NHL 24 Franchise Mode Career

[JurassicPuck]

And We’re Back! Unlike the Minnesota Franchise I had, this one is a lot more rule heavy and I’ve got multiple different spreadsheets keeping track of a million different things. Hopefully it keeps this franchise mode more interesting.

Here’s a layout of the general rules to start:

Player Morale
If a Player’s Morale lowers his overall, he must be traded immediately. If he has a NTC, treat it like it is the last year of his contract

Signing Free Agents

• Can only change contract length by +1 or -1
• If length is changed, you must offer the asking price or lower
• One “Major” (aka 77+ OVR) signing allowed for each position (F,D,G). One Free slot allowed per year. Free Slot is not transferable to following year if not used

Scouting Staff
3 Amateur Scouts allowed (1 CHL, 1 USA, 1 Europe)
Allowed 1 Amateur Scout signing every offseason
Can hire more scouts if drafting goals are met:

(Apply only to picks outside the 1st round)
Select Med Top 6 F / Med Top 4 D - 1 Scout for League player played in
Select Med Elite Goalie - Hire Scout with best goalie attributes
Select Low Elite - Hire Scout with the highest “Prospect Discovery” Rating
Select Anything Better - 1 Scout for League player played in + 1 Free Scout Hiring

Can also lose Scouts for Poor Drafting:
(Apply to ALL picks)
No Players above Med Top 6 F / Med Top 4 D - Fire 1 Scout
Poor 1st Round Selection (Player within 5 picks after clearly better) - Fire Best Scout
No Players above 65 OVR - Fire 1 Scout
Poor Selection (Player within 5 picks after clearly better) - Fire 1 Scout

Trading

• Trade has to make sense for the AI, can't abuse broken values. Basically, if I wouldn't take that trade as the other GM, I can't do it.
• Can only trade away picks from next three years
• Cannot trade Free Agent Signings until last two years of contract
• Can only acquire one AI draft pick per trade, unless the AI offers the trade. (Exception for Superstar Trades)
• You are allowed THREE chances on trades. The first initial offer to see how interested they are, and then the second and third / final offer to get the deal done. If final offer is turned down, you can not try again with those players until next year

Drafting

• Can only trade up once, can only trade down once
• Must pick one of each forward position, two defenseman and a goalie
• When trading down in the draft, you can only use Trade Finder to accept offers. You cannot make a manual trade. (This simulates reality better since not every team will actually want to trade up into your spot)

Contract Negotiations
UFA’S
WANTS Extension
Can be signed during Re-Sign Phase.
Can only Modify contract length by +1 or -1

DOESN’T WANT Extension
Must let player go to Free Agency.
Can still be signed during Free Agency

RFA’S
WANTS Extension
Can be signed during Re-Sign Phase.
Can only Modify contract length by +2 or -2

DOESN’T WANT Extension
Can only sign for a 1 year Contract OR Qualifying Offer


GM Goals
Owner Mode will be kept on for this franchise. The sole purpose of this is to have the ability to use different teams throughout the Franchise. To give myself a challenge and have a chance of not being allowed to come back, I’ve given myself goals for every season. There will be On Ice Goals, Roster Goals, Salary Goals and Owner Goals. These goals can be adjusted as the years go by. I will need to achieve at least 10 points to have the opportunity to come back, should I so choose. Here is how the layout would look like:

ON ICE GOALS
Year 1
Win 35 Games (+2 Points)
Bonus - Make the Playoffs (+1 Point)

Year 2
Make the Playoffs (+2 Points)
Bonus - Advance to 2nd Round (+1 Point)

Year 3
Make the ECF (+2 Points)
Bonus - Make the Stanley Cup Finals (+1 Point)

Roster Goals
Year 1 - Trade one of the middle tier salaries by the end of the draft (+1 Point)
Year 2 - Acquire a 1st Round Pick in the upcoming Draft (+1 Point)
Year 3 - TBD (+1 Point)

Salary Goals
Can’t be within $5.000M of Cap Limit until you make it past Round 2 - (+1 Point)

Owner Goals
Main Owner Goal (+1 Point)

Player NTC’s and NMC’s:
A spreadsheet from reddit is used to give players NMC’s and NTC’s throughout the franchise. Adds some realism and makes it harder to trade players. Search up NHL Contract Mini game on Reddit and you should be able to find it. (Shoutout to the creator of the sheet btw!)

Team Status:
Before the start of every season I will need to choose a “Team Status” based off what I’m expecting from the team that season. Each one of the status options (Champion, Contender, Hopeful and Rebuilder) will have different rules and expectations for that particular status. Failing to achieve an expectation or breaking a Status rule will result in another event added, which we’ll get into later.

Superstar Trade Requests
A different spreadsheet I borrowed and made adjustments too was from the Basketball Dynasty section of OS. I’d highly recommend everyone to check out Marshdaddy’s “The Golden Era” Dynasty over there as it has some of the best work on this site. What this sheet does is determine if a player rated 90 Overall or better either wants to or is willing to leave his team. Similar to how the free agent sheet works, it will take multiple factors into consideration to determine a player's decision. This will be used every offseason (Starting in Year 3) for our teams Superstars or/and whenever I try and trade for a Superstar player

Free Agency Interest Mini Game:
I’ve created a spreadsheet where it takes into account a team's success over the past three seasons as well as teammate ability, team location and teammate nationality to determine a player's interest in a contract offer. There is also a possibility a player has a request for the contract, such as wanting to join a team that is a Contender. Being able to reward these requests will make the player more interested in wanting to sign. However, if you tell a player you will accept their request but don’t follow through, there will be an event added to the event wheel spin. Let’s get into that event system now…

Event System:
A list of over 180 different events/scenarios will be randomized every year and at least three will take place every season. More events can be added due to multiple different things such as Failing a GM Goal, Failing or Breaking a Team Status Rule or ,as you read earlier, not keeping a free agent request. These events can be bad or good (majority are bad). The Event wheel will be spun at the beginning of the regular season and will be woven into the story aspect of this series.


