Wick Schozen

I now have both my affiliates stocked with drafted prospects. I've created a system for myself to try and maximize how they get ice time, but I am worried that their development will be shorted because of how the affiliate teams utilise players. I have my top two center prospects on my AAHL team, but only one is being used as a center and the other is a forward. I imagine it is like this because they are the top two players on the team so the affiliate is loading up the top line. But when a player isn't taking faceoffs they won't develop their faceoff skill. This also throws my other assigned players out of whack because I now have a forward player filling in for the second line player. It just creates sloppy and unrealistic development.

If we could assign them to a position we would have more control over their development and it would be more like a real life affiliate system where to top team sends down a player and they want them to develop in a certain role or position. We still wouldn't be able to allocate where they are in the lineup, that would be on the affiliate but we would be able to make sure that they are training in their position nonetheless.  

So there is a team in GHL Howitzer that has just shifted to being run by a computer. The team has a stud centerman that every team would be interested in acquiring. Full disclosure, I have submitted an offer as well, I'm not trying to yell to the masses on my high horse, I'm just as tainted as every other manager that is trying to acquire this player. 
 
The way I view this situation is that it is possible right now to acquire this player. I don't think any manager is submitting an offer with the intent of circumvent the rules of this game or cheat the game, myself included. It's purely that this player is going to be moved and in a competitive sense everyone would like to be on the receiving end of this transaction as opposed to seeing him go to someone they are competing with.
 
Now that being said I had conversations with the previous manager about what it would take to create a deal for this player and he flat out said he would never move him. So in that respect you could put this player's true value as immovable, so really we are all cheating by trying to acquiring because we feel we could make this deal go through because it is with a computer instead of an actual person managing this team.
 
I am fully aware that everything written above is a transparent attempt to try and validate myself making a deal for a player that would never be moved. I would sell my soul for a 20 year old franchise centerman. With that being the case, I don't like what this situation has created in terms of a bunch of managers whom we all communicate amongst each other, I haven't seen any of the other managers cheat the game, nor have I intentionally tried to. But we are all human and at our core we will cut down a neighbor's tree if we can get some more sunlight in our own yard. 
 
So my idea is for some form of a trade lock on computer GHL teams. These are teams that generally have a strong core, maybe a few prospects and those holy grail esque GHL draft picks. If there was a trade lock on GHL teams it would leave them open for experienced managers, maybe from a different game world, maybe managers looking for a new job or challenge, to come in and take control. At the very least maybe give a team like a twenty day (game world day) trade lock buffer after becoming a CPU so maybe a new manager can step in to acquire a team that is a true GHL team and not the carcass of what it once was.
 
 
 
 
**Few side notes, if you made it the whole way through, I'm sorry for my rambling. I didn't want my point or purpose to be misconstrued. Also I know the topic of computer trades is a hot debate, I am not trying to spark up another pissing match, I just thought that this particular situation should be addressed.**
 
ncik
 
 
 

So there is a team in GHL Howitzer that has just shifted to being run by a computer. The team has a stud centerman that every team would be interested in acquiring. Full disclosure, I have submitted an offer as well, I'm not trying to yell to the masses on my high horse, I'm just as tainted as every other manager that is trying to acquire this player. 
 
The way I view this situation is that it is possible right now to acquire this player. I don't think any manager is submitting an offer with the intent of circumvent the rules of this game or cheat the game, myself included. It's purely that this player is going to be moved and in a competitive sense everyone would like to be on the receiving end of this transaction as opposed to seeing him go to someone they are competing with.
 
Now that being said I had conversations with the previous manager about what it would take to create a deal for this player and he flat out said he would never move him. So in that respect you could put this player's true value as immovable, so really we are all cheating by trying to acquiring because we feel we could make this deal go through because it is with a computer instead of an actual person managing this team.
 
I am fully aware that everything written above is a transparent attempt to try and validate myself making a deal for a player that would never be moved. I would sell my soul for a 20 year old franchise centerman. With that being the case, I don't like what this situation has created in terms of a bunch of managers whom we all communicate amongst each other, I haven't seen any of the other managers cheat the game, nor have I intentionally tried to. But we are all human and at our core we will cut down a neighbor's tree if we can get some more sunlight in our own yard. 
 
So my idea is for some form of a trade lock on computer GHL teams. These are teams that generally have a strong core, maybe a few prospects and those holy grail esque GHL draft picks. If there was a trade lock on GHL teams it would leave them open for experienced managers, maybe from a different game world, maybe managers looking for a new job or challenge, to come in and take control. At the very least maybe give a team like a twenty day (game world day) trade lock buffer after becoming a CPU so maybe a new manager can step in to acquire a team that is a true GHL team and not the carcass of what it once was.
 
