BAGM Progress Thread

[letsgopens66]

I just started the regular season, and am 1-0-1 with the Penguins. I'm using the latest tuning set and Realm's sliders. I lost the first game 2-3 in O.T. against the Flyers, but then beat the Canadiens 4-3. Crosby has two points so far (both against the Canadiens), and Geno has 4 goals already!


How is everyone's BAGM going?

[RealmK]

Re: BAGM Progress Thread

15-10-1 currently 6th in the East, with the Bruins and riding a 4 game winning streak. Ryder of all people leads the team with 12 goals, Chara leads the team in both assist (18) and plus/minus (12) and points (22) and Rask has finally found his stride a bit after a shaky start which saw him ride the bench for more games than I expected him to early on.

[Guyamir11]

Re: BAGM Progress Thread

Playing with the Islanders ( I`m a Rangers fan! but wanted to play with Tavares )
after 20 games I`m 7th in the East, WSH,PIT & MTL leading the table.
2010 first round pick Niederreiter on my 3rd line , not doing very good job.
But Okposo is one of the stars in the league.

I didnt had even one injury all season long, what about you?
I want to have injuries, so i would have a reason to call players and make line changes. more realistic.
I didnt had this problem in NHL 10 at all. (injury occurrence sliders are up to 6/6)

[CubFan23]

Re: BAGM Progress Thread

Just Started with the Hawks, 2-1 after 3 games. Opened up with a 4-1 win over the Av's, then home opener with Detroit went to a shootout with Kane getting the winner, went to Buffalo and was down early 3-1 came back to tie it but gave up a late one in the 3rd period.

[Qb]

Re: BAGM Progress Thread

First, don't mind the reviving of an old thread... I decided to set a good example and used the search function before creating a new thread. As much as I'd like to do a full franchise with game recaps & such, I simply don't have the time anymore. But I'd like to share updates from time to time and I enjoy reading about other's BAGM experiences. So... feel free to give us a status update on your franchise...

After grabbing Petrpuck's rosters then purging the FA list and tweaking some Penguins related stuff, I started my Pittsburgh BAGM a little while ago. I went with 'hard' difficulty; not sure if this impacts more than staff and GM levels, but any trade offers have been laughed at to this point. Using my sliders on All-Star with 15 minute periods.

I started off on fire, going 6-0-1 in my first seven games while scoring in bunches (almost 5 G/gm, although my team GAA was hovering around 3 as well. This has me worried, as hot starts followed by an extended slump are a trend for me dating back to NHL08. Well, last night might've been a turning point (in a bad way)...

In game 8 at Nashville, a slapper from the point bounced off a mass of bodies in the slot and the whistle blew when I corralled the loose puck. I knew this meant injury... and my top was on the ice... and yes, that's Sidney Crosby lying on the ice clutching his leg. After a few minutes, I checked the injury report; Crosby is still unavailable and my assistant (level one) said he'll let me know once he's be evaluated. I reach the first intermission at 0-0 and still nothing from the announcers. I check the report and... Crosby will not return due to a sprained ankle.

I juggle my lines and try to get back to the game, but all the bounces seem to be going the other way. Nashville quickly jumps out to a 2-0 lead and starts to trap like the '95 Devils with Lindback playing the part of (not over the hill) Brodeur to perfection. The 2nd intermission coaching tips even said they like to trap and told me to dump the puck more -- easily the most accurate info I've ever seen. I frustratingly mucked my way through the game, losing 4-2, although it never felt like a close game. OK, first regulation loss of the year, I'm still 6-1-1 and with wins in my next two I can still get the GM task points for winning 8 of 10 consecutive played games (badly needed to upgrade my woeful staff).

Once the BAGM main menu loads, I'm greeted by the bad news... Sidney Crosby is out for 3-4 weeks with a broken ankle. He was leading the NHL in scoring with 5G-7A-12P entering the game. With Mike Rupp also nursing a broken nose, I dug into the AHL for Mark Letestu rather than giving Eric Godard every night duty.