After all that I think we can begin to get into this franchise. We’ll see how it goes to start and potentially make tweaks along the way if needed. I’ve already started this so expect a rapid fire of posts up until the end of year one. I hope you guys enjoy!

To start this series we'll be running with the....

VANCOUVER CANUCKS!

[JurassicPuck]

Re: NHL 24 Franchise Mode Career



2023-24 Season Review

By Russell Dawson / Vancouver Canucks
April 20, 2024

The Vancouver Canucks finished the 2023-24 season with a 48-24-10 record, finishing as the 3rd best team in the NHL. Here were some of the biggest storylines along the way

Thatcher Demko's Struggles, DeSmith's Success
While they were winning a good chunk of games, Thatcher Demko wasn’t the prime reason for it. With a subpar save percentage the Canucks looked instead to Casey DeSmith to try his luck in net. And he did not disappoint. DeSmith took over the starting role and ran with it as he finished with 43 games (Demko played 41) and had a 22-12-6 record with a .917 SV% and a 2.65 GAA. Compare that to Demko, 23-11-4 with a .895 SV% and a 3.27 GAA, and you see why DeSmith will be the starter for Game 1 come playoff time.

Arshdeep Bains Hot Start to NHL Career
Arshdeep Bains has bursted into the NHL like a bull in a China shop. At first being an injury replacement for Pius Suter, Bains was expected to play just a few games before returning to Abbotsford. But when he got a look on the top line alongside Petey and Boeser, the Vancouver native made the absolute most of it. He's held that 1st line LW spot since being called up and has made Pius Suter no longer a constant in the VAN lineup. Will he be able to rise to the occasion and continue his play with playoffs just around the corner?

Best 4th Line in the NHL
Together as a line since day one of the season, Di Giuseppe, Lafferty and Joshua have been the best 4th line in the entire league. All are above a +11 and all have 25 or more points. They've been killing it all season and will be huge for the team come playoffs. Something to be concerned about however is Lafferty and Joshua on expiring deals. With such big seasons, will Vancouver have the cap space to bring these guys back?

Boone Jenner and Chris Tanev heading to Vancouver
The Canucks make two big moves to solidify their lineup in a year where for the first time in what feels like forever, Vancouver has a chance to do something special. Chris Tanev returns after leaving as a free agent in 2020. Blue Jackets Captain Boone Jenner will leave the only NHL team he's ever known and be a trustworthy 3rd line center on faceoffs.

Here were some of the biggest player movements around the league during the trade deadline:
Jeremy Swayman (BOS) -> BUF
Adam Larsson (SEA) -> TOR
Vladimir Tarasenko (OTT) -> CAR

Season Standings and Playoff Bracket

Canucks Player Stats

League Leaders

End of Season Lineup

[JurassicPuck]

Re: NHL 24 Franchise Mode Career

2024 1st Round Playoff Preview and Predictions: Ranked by Least to Most Exciting Matchups

By Vincent Barlow 1h Ago
__________________________________________________

What could have been in this series between these two teams. Jeremy Swayman must be dying to see his Buffalo Sabres face the team that traded him back at the Trade Deadline. But instead of being out on the ice he'll be watching from the press box. In just his 6th game in a Sabres uniform the American netminder was hit while trying to make a desperation save. The collision would result in a bad MCL Sprain for the 25 year old and one that will keep him from competing in this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs. Victor Olofsson meanwhile is looking to exact some payback against his own former squad. He's been on absolute fire since joining the B's, scoring 15 points in 17 games and finishing with 66 on the year, a career high. Will he be able to continue that in this series? Rasmus Dahlin could also miss possibly the first two games in Boston as he's still recovering from a pulled groin.

Prediction - Boston in 5 Games

This series and the Boston-Buffalo on are the two matchups where it's very, very hard to see one team not winning. The Colorado Avalanche possess a dominant trio of players in MacKinnon, Makar and Rantanen and have Cup winning pedigree spread throughout the lineup.

Anaheim meanwhile is a young team who has up and coming stars that will be getting their first taste of playoff hockey. It's a mismatch series for the Ducks and they'll be tested heavily with the Avalanche squad

The Ducks will need Trevor Zegras to work his magic and John Gibson to play the type of hockey he did years ago in the Getzlaf-Perry days of Anaheim. Is it possible? Yes. Is it going to be difficult for those things to go right? One hundred percent

Prediction - Colorado in 5 Games

Finishing the regular season with stellar records of 47-26-9 and 49-30-3, respectively, the Jets secured the 2nd spot in the Central, while the Wild claimed 3rd place.

The Jets' offensive powerhouse, led by breakout star Kyle Connor, enters the postseason with momentum. Connor's sensational 101-point season, the second-highest in the league, makes him a player to watch. On the other end, the Wild boast the league's best defensive record, allowing only 2.72 goals per game. Filip Gustavsson's stellar performance in net, boasting a remarkable 42-19-2 record, positions him as a Vezina Trophy frontrunner.

However, the Wild will face a significant challenge as their rising star, Matt Boldy, will be sidelined until May 9th due to a concussion, casting a shadow over Minnesota's offensive depth.