 
 
 
**Few side notes, if you made it the whole way through, I'm sorry for my rambling. I didn't want my point or purpose to be misconstrued. Also I know the topic of computer trades is a hot debate, I am not trying to spark up another pissing match, I just thought that this particular situation should be addressed.**
 
ncik
 
 
 

I think that for managers who are not competitive, and who aren't in it for recognition, like promotions and such, guys who just want to develop players. So I'm proposing that managers be able to Manage AAHL 1, 2, 3, clubs, so they can develop players and interact with other Managers, and it brings team work, as any hockey player knows, and I'm sure most Managers know this, there isn't one player in a team, so I think that this would bring in teamwork in Management.

Has anyone figured out their teams ideal team focus? I've been tinkering with it every game to see if I can get an assistants report better than:
 
The current team focus in today's game seemed to weakened team momentum  
No matter how I change it I always get that. I've gone with both an offensive and defensive approach, I've taken into consideration how my team has performed under certain team focuses and tried to tailor it to that, but havent had any positive results.
 
ncik

I like the idea of prioritising traits that the player trains. It would just be more realistic. When teams practice all the players do the same thing but you always hear about 'such and such' player putting in work on their foot speed or shot and so on. 

You really want your swindon wildcats eh lol

I'm sitting here watching the finals and wanted to resurrect this thread. I really would love to see a full depth chart option where you could set your backup and even shootout lineups and 4v4 lineups. Thoughts guys? Go Preds!

Not A Lot Of Frowns In Newcastle These Days

 

 

Season 15 has officially hit the quarter mark with the first 15 games completed. The Fighters have come out strong to start the year. Better than strong, their start to the season is their best start in franchise history. Compiling a 12-0-2-1 record so far, the Fighters are 1st place in the league  and don’t have any intention to slow down the the torment they’ve been dishing out against the league.

 

At the height of their roll through the first 15 games the Fighters were riding on a 12 game point streak on top of their 7 game win streak. They currently rank first in both goals for and against, 2nd in penalty killing and 8th on powerplay. The power play being the outlier, but when you are scoring so effectively at 5on5, a power play that is finding it’s grove can be compensated for.

 

 

 

This is the kind of start that the Fighters management and coaching staff where promoting at the conclusion of last season. The core had been established and management had supplemented the lineup around them and all they had to do now was play. GM Wick Schozen is adamant that they expected this result all along but that hasn’t stopped him from enjoying the show just as much as the fans are.

 

“I’ve been drunk for fifteen straight days. That’s half a month. That’s how well we are playing right now. I’ve done my part, I tore down this team, built it back up and then decorated it from the most instinctual depths of my think box. This team is like a big shiny new tower standing in the middle of Newcastle with everyone stopping to admire it. I’ve had to switch to beer because I was getting so incoherent that I couldn’t effectively keep the day to day running smoothly so we could go enjoy the show at night. Heck I almost traded Belel Langlet to Portland on a laundry deal.”

 

There are two things to clear up from Schozen’s excerpt , the first is for those who don’t know, a laundry deal as when a team acquires a new washer for usually a bubble player. Let’s hope Portland were at least offering a washer/dryer combo in the fleecing they proposed. Secondly, Wick Schozen isn’t alone in being sucked into reveling in the success. The Ringside lounge is almost considered 'exclusive’ at this point of the season. With the teams success, Ringside owner Angelo Dundee has velvet roped off Schozen’s booth so the head architect can drink undisturbed. In the 3 hours before the game and all hours after, the Ringside has lines that have required him to recruit boxers from his old days as a boxing coach to step in for crowd control so nothing gets out of hand. 

 

While Billy Beans, a local burrito shack introduced a promotion after signing on as one of the teams sponsors. When the Fighters score 5 or more goals, everyone leaving the area can claim a free burrito coupon. So far the count is at 3 games fans have been rewarded. But in another 4 games the Fighters had put 4 goals on the board and the crowd shifts from cheering on event during the game to chanting “BILLY BEANS! BILLY BEANS!” We’ll make sure to find a statistic to how many free burritos were consumed by the end of the season.

