EHM2005: Singing the Blues

[Booj]

I've finally decided to start a new EHM dynasty, and since I didn't want to pick my favourite team (Montreal) I went through a process figuring out average age, salary cap situation and overall points in the NHL.

That left me with the Blues. I think once I get to the regular season, I'll do this dynasty (like NoSkillz) from the media's perspective but will include some press conferences and interviews to let you know why I did something. The introductory things will be in note form.

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SEPTEMBER 1, 2005

Game notes
- Board expect the playoffs

When I was watching NHL teams during the buy-out period, I was shocked that Doug Weight and Keith Tkachuk were not bought out. Having said that, I placed both of them on the trading block to see what I could get for them. Nashville is interested in Weight, while LA is interested in Tkachuk. I also go after former Montreal scout Pierre Dorion as my assistant GM. You won't see a man who evaluates players much better than him.

Dorion accepts the offer on Sept. 4 and I evaluate the entire organization and recall everyone I feel deserves a shot to training camp. I also hand out invites to three players: Bates Battaglia currently under contract with Toronto in the AHL, Derek Plante who once was a scoring center on the Buffalo Sabres and Nick Drazenovic, an 18-year old with Prince George who was the team's 6th round pick in 2005. He looks like he could be a steal. They all accept the invites.

On the eve of training camp I get an offer for Keith Tkachuk from San Jose. They offer Milan Michalek and Dmitri Patzold. I like Michalek a lot, but feel I have no need for Patzold since I have Marek Schwarz a 19-year old goaltender in the system. They accept an offer of Michalek and Marcel Goc.

Michalek is 21, and a former 1st round pick who has a chance to make the team, but I see no need to rush him. Goc, 22, is more advanced than Michalek, and could make the team and play a regular shift.

2005-2006 TRAINING CAMP ROSTER

Team Blue
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Goalies:
Patrick Lalime
Jason Bacashihua

Defense:
Eric Weinrich
Christian Backman
Eric Brewer
Doug Lynch
Matt Walker
Dennis Wideman

Forwards:
Dean McAmmond
Konstantin Zakharov
Ryan Johnson
Derek Plante (tryout)
Mike Sillinger
Trent Whitfield
Marcel Goc
Dallas Drake
Jeff Hoggan
Mark Rycroft
Erkki Rajamaki
Jon DiSalvatore

Team Red
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Goalies:
Curtis Sanford
Reinhart Divis

Defence:
Barrett Jackman
Bryce Salvatore
Mike Stuart
Jeff Woywitka
Mike Mottau
Andy Roach

Forwards:
Bates Battaglia (tryout)
D.J. King
Scott Young
Peter Sejna
Nick Drazenovic (tryout)
Jay McClement
Doug Weight
Petr Cajanek
Aaron Downey
Reed Low
Jamal Mayers
Milan Michalek

INJURED RESERVE: Eric Bogueniecki (out 4 months)

[Booj]

SEPTEMBER 11
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Scrimmage: T 4-4

Best Players: Goc, Whitfield, Rycroft

Scorers:
Red- Weight, Sejna, Low, Downey
Blue- Goc (3), Rajamaki

Goaltenders:
Red- Divis (6 rating), Sanford (7)
Blue- Lalime (7), Bacashihua (6)

SEPTEMBER 12
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Two trades.. Toronto trades Matt Stajan for Carolina's Glen Wesley and Montreal trades Jan Bulis and a 2006 7th round pick for the Ranger's Steve Rucchin.

Alex Mogilny is inducted in the Hall of Fame.

SEPTEMBER 13
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SCRIMMAGE: T 2-2

Best Players: Cajanek, Johnson, DiSalvatore

Scorers:
R- Cajanek (2)
B- DiSalvatore, Johnson

Goalies:
R- Divis (7), Sanford (6)
B- Lalime (6), Bacashihua (7)

CUTS: Mike Mottau, D.J. King, Doug Lynch and Jeff Hoggan (Mottau and Hoggan were placed on waivers)

SEPTEMBER 14
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Pittsburgh trades Andy Chiodo, Kristopher Letang and 2006 2nd rounder for Buffalo's Chris Drury and Eric Mitchell.

SEPTEMBER 15
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SCRIMMAGE: 5-3 Red

Best Players: Roach, Cajanek, Johnson

Scorers:
R- McClement, Weight, Cajanek, Young, Roach
B- Johnson (2), Drake

Goalies:
R- Divis (7), Sanford (7)
B- Lalime (6), Bacashihua (5)

Two trades... San Jose's Jeff Gorges and Jim Fahey to Anaheim for Sandis Ozolinsch. Florida's Greg Campbell and a 2006 3rd for Ottawa's Peter Scheafer.