Will the Jets' offensive firepower break through the Wild's formidable defense, or can Minnesota's balanced approach shut down Winnipeg's high-flying attack?

Prediction - Winnipeg in 7 Games

All the way back on January 11th vs the LA Kings, Panthers fans were heartbroken to hear that their star Finnish center Aleksander Barkov would be out for the rest of the regular season due to a severe MCL Sprain. Without their franchise center, playoff hopes looked slim. Alas the Florida Panthers squeaked in by the hair of their chin, tying their rival Tampa Bay Lightning in points but coming ahead in the tiebreaker. But with that comes the matchup with the dominant Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes enter the postseason boasting an impressive regular-season record of 52-26-4 and wielding the NHL's most potent offense, averaging an outstanding 3.85 goals per game. This offensive prowess sets them apart, with the 2nd-best team trailing at 3.55 goals per game. Led by an ensemble cast of skillful forwards, Carolina is well-positioned to test the Panthers' defensive resilience. That’s not what you wanna hear when Barkov is still not expected to return for another 2-3 weeks. Sam Reinhart also went down with a sprained ankle in Game 79 of the season so he may not make an appearance in this series until Game 4. It will take practically a miracle for Florida to win this round one matchup... but they've done it before haven't they

Prediction - Carolina in 4 Games

The New Jersey Devils and the Philadelphia Flyers are set to renew their playoff rivalry in the 2024 NHL Playoffs. The Devils, boasting an impressive season record of 50-27-5 and securing the 4th spot in the NHL standings, are entering the postseason with a lineup that oozes elite depth scoring. With three lines loaded with offensive firepower, the Devils are a force to be reckoned with, ready to capitalize on any defensive lapses.

On the other side of the ice, the Philadelphia Flyers have defied expectations with a season record of 44-30-8, clinching the 3rd spot in the highly competitive Atlantic Division. The Flyers weren't initially pegged as contenders this season, but their resilience and tenacity have propelled them into the postseason spotlight. The matchup against the Devils promises to be a clash of contrasting narratives, with the Flyers looking to prove that they belong among the league's elite.

These two teams last met in the playoffs during the 2012 Conference Finals, a hard-fought series that saw the Devils emerge victorious in five games. Memories of that intense battle still linger, adding an extra layer of anticipation to this latest postseason showdown.

Prediction - New Jersey in 6 Games

In a clash of contrasting stories, the Vancouver Canucks and the Dallas Stars are poised to go head-to-head in what promises to be a captivating first-round matchup. The Canucks, having clinched the top spot in the Pacific Division with a season record of 48-24-10, have reinvigorated their fan base after a string of disappointing seasons. The question on everyone's mind – can the Canucks turn regular-season success into playoff triumph?

On the other side of the ice, the Dallas Stars, with a formidable season record of 46-29-7, are looking to build upon last year's Conference Final loss. With memories of their 2020 Cup Finals appearance still fresh, the Stars have their sights set on another deep playoff run. The hunger for redemption and the taste of championship glory drives the Stars as they aim to make amends for falling short in recent years.

What sets this series apart from others is the absence of a bitter history between the Canucks and Stars. Unlike some heated playoff rivalries, these two teams don't carry a lot of bad blood. This lack of animosity, however, adds a layer of excitement to the matchup, as it provides the potential for the birth of a new, intense rivalry on the playoff stage.

As the puck drops and the Vancouver Canucks and Dallas Stars embark on this first-round journey, fans can expect a series filled with uncertainty, potential breakout performances, and the possibility of a new chapter in playoff history being written

Prediction - Vancouver in 7 Games

In a highly anticipated first-round showdown, the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights are set to reignite their playoff rivalry. The Oilers, boasting a season record of 46-30-6 and securing the 2nd spot in the Pacific Division, are hungry for redemption after falling short in last year's postseason.

The Vegas Golden Knights, with a season record of 44-30-8, finished just two points behind the Oilers in the Pacific Division standings. Adding an extra layer of intrigue to this clash is the much-anticipated sequel of the Jack Eichel versus Connor McDavid saga. In the previous playoffs, Vegas emerged victorious in six games against the Oilers, propelling them to the Conference Finals and eventually the Stanley Cup. The stage is now set for round two, with both Eichel and McDavid leading their respective teams into a battle of skill, speed, and determination.

Memories of the contentious clash between these teams last playoffs, particularly the slash by Alex Pietrangelo on Oilers' star Leon Draisaitl in Game 4, still linger. The Oilers and their fans won't easily forget, setting the stage for a series with an undercurrent of bad blood. As the Oilers look to avenge last year's defeat, the Golden Knights aim to prove that they have the formula to continue their success against their Pacific Division rivals.

Prediction - Edmonton in 7 Games

The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens find themselves pitted against each other once again in the first round of the 2024 NHL Playoffs. Memories of their last postseason clash in 2021, where the Canadiens pulled off a dramatic upset in a seven-game series, loom large as both teams gear up for another intense battle.