 

 

 

While praise can be handed towards Schozen and Coach ncik for what they have done since coming in, it would be all for not without players stepping up. So fittingly the Fighters young core has blossomed into its own this season. Rafet Bugri leads the forward core with 17 points in 15 games. Defenseman Louis-Felix Depatie has been quieting critics who were skeptical of the financial commitment made to him this off season. His 11 points through the first 15 rank him in the top three for points by a defenseman league wide. Lastly the biggest impact made from teams core has been goaltender Belel Langlet. Coach ncik was berated at the end of last season for running with Langlet. Well in a season the was mainly for growth and shoring up the roster the games lost because of allowing Langlet to develop have paid off. The 20 year old has a .944sv%, 1.98 GAA and is boasting a record of 8-0-2-0, still yet to play a game without earning a point. 

 

Yet with all the progress made, you’d be hard pressed to have found a single player in the weight room so far this season. With a short playoff stint and a heavy training camp the team has been relaxed in teams of their work outside of games. It’s not something that Coach ncik seems overly concerned with. 

 

“Right now we can let it slide. It’s early in the season and while you want to always be getting better, with the way we’ve been playing we’re ok with simply maintaining where we are at. If we continue to push for a promotion, as the season rolls on we’ll shift our focus to building for next season and have everyone back to elevating their game. But for the time being there is no point putting to much focus on it. Our training facility is locked shut and unfortunately Wick Schozen misplaced the keys while… ahh, going through his daily routine. So even if we wanted to put the boys to work, for the foreseeable future it’s out of our hands until the keys turn up.”

 

“ This happens all the time.” Wick said “Honestly I’m a big believer in just accepting that the universe has some influence. The powers at be are working behind the scenes to locate the keys. Honestly I’m going to walk into my booth one day at the Ringside and I’ll hear them rattle beneath the cushion when I go to sit down. That’s usually how things turn up, no use breaking a sweat looking for them or yelling at the sky.”

 

 

The Fighters are back in action tonight facing off against the Minnedosa Nighthawks to start the second quarter of the season. We’ll be back with our mid season write up and until then make sure you have a designated driver leaving the rink or start looking for cheap gym memberships burn off your now frequent trips to Billy Beans. 

I may be a bit late to the conversation but if I were to take a wild guess, Anders' vision wasn't to have GHL teams have an average rating of 90. It's common sense. I'm looking in fishbowl, the newest game world there is (in terms of what season it's on). There is no oversaturation of 90+ rated players. Every contending team in the GHL has maybe 3-7 90 rated players, and the rest are role players, which make or break a team's playoff hopes.
 
I'm on the same page as rainsilent. All worlds have the same treatment. They all get the same updates, so theoretically if biscuit or fishbowl was as fast as lumber, they would have the same issues. But no, lumber (and mitts) saw/see everything. If slow worlds were faster, it would be possible that some players rated 85's now would be 95's in 5 seasons. If you can't handle Anders testing player development and reduction, then I suggest dropping your faster world teams. From my experience, the ONLY time fishbowl was paused, was when lumber crashed a while ago and Anders had to pause all worlds. There are never ridiculous issues with slow worlds.
 
However, Lumber is crucial to the games development because it is the fast world where Anders (and lumber users) are able to see and report bugs, so that Anders can save the slower world's from the same fate.
 
Until Anders is able to create a perfect player progression/reduction system, this will happen. Players will unexpectedly lose ratings, players will develop extremely quickly, and everything in between.
 
Fangwall, I think that if Anders is able to create the perfect player development/regression system, where there are only 3 Crosby's in a world, instead of 3 per team, which I think he wants, I'll be one of the first to call for him to delete all the worlds and make new ones. Even though I've built some solid teams, it doesn't take that long to build a stellar team. All you need is shrewd trading skills, and good tactical knowledge of hockey in general.
 
Because honestly, I'd rather play a game where player overalls aren't so ridiculous, more along the lines where you have a few 90 rated forwards, a few 90 rated defenders, maybe a 90 rated goalie, and then as overalls go down, player quantity goes up. (i.e. more players will develop into 85 overalls compared to 88 overalls)
 
All I'm saying is, no matter how much integrity this game has, I'm willing to lose all my team's to help this games development, because I know it can be better. I've been around to see a few updates, and after affiliate teams are released, I don't even know where this game will go.

What to make of the first quarter of the season
 
The season is now a quarter of the way through. Management and fans alike can now look into their crystal ball to try and predict how the season will unfold now that every team has played each other once. Here at On The Ropes we think crystal balls are dumb. Hockey is random and hard to predict, but since upstairs is raining shit on us to boost numbers in readers and subscriber we’re going to give it the old college try with some hot takes. 
 