EXHBITION: W 2-0 @ Ottawa
Goals:
Drake (McAmmond), Brewer (Goc, Sejna) PP

Divis: 16 saves/16 shots, Bacashihua: 6/6

[MizzouRah]

This ought to be good. Traded Tkachuck huh? He's about my only scorer.

Good luck!!

[Booj]

SEPTEMBER 16
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Trade: LA’s Dustin Brown, 2006 4th and the rights to Tim Potulny to Atlanta for Jaroslav Modry and the rights to Chad Denny.
Trade: Montreal’s Andrei Kastitsyn, 2006 2nd and 2006 6th to Minnesota for Alexandre Daigle, rights to Kristofer Westblom.
Trade: Edmonton’s two 2006 4th’s for Islanders Sean Bergenheim

EXHIBITION @ NJ: W 2-1
Goals: Wideman (DiSalvatore) PP, Roach (Drazenovic, Plante)
Lalime: 11/11, Sanford: 15/16

SEPTEMBER 17
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SCRIMMAGE: 5-4 R
Goals R- Mayers, Michalek, Young, Roach, Drazenovic
B- Johnson, Drake (2), McAmmond

Goalies: R- Divis – 7, Sanford – 6
B- Lalime – 7, Bacashihua – 6

CUTS: Aaron Downie on waivers.

SEPTEMBER 18
--
Mottau and Hoggan clear waivers, all three tryouts end and I will not offer contracts to them.

SEPTEMBER 19
--
NHL Season Preview comes out: We are 30th and last. Team MVP – Weight, Key New Face – Brewer.

SEPTEMBER 20
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Trade: Minnesota’s Andrei Kostitsyn to Carolina for Frantisek Kaberle.

EXHIBITION @ ATL: L 2-6
Goals: McClement (Wideman, Weinrich) PP, Sejna (DiSalvatore) PP
Divis 15/18; Bacashihua 13/16

Aaron Downie clears waivers.

SEPTEMBER 21
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Trades: LA’s 2006 3rd for Phoenix’s Mike Leclerc AND Anaheim’s 2006 5th for NJ’s Vladimir Malakhov.

EXHIBITION @ NYR : L 0-8
Lalime 16/20, Sanford 20/24

CUTS: Curtis Sanford, Jeff Woywitka, Mike Stuart, Trent Whitfield and Erkki Rajamaki. Whitfield and Rajamaki go on waivers.

SEPTEMBER 23
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Trades; LA’s Eric Belanger to Chicago for Jassen Cullimore AND Carolina’s Andrei Kosititsyn (AGAIN!) and a 2006 3rd for Edmonton’s Jason Smith.

SEPTEMBER 24
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EXHIBITION vs PIT; L 2-10
Goals: Rycroft (Weight, Roach), Mayers (Sejna)
Lalime: 21/27, Divis 7/11

Whitfield was claimed by Chicago, Rajamaki clears waivers.

SEPTEMBER 25
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CUTS: Konstantin Zakharov and Milan Michalek. Zakhharov was sent to Junior.
EXHIBITION vs BOS: L 3-4
Goals: Weight (Salvadore, Drake), McAmmond (Drake, Walker), Goc (Weinrich, McClement)
Bacashihua: 12/14, Divis 17/19

CUTS: Bacashihua, Wideman

FINAL ROSTER
--
Goalies:
Patrick Lalime
Reinhart Divis

Defense:
Barrett Jackman
Bryce Salvatore
Andy Roach
Eric Weinrich
Christian Backman
Eric Brewer
Matt Walker

Forwards:
Dean McAmmond
Ryan Johnson
Mike Sillinger
Marcel Goc
Dallas Drake
Mark Rycroft
Jon DiSalvatore
Scott Young
Peter Sejna
Jay McClement
Doug Weight
Petr Cajanek
Reed Low
Jamal Mayers

INJURED RESERVE: Eric Bogueniecki

[Booj]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

This ought to be good. Traded Tkachuck huh? He's about my only scorer.

Good luck!!

It was a deal I couldn't pass up. Goc and Michalek will be very good and it saves close to 7 million in cap space.

I'll try and get players closer to the NHL for Weight, but no takers.

It's going to be a challenge as I see a lot of places I can improve, especially goaltending and depth at forward.