The echoes of the 2021 playoffs still resonate in the minds of Leafs and Canadiens fans alike. Montreal, the underdogs, emerged victorious, stunning the hockey world and dashing Toronto's Cup aspirations. Heading into this playoff matchup, both teams are grappling with crucial injuries to key players. Toronto's star defenseman Morgan Reilly, a linchpin in their blue line, will be sidelined until May 6th, which could have significant implications for the Leafs' defensive structure, especially in the early games of the series. On the Canadiens' side, the absence of David Savard on defense and Jake Allen between the pipes until May 2nd and May 17th, respectively, raises questions about Montreal's ability to weather the storm against Toronto's high-powered offense. On paper, the Toronto Maple Leafs appear to be heavy favorites. Boasting a potent offensive lineup led by Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and John Tavares. Yet, as the old adage goes, the playoffs are a different beast. The Montreal Canadiens, seemingly playing the underdog role once again. In a recent interview, Leafs' captain John Tavares acknowledged the significance of facing the Canadiens again: "The past is the past, but we can't ignore the motivation that comes from what happened in 2021. We're a different team now, and we've learned from those experiences. We're focused on taking it one game at a time and not underestimating our opponent." The storyline of redemption for the Leafs and the possibility of another Canadiens upset adds a layer of intrigue to this matchup. The absence of key players on both sides only intensifies the drama, setting the stage for a series that will undoubtedly be watched with bated breath by fans across the league

Prediction - Toronto in 5 Games

[JurassicPuck]

Re: NHL 24 Franchise Mode Career



Canucks Pull out a Win in Overtime in Game 1

By Russell Dawson / Vancouver Canucks
April 21, 2024

DeSmith would, as most people expected, got the start over Thatcher Demko in the awaited Game 1.

Down 2-0 heading into the third, J.T. Miller scores halfway through the period to cut the lead to one. It would take until the 2:23 mark of the 3rd period before Rookie sensation Arshdeep Bains would bury the tying goal past Oettinger. This game was headed to sudden-death overtime in the very first game

Just 45 seconds into OT Jason Robertson was accessed a Slashing penalty against Brock Boeser in the offensive zone. With such a giant opportunity, the Canucks would convert on the PP with a mid-air bat in goal from Elias Pettersson off of a Quinn Hughes point shot that rebounded off of Oettinger.

A great start for the Canucks as they will play Game 2 in a couple days to try and make it a 2-0 series lead.

Scores Around the League

Game Recaps | April 20, 2024
	4 - 2 Final CAR leads series 1-0
Carolina Hurricanes (1-0)		Florida Panthers (0-1)
Game Notes Carolina takes Game 1 with a 4-2 win. Frederik Andersen made 31 saves while both Svechnikov and Teravainen had a goal and an assist

	4 - 3 Final COL leads series 1-0
Colorado Avalanche (1-0)		Anaheim Ducks (0-1)
Game Notes Radko Gudas was hurt in this game, suffering a neck injury. He'll be out until April 27th, projecting him to come back for Game 4

	5 - 9 Final MTL leads series 1-0
Toronto Maple Leafs (0-1)		Montreal Canadiens (1-0)
Game Notes Montreal puts up 9 goals against the Leafs in a wild Game 1. Nick Suzuki had a 4 point night with a goal and 3 assists

[canuxrok]

Re: NHL 24 Franchise Mode Career

Looking sharp so far. Let's go Canucks!

[JurassicPuck]

Re: NHL 24 Franchise Mode Career

Scores Around the League

Game Recaps | April 21, 2024
	4 - 3 Final - OT NJ leads series 1-0
New Jersey Devils (1-0)		Philadelphia Flyers (0-1)
Game Notes Tyler Toffoli had the OT game winning goal on the Powerplay

	5 - 1 Final BOS leads series 1-0
Boston Bruins (1-0)		Buffalo Sabres (0-1)
Game Notes Victor Oloffson helps his Bruins win 5-1 vs his former team, adding a goal in the effort

	2 - 3 Final MIN leads series 1-0
Winnipeg Jets (0-1)		Minnesota Wild (1-0)
Game Notes Kirill Kaprizov's goal and assist helped the Wild to a Game 1 win. Gabe Vilardi scored both of Winnipeg's goals in the loss

	5 - 3 Final EDM leads series 1-0
Edmonton Oilers (1-0)		Vegas Golden Knights (0-1)
Game Notes McDavid (1 Goal, 2 Assists) and Draisaitl (2 Goals) will the Oilers to a game one win versus the defending Cup Champions

[JurassicPuck]

Re: NHL 24 Franchise Mode Career



Vancouver Scores 6 on the Stars, Head to Dallas with a 2-0 Series Lead

By Russell Dawson / Vancouver Canucks
April 23, 2024

Just before the end of a quiet first period, Arshdeep Bains scores with 19 seconds left above the glove of the outstretched Oettinger.

This momentum would lead into the second period as Hoglander would pot one before Bains scored his 3rd goal of the playoffs in just 5 periods. After two periods Dallas would reman without a goal thanks to Casey DeSmith.

In the third, once again the Canucks came out hot, scoring two goals (Hoglander and Joshua) within 3 minutes into the period. After that it was pretty much game over with Faksa and Seguin breaking DeSmith's shutout attempt before Pettersson potted one more to put the game to rest.

Vancouver heads to Dallas with a 2-0 series lead. Gavin Beyreuther (DAL) would suffer and undisclosed injury in this game to make matters worse for the Stars

Scores Around the League

Game Recaps | April 22, 2024
	3 - 0 Final CAR leads series 2-0
Carolina Hurricanes (2-0)		Florida Panthers (0-2)
Game Notes Vladimir Tarasenko returned from his sprained ankle and recorded an assist in the 3-0 win

	2 - 1 Final COL leads series 2-0
Colorado Avalanche (2-0)		Anaheim Ducks (0-2)
Game Notes Artturi Lehkonen returned in this game (Pulled Groin) and Jack Johnson made his playoff debut in the Avs win.