I couldn't resist playing another game, this one at St. Louis. It looked like another poor effort, trailing 2-0 entering the 3rd. But an loose puck one-timed slapper by Dupuis early in the periody pulled me within one and a late PP gave me a 6-on-4 advantage in the final minute. Mike Comrie, only on the ice because of Crosby's absence, wired a wrister by Halak to send the game to OT. On the first shift of OT, Tyler Kennedy entered the zone 1-on-2 while I was changing lines. I decided to throw it at the net so I didn't get caught on a change... virtual red light and real-life fist pump. Kennedy's long-range wrister surprised a screened Halak, beating him short-side top corner.

I'm now 7-1-1 with my last two games being the hardest of the year and I'm facing 9-12 games without Crosby (or at least until he's fully healed).

[onlybygrace]

Re: BAGM Progress Thread

Good idea, QB.

I play every game, no simming.

So far my season with the Blues has been a tale of 'what if'. As in, what where would the Blues be in the standings if not for the injuries to Oshie, Perron, McDonald, Polak, etc.

Why do I say that? Well, ironically the Blues (the real Blues) started the season 9-1-2, just the same as my NHL 11 Blues. In real life the Blues were hit with an onslaught of injuries and fell quickly in the standings, although playing well despite the misfortune. My Blues quickly fell to the 7th seed after my hot start was followed by some rather inconsistant play.

As it stands now, I am 32-17-6 and in 1st place in the West as the 1-5 seeds are separated by just 2 points. So after starting 9-1-2, I am 23-16-4.

Andy McDonald leads the team in scoring with 26 goals and 20 assists while David Perron (19 goals), Patrik Berglund (17 goals) have also had great years.

TJ Oshie struggled mightily in the 1st half with just 3 goals and 12 assists, but has scored 6 goals in the last 14 games.

The real story has been Jaroslav Halak who leads the league with a 2.26 GAA and is in the top ten with a .914 save percentage. Looking for a Vezina, he is.

I'm excited for next year when I'll bring Vladimir Tarasenko into the fold.

Loving this game.

[Jeffster]

Re: BAGM Progress Thread

I created the Winnipeg Jets and replaced the Coyotes with them. Tried to get as close to their real uniforms as possible, and we play whites at home and darks on the road like it SHOULD be.

The roster is just the Coyotes roster, I am still learning the players, as in real life I'm an Islanders fan and don't know the Phoenix players at all.

So far, we are 1-2-0, as we won the opening game of the year at Boston 4-1, but then have dropped the next two at home - 3-0 to the Bruins, and 3-1 to the Red Wings.

I play on Rookie difficulty, Normal style, I started at 10 minute periods for the first game but lowered to 7 min. periods. Broadcast camera, authentic for puck size and rules.

Next up we play the Ducks on the road and then home to try to finally win one at home as we play the Kings.

I also started a Blues franchise but once I found out about the create-a-team and replacing feature, I put that one on the backburner. I might pick it up later, though. I'm also doing the "be a pro" mode with a goalie named after myself who currently plays for the Worcester Sharks.

[bad_philanthropy]

Re: BAGM Progress Thread

I've loved reading this thread in the past, so I'm glad to see it make a return.

I desperately want to play a BaGM, but I know I'll lose interest once all of the trades in advance of and up to the trade deadline take place. After that I'll get my as-sim-as-possible hockey fix. Just recently started playing online, it's fun in its own way, but it's nothing like the joy of playing BaGM on SS, Hardcore, custom sliders, manual passing no assist.

[HedoRick]

Re: BAGM Progress Thread

I'm the oilers. Second season of my dynasty.

I'm 21-18-1. Taylor Hall has 32 goals and 18 assists. Kopitar on the 1st line with him. Zach Parise on the 2nd line. Drew Doughty on my 1st defence line. Ray Emery in goal. Picked up Dougie Hamilton and another top rated center in the draft.

