plekanec, Gioroux OR Boedeker
Campbell, Kaberle, R Whitney
Leclaire, Harding

Kind of rhetorical. Think I did awesome. 2 more moves being considered- Ill post next...

[Fighting_Emu]

JHM wrote:

Fighting Emu,

You\'ve done a great job on the rebuild. Every piece of the puzzle is interesting. Now you face choices! Do I want to threaten and when? Many of the pieces in your puzzle are currently \'hot\'. Some of them will be absolutely wonderful. A few will disappoint. If you are brave and push and shove about, you may have the good fortune of capitalizing upon the \'hot\' element of many of these kids. Similar to what you described in acquiring Leclair. I would now work to stabilize the team with more proven commodities. As you work steadily through your trades, see if you can flip a puppy for a more stable commodity. A more stable commodity that you really like! For many, many years, I insisted on having this wonderful youthful team like you\'ve got. Often it was the most valuable team in the league, but it struggled to be a champion. Three years ago, I finally dumped a bunch of draft picks for some veterans that consistently smack points on the table. Voila, a championship followed. And then another. I got edged last year. Too many injuries to critical guys down the stretch. The other guy mortgaged so much, that he appears to be out of the race this year. Anyway. Keep poking & prodding. You appear to have the hang of it!

Thanks for the encouragement dude! +1 for sure. I am really torn on whether I should go for it or wait out one more year and capitalize on situational developments. For example:

Im in talks for Kaberl, 2nd
for Gonchar 1st which stand to be top 5 imo.

If Im competeing it makes no sense but if I go one more year...

Another
Plecky/Kabs for
Phaneuf

I know its counter intuitve for a contender but that would make a damn fine keeper in a league where we only keep 12.

Decisons, decisions...

Thanks for the words of wisdom!

[JHM]

Not saying don\'t get Gonchar. Consider carefully what that 1st will bring. You could maybe make the trade and then trade the 1st for something cool to race with this year. I have been stubborn for 15 years and had fun racing my team every year. A couple times I\'ve been cajoled into making a move where I dumped a few old guys (Bourque & Roy at the deadline) and they retired a month later. You still got reasonable racing pieces back though. Have fun racing. That\'s the whole point! Even having a ton of great kids, knowing that you can\'t keep them all... well damn, some worn out old cat that gives you a chance to win today isn\'t such a bad thing!

I just started in a new pool. I\'m planning on keeping the minimum number of keepers, because I\'m planning on winning! I\'ll wiggle & squirm all year to win it. I have 10 good keepers and a ton of older depth. So far so good - undefeated and on paper I should be the most productive team in the league!

Plecky/Kabs for Phaneuf... gotta do that!

[ultrawhiteness]

emu, i haven\'t read anything here as i\'ve gotta be quick, but very nice rebuild. in a 22 team league your team is looking pretty damned good.

[PMeya]

Fighting_Emu wrote:

Original team 3years ago. We kept 9 back then, now we keep 12.:
C
B. Richards- Ton of value back then- 100+points and a cup. Part of Crosby trade.
Zetts- Next to no value- huge injury risk. Moved straight up for Toskala while he was a shark. Bad move- :S.
Morrison- dropped for Mueller- later traded.
W
Afinogenov- Huge season- had lots of value but was an injury risk. Moved in Crosby trade.
Jason Blake- Wow! Moved him at the very best time! Believe it or not he was one of my biggest commodities back then. Moved in Crosby trade.
D
Souray- Huge back then also in Crosby trade.
Corvo- Not a huge commodity back then
G
Thomas- Just a backuop back then.
Denis- I was desperate!!!

So hows that stack up to my new 12 keepers?
Crosby, Berglund Brassard
Nash, Hemsky, Plekanec, Gioroux OR Boedeker
Campbell, Kaberle, R Whitney
Leclaire, Harding

Kind of rhetorical. Think I did awesome. 2 more moves being considered- Ill post next...

I\'d also do the trade for Phaneuf!

Just out of curiosity, what did the full crosby package look like? Cause it seems you gave up richards, afino, blake and souray when they were on the top of their game.

[Fighting_Emu]

PMeya wrote:

Fighting_Emu wrote:

Original team 3years ago. We kept 9 back then, now we keep 12.:
C
B. Richards- Ton of value back then- 100+points and a cup. Part of Crosby trade.
Zetts- Next to no value- huge injury risk. Moved straight up for Toskala while he was a shark. Bad move- :S.
Morrison- dropped for Mueller- later traded.
W
Afinogenov- Huge season- had lots of value but was an injury risk. Moved in Crosby trade.
Jason Blake- Wow! Moved him at the very best time! Believe it or not he was one of my biggest commodities back then. Moved in Crosby trade.
D
Souray- Huge back then also in Crosby trade.
Corvo- Not a huge commodity back then
G
Thomas- Just a backuop back then.
Denis- I was desperate!!!

So hows that stack up to my new 12 keepers?
Crosby, Berglund Brassard
Nash, Hemsky, Plekanec, Gioroux OR Boedeker
Campbell, Kaberle, R Whitney
Leclaire, Harding

Kind of rhetorical. Think I did awesome. 2 more moves being considered- Ill post next...

I\'d also do the trade for Phaneuf!

Just out of curiosity, what did the full crosby package look like? Cause it seems you gave up richards, afino, blake and souray when they were on the top of their game.

I did- Affy, Souray, Blake Richards, my own first and the first I acquired for Toskala for Crosby.

At the time some members of this board said I was a dumb ass. I think I look pretty clever now... Post season by the way..