	6 - 7 Final - OT MTL leads series 2-0
Toronto Maple Leafs (0-2)		Montreal Canadiens (2-0)
Game Notes In an absolute barn burner of a game, the Montreal Canadiens pot 7 against Woll and the Leafs with 22 year old defenseman Justin Barron scoring his first ever NHL Playoff Goal in Overtime. The goal came just a minute into the second overtime frame

[JurassicPuck]

Re: NHL 24 Franchise Mode Career

Scores Around the League

Game Recaps | April 23, 2024
	4 - 3 Final NJ leads series 2-0
New Jersey Devils (2-0)		Philadelphia Flyers (0-2)
Game Notes As if scoring the OT Winner last game wasn't enough, Tyler Toffoli gets a touch on every Devils goal and finishes the game with 4 points. Alexandre Carrier was injured in this game

	6 - 5 Final - OT BOS leads series 2-0
Boston Bruins (2-0)		Buffalo Sabres (0-2)
Game Notes Huge news for Buffalo as Rasmus Dahlin will return to the lineup for Game 2. However Pastrnak, McAvoy and the Bruins steal his thunder as they take Game 2 in Overtime. Pasta would turn into a playmaker for this one, dishing out 4 assists. Charlie McAvoy would score the OT Winner just 3 minutes into Sudden Death Overtime. Dahlin had a big return game with 3 assists and almost 35 minutes of ice time but it wasn't enough to beat Boston. Owen Power would be injured in this game. A huge blow for the team and it's rumored to be a lower body injury that could keep him out of the rest of the series

	4 - 3 Final - OT Series Tied 1-1
Winnipeg Jets (1-1)		Minnesota Wild (1-1)
Game Notes Kyle Connor scored the Overtime Winner on the Power Play

	1 - 4 Final Series Tied 1-1
Edmonton Oilers (1-1)		Vegas Golden Knights (1-1)
Game Notes Barbashev's two goals helped the Golden Knights to defeat the Oilers and tie the series

Playoff Storylines to Watch

Arshdeep Bains on FIRE
There was reports of lava being spotted in Vancouver but it was really just Arshdeep Bains... This guy is not from this planet. After two games against the Stars and two wins, Bains has 3 goals and 1 assist to lead the team in points. He's scored on every shot he's got to the net so far and is playing the third most minutes among Canucks forwards. It looks like the sky is the limit for this kid

Maple Leafs Goaltending Struggles
Allowing a combined 16 goals against after two games in a series is mind boggling. Both Joseph Woll and Ilya Samsonov have completely let down the team playing in front of them. The Maple Leafs themselves have scored 11 goals through two games which nine times out of ten should result in two wins. Instead, their down 2-0 in the series and the Maple Leafs will have to head to the Bell Centre to try and wrangle themselves back into this series. Calling it a tall task would be a major understatement

Scrappy Ducks giving the Avalanche a fight
Probably the biggest underdogs in the entire NHL Playoffs, the Anaheim Ducks have lost both games of their series against the Avs by one goal. With such a young and inexperienced team to be taking a team like Colorado to the brink through two games, it has been impressive to watch. We'll have to see if the Ducks will finally be able to pull out a win against MacKinnon and his squad

[JurassicPuck]

Re: NHL 24 Franchise Mode Career



Dallas Bounces Back with 5 Goal Performance to get First Win of the Series

By Russell Dawson / Vancouver Canucks
April 25, 2024

Injured in the previous game, Gavin Beyreuther will officially be out until April 30th with injured ribs, likely not returning until a hypothetical Game 5.

Conor Garland has the Canucks out to a hot start for Game 3 as he buries top left just 12 seconds into the game. Matt Duchene would tie it up in the last 4 minutes of the opening frame.

Trade Deadline pickup Chris Tanev would get Vancouver out to a 2-1 lead and it looked like the team would head into the third period with the lead until Joe Pavelski had different plans. With just 40 seconds left in the 2nd period, the almost 40 year old fired a wrister over the pad and under the blocker of Casey DeSmith. It would be 2 all heading into the third period with shots practically even (20 For VAN / 19 For DAL).

Things fell apart for the Canucks in the third period as Duchene would pot his second of the night less than a minute in. After the Canucks failed to capitalize on two different powerplays, Pavelski would also score his second of the game, putting the Stars up by two. With Oettinger shutting the door the Canucks were unable to find the back of the net again. Thatcher Demko would play the last 8 and a half minutes of the third period, stopping all four shots he faced

Scores Around the League

Game Recaps | April 24, 2024
	1 - 4 Final CAR leads series 2-1
Carolina Hurricanes (2-1)		Florida Panthers (1-2)
Game Notes In their first home game of the series, Florida gets their first win. Bobrovsky made 31 saves in the contest

	2 - 1 Final COL leads series 3-0
Colorado Avalanche (3-0)		Anaheim Ducks (0-3)
Game Notes Anaheim falls down 3-0 in the series despite John Gibson making 37 saves on 39 shots

	5 - 2 Final MTL leads series 2-1
Toronto Maple Leafs (1-2)		Montreal Canadiens (2-1)
Game Notes As the series heads to Montreal for the first time the Leafs were able to continue their high scoring but the big difference was Joseph Woll being able to shut the door, allowing just two goals against. The young Tyler Brennan continues to struggle in net for Montreal with Jake Allen still injured

[JurassicPuck]