HOT TAKE #1 - NOTTINGHAM PANTHERS COULD PROMOTE BACK TO BACK
 
After being promoted up from the BHL after finishing second last season the Panthers are again steering their titanic vessel towards the iceberg that is promotion. The Panthers are currently holding down first place in the league after going 8-0-0-2 in their last 10 games. Ranking 2nd in both goals for and least goals against Nottingham has put together a roster that isn’t waiting to be able to compete in the SHL. 
 
In speaking with general manager Peter T before the season, he told us that developing his core was their main focus after being promoted. Now he could have just been modest in his response or maybe he couldn’t have expected the team to play this well after promoting. The Panthers boast a deep lineup, their top three scorers spanning across three separate lines and they currently have the top offensive defenseman in the league in Erkan Finkelstein. This spread of talent has created a lineup that is a hard matchup for opposing teams and while they only have one other top 20 scorer outside of Finkelstein, they still have the second highest goal total. 
 
Nottingham is currently icing a lineup where a commitment to the defensive side of the puck is the driving force behind their offense. With a team that is built to it’s system, this roster can presumably withstand some mid season injury woes that are bound to occur and still position themselves in the top 2 where the players can watch the playoffs from a beach in Mexico while they await their promotion cheques to clear.
 
 
HOT TAKE #2 - FROM 2 TO 10 IT’S A BARE KNUCKLE BRAWL WITH RINGS LEFT ON
 
Only 11 points separate the Rocky Mountain House Timberwolves in second place from the Minnedosa Nighthawks in 10th. That’s a difference of four wins give or take from top to bottom, meaning that over the next quarter there is going to be a lot of movement in the standings. To further demonstrate how close the standings are together, from Stoney Brooke in 3rd place to Bakersfield in 7th, there is only a single win separation. The playoff picture is a dog fight, but with so many teams still in heavy contention, having a rough quarter leading into game 31 can end all playoff hopes. 
 
If we use goal differential as a tool to find separation within the pack we can see a clear top four and a remaining bottom six that will be take the fight onto the street for the final playoff spot as the 6th seed.
 
(2) Hockey Mountain House +16
(3) Stoney Brook +17
(4) Newcastle +14
(5) Timagami +7
(6) Mayfair +6
(7) Bakersfield +15
(8) Portland +7
(9) Tionaga +2
(10) Minnedosa -7
 
 
The top three appear to hold placings true to what you would expect. Bakersville find themselves in 7th place, although only 1 point from being tied for fourth. 
 
A few indicators have emerge from this. With the season being so early on many teams in this group are merely over or under performing. Timagami and Mayfair are right on group average for goals against but find themselves with the lowest goals for total of the top seven teams in the league by a margin of about ten. Unless their offense can increase their production they are going to see themselves fall below Bakersfield over the next quarter. 
 
Our Newcastle Fighters find themselves fourth in our elite four bracket of goal differential. This is clearly due their 2nd worst goals against total in the league. If they were in the group average of goals against their differential would be up to +21. On the other spectrum, if their league leading offense starts to slow it’s pace and the teams defense doesn’t correct itself, they will find themselves in a free fall down the standings. 
 
Lastly, Minnedosa and possible Tionaga can be categorized as the pretenders of the group. Minnedosa is both well below group average in goals for and is bottom five in the league for goals against. Tionaga on the other hand fall below group average in goals against, actually conceding the second lowest amount of goals in the league, but their offense is going to have to find a way to pick up some slack. Tionaga averages 28 shots against and their starting goalie is posting a respectable .902 save percentage, but any dip in his play and the team just doesn’t have the goal support to overcome nights where their starter falters. 
 
HOT TAKE #3 ANY MORE SLIP UPS AND SCHOZEN WILL SLAM THE HAMMER DOWN. 
 
After the now infamous Leaning Ladies Scandal after the Fighters round 7 game against Nottingham, the Fighters have been walking the straight and narrow. Partly due to a curfew that Coach ncik implemented while playing games at home and the team is yet to stay in a hotel on the road since the incident. Instead opting to ride the bus through the night to the next location. General Manager Schozen has not been as hands on to prevent further mishaps as the teams coach has been. 
 
“One more fuck up and I swear to god I’ll send them to Hawkeye.” Schozen told us in a recent sit down. Naming Hawkeye as they are last place with the best relegation odds. “If you have a one way contract I’ll buy you out and make sure no team outside of the French Hockey league will touch you. Players don’t like me smoking on the bus? You wont see a shift until you’ve finished your pack from intermission.”
 