Been hovering around .500 all year then won 4 in a row. Lost in OT to the flyers to end the streak. I am supposed to win 45 games to keep my job. Having a blast.

[HedoRick]

Re: BAGM Progress Thread

I play every game. Found a great set of sliders. realistic scores every game. I can be shut out as easily as scoring 4 or 5. And I don't use auto pass. I hate that.

[Gagnon39]

Re: BAGM Progress Thread

I play every game and I'm at the beginning of my second season. I finshed 2010-11 with a 60-20-2 winning the President's Trophy. I knocked off the Calgary Flames in the first round 4-1, beat the Wings 4-2 in the second round and knocked off the Sharks in 6 in the Western Conference Final. I won the Stanley Cup over the Sabres (who were the East's #8 seed) 4-1. I won game 5 on home ice on an overtime goal.

I made some big moves in the offseason, unloading Brian Campbell's contract, trading Dave Bolland to free up some space and bringing in Zach Parise, Zdeno Chara and Shea Weber. I now have under $1 million in cap space.

[DJ]

Re: BAGM Progress Thread

Qb, thanks for bringing this thread up. Sorry to hear about the Crosby injury.

I've started and re-started my Avs BAG about 4 times now, so I need to get my act together. I would LOVE to get Peterpuck's roster before I get started, but I'm not sure how to do that on the 360 without a transfer kit.

OBG, your Blues are a scrappy bunch. I just got back from the Pepsi Center, where the Avs won 4-3 over St. Louis. The Blues led 2-1 and Halak was stopping everything in sight, but the Avs picked up their intensity late in the 2nd period and into the 3rd and came out with the win. Colorado is very fun to watch, but they are really lacking defensively.

I will certainly be posting in here once I get some games under my belt. I know I had been complaining about small things with this game before, but after reading an article on this site (a link to ESPN, actually), really made me put things into proper perspective and I'm ready to get back to just enjoying games and not nitpicking.

[Jeffster]

Re: BAGM Progress Thread

Got home from work yesterday and played my next game. My Jets beat the Ducks 2-0. The second goal was an empty netter with about a minute left. I think I might raise the period length again, as the shots on goal were quite low for a full hockey game. I'll keep experimenting.

Anyway, we're now 2-0 on the road and 0-2 at home, for a 2-2-0 record overall. We'll see if the Jets can get off the shnide at home in the next one against LA.

[HedoRick]

Re: BAGM Progress Thread

I'm 6-0-1 in my last 7 now. Record is actually up to 26-18-1.

Taylor Hall has 32 goals and 22 assists in that time.

[Qb]

Re: BAGM Progress Thread

Played two more games last night... snail's pace, I know, but my games can take the better part of an hour and I love to play in the menus/stats/rosters. Littman & Rammer even commented on this after the community event... said they've never seen someone spend so much time in the menus.

Anyways, game 10 at Tampa saw the Pens win 2-1 in OT on a PPG by Evgeni Malkin. He rotated to the top of the umbrella and when TB's forward flopped after a fake slapper, skated into the high slot to blast a rocket past Mike Smith. Really thought I was going to get shutout in this one going into the 3rd period down 1-0. Mark Letestu tied it up when an attempted saucer pass towards the goal was deflected in by a Tampa D-man. It was actually rather cool... I need to start saving replays. The win gave me 8 in my first 10 games which means 40 more task points.

Philadelphia returned to the CEC for game 11 of the season. The last meeting in Philadelphia was a 6-0 curb-stomping by the Penguins, but the Flyers would have none of that this time. Philly stifled the Pens all game -- I swear every team is trapping me now! -- and tacked on a empty netter at the end. One game after returning from a broken nose, Mike Rupp breaks his jaw in another fight... not a good start to the year for Rupper. I'm considering calling up Tangradi, although Rupp's injury is playable and only for a week or two.