Re: NHL 24 Franchise Mode Career

Scores Around the League

Game Recaps | April 25, 2024
	7 - 2 Final NJ leads series 3-0
New Jersey Devils (3-0)		Philadelphia Flyers (0-3)
Game Notes New Jersey's offensive prowess flexes their muscles in this one as they put 7 goals past Carter Hart to take a commanding 3 to 0 series lead. Jesper Bratt and Jack Hughes would both record 4 point nights, two goals and two assists a piece

	4 - 3 Final BOS leads series 3-0
Boston Bruins (3-0)		Buffalo Sabres (0-3)
Game Notes For the third straight game Devon Levi has allowed four or more goals. This is why the Sabres traded for Swayman and why they need him badly right now in this series as they face a 0-3 series defecit. It wouldn't be a surprise to see UPL start Game 4 for the Sabres. News of Owen Power's injury came after the game where it was announced he suffered an MCL Sprain and will be out for a month. Devastating news for the Sabres

	4 - 0 Final WPG leads series 2-1
Winnipeg Jets (2-1)		Minnesota Wild (1-2)
Game Notes Filip Gustavsson would only make 14 saves on 18 shots and ruin a great defensively played game for the Wild

	2 - 3 Final VGK leads series 2-1
Edmonton Oilers (1-2)		Vegas Golden Knights (2-1)
Game Notes Barbashev and Stephenson both had a goal and an assist while Adin Hill stopped 32 of 34 shots to secure the win

Playoff Storylines to Watch

McDavid and Draisaitl quiet in back-to-back games
In back-to-back losses Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid have been shut down by the Vegas Golden Knights. The duo were hot in Game 1 but since then, the Oilers as a team scored 1 goal in Game 2 and 2 goals in Game 3. Edmonton will need to find their goal scoring touch if they want to get back in this series. Stuart Skinner has been good in net and Edmonton needs to get there superstars going to take advantage of it

[JurassicPuck]

Re: NHL 24 Franchise Mode Career



Oettinger blanks the Canucks with a 40 Save Shutout, Ties Series at 2-2

By Russell Dawson / Vancouver Canucks
April 27, 2024

Deciding who was going to be the starting goaltender for the Canucks tonight was on the forefront of everyone's mind heading into this one. Head Coach Bear Schenn decided to go back to Casey DeSmith and trust him to get the Nucks up 3-1 in this series.

Despite coming out to a flying start, the first period would remain goalless with shots in favour of Vancouver 16-6.

Until the 14:45 mark of the second it was much of the same with 0 goals until Tyler Seguin broke past DeSmith. That opened the floodgates as Radek Faksa and Ty Dellandrea would both score to finish out the period, all goals scored on the blocker side of DeSmith. The Canucks found themselves down 3-0 despite a 29-17 lead in shots.

Vancouver could just not solve Jake Oettinger as they continued to pile on the shots, finishing with 40 to the Stars 24. Evgeni Dadanov would score a fourth goal past DeSmith with just under 3 mins remaining in the game to erode any chance of a Nucks comeback.

Scores Around the League

Game Recaps | April 26, 2024
	1 - 3 Final Series Tied 2-2
Carolina Hurricanes (2-2)		Florida Panthers (2-2)
Game Notes Sam Reinhart would make his playoff debut in this one and he came out and basically single handedly tied this series for the Panthers. He had a goal and an assist in this 3 to 1 win, including the crucial second goal for Florida

	3 - 4 Final - OT COL leads series 3-1
Colorado Avalanche (3-1)		Anaheim Ducks (1-3)
Game Notes Adam Henrique would score the OT Winner 11 mins into OT to keep the Ducks playoff hopes alive. Radko Gudas also returned in this series, scoring 2 goals in a very impressive effort. Despite both those impressive performances it was John Gibson that was given the 1st Star of the Game as he had an astounding 47 saves over three and a half periods of play

	6 - 0 Final Series Tied 2-2
Toronto Maple Leafs (2-2)		Montreal Canadiens (2-2)
Game Notes A big game for Joseph Woll with a 35 save shutout while depth forward Dylan Gambrell has a huge playoff game scoring 2 goals and adding an assist. Montreal netminder Tyler Brennan continues to show he is just not ready for playoff hockey but the Canadiens really just don't have any other choice without Jake Allen (Torn Hamstring)

[JurassicPuck]

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Scores Around the League

Game Recaps | April 27, 2024
	2 - 1 Final NJ wins series 4-0
New Jersey Devils (4-0)		Philadelphia Flyers (0-4)
Game Notes The Devils are the first team to move on to round two as they win four straight and sweep the Flyers

	3 - 1 Final BOS wins series 4-0
Boston Bruins (4-0)		Buffalo Sabres (0-4)
Game Notes Despite Devon Levi's best game of the series, the Boston Bruins eliminate the Sabres in 4 straight games. The Sabres offense faltered mightily in this game, barely reaching the 20 shot on goal mark. With such a poor performance from Levi in this series, it's interesting to think of how this series could have gone if Swayman was between the pipes

	1 - 3 Final Series Tied 2-2
Winnipeg Jets (2-2)		Minnesota Wild (2-2)
Game Notes Not only does Winnipeg lose the series lead, they also see their star forward Nikolaj Ehlers leave the game due to injury. It's a lower body injury and he won't be available for next game but that's all the info we have as of now

	2 - 1 Final - OT Series Tied 2-2
Edmonton Oilers (2-2)		Vegas Golden Knights (2-2)
Game Notes In his first game this playoffs for Vegas due to a sore knee, Nicolas Roy scored his first goal of the postseason which ended up being the only goal for the Golden Knights. It was Connor McDavid that stole his thunder as he potted the OT Winner 6 minutes into Overtime. Brett Kulak also made his playoff debut in this game for the Oil

Playoff Storylines to Watch

John Gibson keeping the Ducks playoff hopes alive
In Game 3 and 4 John Gibson made a combined 84 Saves and allowed 5 goals against versus the offensively driven Colorado Avalanche. He's had stars like Rantanen (0 Goals), Makar (0 Goals) and Landeskog (1 Goal) scratching their heads on how to beat his guy. Will his heroics hold long enough to come back in this series from down 3-1?