Since the return of Mirius Hirt and Isaac Crimmons, the front men for the Leaning Ladies night out Finchman and McEvoy have found themselves back in the scratch squad. 
 
“He won’t even let us go near the spread of food in the press box. The old man was in the lockup as well that night, I can’t believe he is going to talk down to us.” That was Finchman after his first game since being taken out of the lineup. He’s since found himself on the trade block and hasn’t been allowed to speak to the media. 
 
McEvoy on the other hand may have saved his spot on the fighters. His strong play while being in the lineup as an injury replacement really gave him a chance to showcase his value. Still in good age at 22, his demeanor since the incident demonstrates he probably won’t make the same mistake twice. 
 
“I don’t want to be on Mr. Schozen’s bad side. He’s had a beer with everyone that’s everyone in hockey at least once. The people he knows… It can derail you’re career. I’m just going to play hard when called upon and keep my head down for the most part.”
 
That was McEvoy after yesterdays win. He was in the lineup an extra game after Fincham was scratched. Did he receive the same cold treatment as Finchman when he got to the press box?
 
“Mr. Schozen threw a sandwich down in my lap after grilling Finchy. There was only butter on it, no meat or condiments, but I think it was a good gesture. I think that was his way of saying ‘kid you messed up, just don’t do it again’”
 
Good observation, because if that ‘again’ ever comes… After my sit down with Wick Schozen, I left there with the feeling that if I ever report something he doesn’t like, he’ll find a way to have me doing write ups in France until my fingers or lungs give out.

 

Winning streak snapped, a fight with a strip club bouncer and someone get the man a cigarette

Sometimes you just have to roll with the punches. After allowing a short handed goal on the opening power play and then surrendering three unanswered goals to the Nottingham Panthers, the last of which became the game winner in a 5-4 loss, the real disappointment for Newcastle seemed to be in the events after the game. Coach ncik decided he wanted the players to get a good night's rest before tomorrow's game, so the team chose to book a hotel in town. Some of Newcastle's young core chose to use this opportunity to take in Nottingham's nightlife before the bus went wheels up to head towards Timagami the following morning. A night intended to be an escape from hockey clearly went off script. When the beat writers here at On The Ropes came into the office this morning there were reports waiting at our desks about how the young core in reference found themselves bunking up for the night in Nottingham’s County Lockup. 
 
The group was lead out on the town by defensemen Elvin Finchman and Andre Mcevoy, 23 and 22 years old respectively. Both players, whom frequent the scratch box in the stands, have found a regular shift in the lilineuphile injuries to two top 4 defensemen have sidelined Isaac Crimmins and Marius Hirt. But the trouble for the gang last night (and worrisome for fans) arose in the tag along crew of 19 year olds Ricky Sundvall and Belel Langlet and team baby, last season's first round draft pick, Hektor Langstrom, 18.
 
Allegedly Finchman got into a scuffle with a bouncer at the Leaning Ladies establishment because he wouldn’t allow the underaged players to enter the club. When the Nottingham Sheriff's department showed up, just like their on ice counterparts showed these Newcastle players earlier in the night, this was not a good night to be a member of the Newcastle Fighters.
 
"I told them that I’m doing them a favor,” Sherif Pinkee told OTR "a loss to Timagami tomorrow night and they’ll have far worse headlines in the papers than what they’re going to be reading on the bus tomorrow. I can’t imagine management is going to come down on them too hard since there is already a member of management in the slammer for the night.” 
 
That was not a figure of speech by the Sheriff, the jail bound Fighters found GM Wick Schozen already making accommodations in the Nottingham county jail when they arrived. Schozen was seen leaving the game half way through the third. No one can blame him for that, fans could have witnessed a more inspired performance from a bum claiming he needs money to feed his children while standing outside a liquor store than what was displayed on the ice. Schozen found himself in a similar situation, albeit with a different disagreement of a Nottingham establishments policies.
 
“Look all I wanted to do was go to the bar, have a drink and a smoke before we blaze the night train to Tamagami.” Schozen left the arena before the announcement was made that the team would be staying in town “Look players don’t smoke on the bus like they did back in the '80s, heck even the '90s. If there’s snow on the ground that means it’s hockey season and if it’s hockey season that means I’m under a lot of stress and riding the buses a lot. I don’t want to be shivering to smoke a god damn cigarette. All I wanted to do was try what the local watering hole had on tap and smoke a cigarette.”
 
