EHM2005: My journey to the NHL is getting shorter

[Booj]

I started the 2004-2005 season with the Motor City Mechanics of the UHL. (http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...ad.php?t=45649)

On December 2nd, I was offered and accepted an offer from the American Hockey League's Manitoba Moose to be the general manager.

This is the beginning of my career in the AHL...

[Booj]

Well, the first thing I did was look over the team... They are Vancouver's AHL affiliate and to be honest, it's quite slim. The starting goaltender is Wade Flaherty, who is 37. Tomas Mojzis and Mike Keane, are both injured. The team can't even dress 20 players because of injuries.

Oh, and the team under their previous GM was... wait for it.... 2-22-1. That's right, 2 wins in 25 games with a shootout/OT loss as well. No wonder they fired their GM. Well, the first thing I do is fire the head coach. Glen Watson seems like a nice guy, but he just cannot be a head coach... anywhere. I don't have time to hire anyone before the first game, so I take over myself.

First, the roster:

No.Name                        Position(s)    Nation         Born        Age  Height      Weight      Wages    Expires     Reputation
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3    Bieksa, Kevin               RD-LD          CAN            6-16-81     24   6'1''       194         $450,000 Jun. 2007   Good     
42   Brookbank, Wade             LW-LD          CAN            9-29-77     28   6'4''       224         $450,000 Jun. 2006   Good     
36   Brown, Mike                 RW-LW          USA            6-24-85     20   6'0''       211         $450,000 Jun. 2008   Good     
6    Chartier, Christian         RD             CAN            12-29-80    24   6'0''       218         $55,000  Jun. 2006   Good     
5    Cullen, David               RD             CAN            12-30-76    28   6'2''       216         $90,000  Jun. 2006   Good     
10   Darby, Craig                C-RW           USA            9-26-72     33   6'4''       202         $150,000 Jun. 2006   Good     
44   Doig, Jason                 LD             CAN            1-29-77     28   6'3''       227         $450,000 Jun. 2006   Good     
33   Flaherty, Wade              G              CAN            1-11-68     37   6'0''       189         $450,000 Jun. 2006   Good     
26   Green, Josh                 LW             CAN            11-16-77    28   6'3''       213         $450,000 Jun. 2006   Good     
11   Guenette, Fran_ois-Pierre   C-LW           CAN            1-18-84     21   6'0''       180         $450,000 Jun. 2006   Good     
14   Healey, Paul                LW-RW          CAN            3-20-75     30   6'2''       183         $90,000  Jun. 2006   Good     
15   Jaffray, Jason              LW             CAN            6-30-81     24   6'1''       202         $50,000  Jun. 2006   Good     
9    Keane, Mike                 RW-LW          CAN            5-29-67     38   5'10''      176         $275,000 Jun. 2006   V. Good  
4    Mojzis, Tomas               LD-RD          CZE            5-2-82      23   6'1''       194         $450,000 Jun. 2006   Good     
50   Morrison, Justin            RW-C           USA            8-10-79     26   6'3''       218         $450,000 Jun. 2006   Good     
23   Nolan, Brandon              C-LW           CAN            7-18-83     22   6'1''       183         $450,000 Jun. 2006   Good     
18   Park, Richard               RW-C           KOR            5-27-76     29   5'11''      189         $750,000 Jun. 2006   Good     
8    Ryan, Prestin               LD-RD          CAN            6-29-80     25   6'0''       194         $35,000  Jun. 2006   Ok       
1    Sanger, Jeff                G              USA            11-14-78    27   5'10''      169         $50,000  Jun. 2007   Good     
22   Schultz, Jesse              RW             CAN            9-28-82     23   6'0''       191         $450,000 Jun. 2006   Good     
2    Skinner, Brett              LD-RD          CAN            6-28-83     22   6'1''       194         $450,000 Jun. 2007   Good     
81   Smith, Jeff                 LW-LD          CAN            1-2-81      24   6'6''       229         $30,000  Jun. 2006   Ok       
13   Smith, Nathan               C-LW           CAN            2-9-82      23   6'2''       189         $450,000 Jun. 2006   Good     

December 3: LOSS 4-3(OT) vs Grand Rapids

Flaherty

Doig-Bieksa
Skinner-Chartier
J. Smith-Ryan

Green-Darby-Park
Brookbank-Nolan-Schultz
Guenette-N.Smith-Brown
Morrison

Chartier (1) (Skinner-6, Darby-5)
Green (6) (Bieksa-6)
Schultz (7) (Brookbank-5, Skinner-7)
McDonnell (Verot, Franzen)
Flood (Lebda, Verot)
Quinsey (McDonnell, Verot)
OT: Verot (Helmer) SH

Disappointing to give up a 3-0 lead, but I'll take a point in this situation.

December 6
Hire Glen Cheechoo as Head Coach and sign four players... goaltender Simon Lajeunesse who I was looking to sign when I was with Motor City (even made an offer), and forwards Jeff Mitchell, Dan Cavanaugh, and Mike Vigilante who also impressed me at Motor City.

December 7: LOSS 3-1 vs Cleveland

Lajeunesse 20/22

Doig-Bieksa
Skinner-Cullen
Ryan-Chartier

Brookbank-Nolan-Park
Brown-N.Smith-Schultz
Cavanaugh-Guenette-Morrison
Vigilante-Mitchell-Jaffray

Carle (Kasper, Clowe) PP
Bernier (Goc, Jarrett) PP
Morrison (3) (Cavanaugh-1, Lajeunesse-1)
Valette (Crowe) EN

December 9: WIN 3-0 @ Syracuse

Flaherty 19/19

Doig-Bieksa
Skinner-Cullen
Ryan-Chartier

Brookbank-Nolan-Park
Brown-N.Smith-Schultz
Mitchell-Guenette-Morrison
Jaffray-Cavanaugh-Vigilante

Morrison (4) (Bieksa-7)
Jaffray (2) (Cavanaugh-2, Cullen-4)
Morrison (5) (Guenette-5, Mitchell-1)

WOW, A win... I have 21 games to try and win 2 and beat my predecessor... Let's go MOOSE!