Has Joseph Woll found his Roll?
Through Game 3 and 4 Woll has allowed just two goals against in which game four included a 35 save shutout. After such a rough start in this series, has Joseph Woll finally found his roll? The Maple Leafs sure hope so. All he has to do is outduel the very inexperienced Tyler Brennan. Will he be able to continue this string of solid games?

[JurassicPuck]

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Jason Robertson Scores a Hat Trick as Dallas Wins 5-3

By Russell Dawson / Vancouver Canucks
April 29, 2024

Game 5 saw some lineup changes for the Canucks. Thatcher Demko would make his playoff debut with Casey DeSmith taking to the bench after two lackluster performances in net. Arshdeep Bains would also be moved to the third line in favour of Ilya Mikyehev after the former first line of Bains-Petey-Boeser was a -2 in the last game.

Both teams came out firing for this one at Rogers Arena as Miller would open the scoring before Seguin and Robertson x2 would score before the halfway mark of the first. Following that, Filip Hronek would bomb one in from the point and Andrei Kuzmenko would get a lucky one that hit a Dallas defender in net and slide past the unready Jake Oettinger. It was a 3-3 score after just 20 minutes of play.

The second was much different with pesky Jason Robertson netting his hat trick goal at the 15:12 mark of the second. The Canucks were unable to find twine during the second and head into the third down by one and a looming 3-2 series deficit over their heads.

The Canucks would continue to pile on the shots in the third but Oettinger had an answer for them every single time. You could see the looks on the Canucks players faces as they just could not beat the American star. With their goalie pulled defenseman Nils Lundkvist was able to hit the empty net goal with 50 seconds left to give the Stars a devastating 5-3 lead. Vancouver would finish with 39 shots on goal in the contest, outshooting Dallas once again who had 33

Scores Around the League

Game Recaps | April 28, 2024
	2 - 3 Final FLA leads series 3-2
Carolina Hurricanes (2-3)		Florida Panthers (3-2)
Game Notes Even without their star center Aleksander Barkov, the Florida Panthers are one win away from knocking out the President Trophy winning Carolina Hurricanes. Sergei Bobrovsky has been a stud in net for the Cats and has allowed just four goals over the past three games, all Panthers victories. Meanhwile Carolina is scrambling to find an answer for the Russian netminder. With their defense failing to contribute offensively and Sebastian Aho nowhere to be found in this series (seriously someone put this guy on a milk carton. He has just one assist through 5 games), the Hurricanes will need two big games in a row to defeat this fiesty Florida team. To make matters worse for the Canes, Brett Pesce left the game with an injury and did not return. He will be unavailable for Game 6. However Florida also got news Carter Verhaeghe is an unknown if he will be available for Game 6. It's not yet known what his injury is

	9 - 3 Final COL wins series 4-1
Colorado Avalanche (4-1)		Anaheim Ducks (1-4)
Game Notes John Gibson's back finally broke after carrying the Ducks through 4 games. The Avalanche scored one shy of double digits with 9 goals against Anaheim. 3 of those goals came on Gibson, two from actual shots and one from a Ducks defenseman having the puck hit his skate and slide in. Landeskog and Makar both had 4 assist nights

	3 - 4 Final MTL leads series 3-2
Toronto Maple Leafs (2-3)		Montreal Canadiens (3-2)
Game Notes Incredibly the Canadiens take a 3-2 Series lead due to another brutal game from Woll, being pulled after saving just 8 shots. After all the hate for Tyler Brennan, he has an incredible game with 36 saves on 39 shots. The young goalie settling in is exactly what the Maple Leafs didn't need.

[JurassicPuck]

Re: NHL 24 Franchise Mode Career

Scores Around the League

Game Recaps | April 29, 2024
	6 - 2 Final WPG leads series 3-2
Winnipeg Jets (3-2)		Minnesota Wild (2-3)
Game Notes Unlike Game 3, this time the Wild played a terrible defensive game and left Gustavsson out to dry. They allowed 43 shots on goal, 37 of which Filip saved. Adam Lowry had a huge four point night that included a Hat Trick!

	2 - 1 Final EDM leads series 3-2
Edmonton Oilers (3-2)		Vegas Golden Knights (2-3)
Game Notes A huge win for the Oil and it was Nugent-Hopkins who put the team on his back with a two goal performance. After the game it was made known that Brayden McNabb is pending evaluation by a doctor. He's a question mark for Game 6

[JurassicPuck]

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Canucks Stay Alive and Force Game 7 in an Incredible Win

By Russell Dawson / Vancouver Canucks
May 1, 2024

With their backs against the wall Coach Schenn decided to really shake up the lineup to try and spark this dried up offense. J.T. Miller would join Petey and Boeser on L1 and reunite the Lotto Line. Jenner would move to L2 and center Kuzie and Garland. The best fourth line in the regular season would finally break apart with Lafferty heading to L3 with Mikheyev and Hoglander on his flanks. Joshua would move to center on the fourth with Di Giuseppe on his left and Arshdeep Bains (who has been deathly quiet since his hot start) on his right. On Defense the Hronek and Hughes pairing that dominated the season would be split with Tanev joining Hughes on the top pair and Hronek moving to the second pair. And finally, probably the most controversial of all those changes was Thatcher Demko was going to again be named the starter for this deciding Game 6. Will all these changes even matter? Only time will tell.

Similar to Game 4, the opening period was scoreless with shots in favour of Dallas 10-7. Vancouver was able to kill of two hooking penalties from Garland and Tanev. It was such a battle of a game to this point with neither team giving an inch.

Unfortunately for Canucks fans Sam Steel would break the goose egg and score with 4:48 left in the second period. Vancouver was unable to score to finish out the frame and it would come down to what could be the the final 20 minutes of the Canucks season.

Arshdeep Bains would take an uncalled for interference penalty early into the third and the Stars would capitalize with Robertson scoring on the Powerplay. Down 2-0 with 15 minutes left, Vancouver needed to bare down if they wanted to keep their season alive.

Alas, Elias Pettersson would be the one to get it started for the Nucks. It was one Oettinger should of had as Petey sniped it from the goal line over the right shoulder. But they don't ask how, they ask how many, don't they. The big opportunity they were waiting for came when Dadanov took a tripping penalty on Chris Tanev. Just seconds into the 5-on-4 Radek Faksa would practically punch Boone Jenner in the face off the faceoff, resulting in almost a full 2 minute 5v3 for the Canucks Powerplay.

They had chances galore on the man advantage, Hoglander just missed the open net on a one tee from Hughes. Petey swung and missed on a rebound with Oettinger out of position. There was even a partial breakaway from Bains that Otter kicked aside. Canucks fans were on the very edge of their seat ready to explode. Finally with the PKers tired and looking to change, the first unit forwards of Petey, Mikheyev and Joshua burst up the ice. Petey carried it wide on Hakanpaa who had just stepped off the bench and flat footed. He speeded past the finnish defender and saw Oettinger committing to a shot. With Joshua and Mikheyev busting to the net everyone jumped to their feet...

... but almost in slow motion you could see Heiskanen was in the lane for a pass to Joshua and Mikheyev was too far behind. So what does Petey do? He slips the triangle under the stick of the Finish D-Man and it slides right to Joshua who drops to one knee and fires the tying goal home. What a moment for the Canucks faithful!

And after all that they were still on the Power Play. With the boys buzzing they started off hot with a 3 on 2 opportunity that resulted in a block shot. The Canucks recovered and continued to work it around to find openings. They found one when Heiskanen and Hakanpaa got tangled up with Petey and it left Mikheyev all alone in front. Joshua fired him a pass and Mikheyev spun to his backhand but Oettinger made the difficult save. Dallas would get it and clear. Joshua made a rush up the ice but turned it over to Wyatt Johnston who started breaking down the ice. He found himself against Miller and tried to burn him wide... It didn't work out well for him:

Miller laid a crushing bodycheck on the up and coming star which got the Nucks the puck back. Quickly they rushed up the ice and low and behold Joshua and Miller found themselves on a two on one versus Lindell. Lindell took away JT for a pass and Joshua fired a hard shot off the right pad of Oettinger which forced him to hit the splits... Where does the rebound land? Right on the stick of Miller. Past the outstretched Oettinger Miller flicked his wrists and fired it into the yawning cage. 3-2 Canucks!!!

But this wasn't exactly a fever dream for Vancouver. Just after the faceoff after the goal Pettersson would take a questionable tripping penalty on Roope Hintz. Dallas was heading to the Power Play and American Airlines Center was going nuts. Dallas pushed hard and it looked like Matt Duchene was gonna tie things up when he had Demko beat... But he fired it off the Post!

Dallas would recover and feed Heiskanen at the point. Boone Jenner leaped at Miro and poked it off his stick. He had a breakaway! With Stars players hot on his tail deadline addition Jenner busted down the ice with a full head of steam. He faked to his backhand then roofed it over the blocker of Oettinger. 4-2 Canucks! This was a fever Dream!

Robertson would be able to score with 3 minutes left but not long after Dallas would take some bad penalties and Hoglander would make them pay with a 5 on 3 goal. 5-3 Canucks. With the goalie pulled Boone Jenner would catch an errant pass and fire it home to ice this incredible game!

Scores Around the League

Game Recaps | April 30, 2024
	1 - 2 Final - OT FLA wins series 4-2
Carolina Hurricanes (2-4)		Florida Panthers (4-2)
Game Notes For the second year in a row the Florida Panthers have eliminated the Carolina Hurricanes from the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Not many predicted this series to go the way it did but then again, not many predicted it right last year as well. This series was tightly contested the whole way through so what better way than to send the final game to Overtime. And of course who other than Sam Reinhart to score the series winning goal literally seconds into OT

	2 - 6 Final MTL wins series 4-2
Toronto Maple Leafs (2-4)		Montreal Canadiens (4-2)
Game Notes With easily the biggest upset of the playoffs thus far, the Montreal Canadiens have once again defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round. The Leafs could not defeat their demons of 2021 and all hell is raining loose on Joseph Woll and Ilya Samsonov. Goaltending was plain and simple the reason the Leafs lost this series. And to only make it more embarrassing for Toronto fans is the fact they lost to a goalie that based off his numbers and age, probably shouldn't be a starting goaltender in the NHL. Full credit goes to Tyler Brennan however. After allowing more than 5 goals for the first 4 games of this series, he dialed in and only allowed a combined 5 in his last two. David Savard was able to making his return from his Concussion in this game as well