Schozen found himself taken in when he refused to oblige the bars no smoking policy and wouldn’t leave the premises until he finished the beer he had purchased. 
 
“I just think as a society we’ve lost touch with our values.”
 
 
 
With last nights events making headlines for all the wrong reasons it’s hard to pay attention to the fact that the Fighters put together a string of three strong victories to get their season rolling in the right direction.
 
After their win against Missanabie, the Fighters managed to sneak by Parkville with a 4-3 win with a tally by star center Rushan Shuldeshov at the 9 minute mark of the third period to hold on for the victory. Returning home the next night they handed a statement 6-1 victory to the Hawkeye Animals. The win appeared to be a sign that things were starting to come together for the Fighters. One game and a night that never got further than the sidewalk has really shaken the grounds of that optimism.
 
 
Newcastle plays Tamagami tonight looking for a strong response to their performance both on and off the ice. I don’t believe it’s a stretch to assume that they won’t be booking any hotel rooms after the game.

A trade broke on the morning of day 12 which saw the Fighters solidify the depth of their bottom six, but leaves questions about the teams commitment to their youth movement. Newcastle shipped out promising winger Sergey Chadov, 22, along with a pair of black aces in Declan Buzzell and Paddy Cranston. In return Newcastle received the services of a pair of 36 year old forwards Zack Page and Charles E.L Deziel from the Coquitlam Sea Hawks. 
 
GM Wick Schozen would not go on the record as he was seen leaving the Ringside Lounge. The bartender, who returned in the morning to see Schozen still there, relayed to us that Schozen, in his words, spent the night making sure the deal remained consistently hydrated so to blossom into a transaction. 
 
Chadov is coming off a season where he put up 7 points in a limited 9 game showing after the front office change of the Fighters, leaving many to expect he could build off of that for a strong year this season. Coach ncik had spoken briefly about Chadov after the Fighters morning skate. 
 
“I’m happy with the return we received. Our issues on the defensive side of the puck couldn’t be fixed with a patient approach in a timely manner.” ncik explained. "Seeing Chadov go is not ideal, we thought he could really make an impact this season, but we are looking at the big picture. We aren’t trying to develop a losing culture here with this team and you have to give to receive.  I’m happy with the two players we are receiving, I like what they will bring to our team both in the room and on the ice.”
 
This is the first midseason trade Wick Schozen has been able to complete for the Fighters since being named the teams general manager. Fans at the end of last season will recall the report of Schozen standing outside Mountain Lakes Cougars arena in the rain Raniero Grossi to take star center Rushan Shuldeshov with him to the GHL. Schozen would not shed any light on the events of that night but did get a statement across about this mornings transaction
 
“I'm excited to see what two guys with children can do on a team full of kids."
 
 
This all took place after the Fighters were able to capture their first regular season win over the season in a 5-2 victory over the Missanabie Wasps last night. It was the first game this season we got a chance to see how well the Fighters can perform. Newcastle outshot their opponent 29-22, but it was their offensive possession that really set the tone.
 
“It's nice to finally get a win in regulation.” Captain Rafet Bugri said after the game. “This was our first game we really bought in as a team and stuck to the script, the boys earned their beers tonight.” 
 
Yassine Hutton opened the scoring two minutes into the first to further his league leading goals total. He later assisted an insurance goal by defenseman Marius Hirt to move back into sharing the league lead in points with Nottingham Panthers defenseman Erkan Finkelstein.
 
 
None of the players were aware that this morning's deal had started being worked out by Schozen after the team fell to the Portland Tigers 7-2 the night before. The game exposed the team's glaring lack of defensive support through their forwards it was clear a change had to be made before the season stumbled out of control. The newcomers Deziel and Page will be in the lineup tonight against the Parkville Kinsmen who are still trying to achieve their first win of the season.

(Originally posted April 9th)

How long does it usually take for your prospects to be signed by a non-playable team? I know that some might not if they aren't good enough but I had two guys last season who were playing and they are yet to find a team this season.
 
ncik

Definitely should revisit the how the quality distribution is for players across all worlds. It should be so that majority of the players are 60 to 75-80 Ovr and then as we get to the top it should continue to thin. Like in real life, think about how many pro leagues there are in real life, USA has two semi pro leagues below the ECHL. Some European leagues have up to 6 tiers. There aren't many players that can play in the NHL, let alone be considered elite. With some GHL teams have 16 90ovr players I think there should be like 20-25 max in a game world.  Think like a pyramid with the most talented players at the top.

A trade broke on the morning of day 12 which saw the Fighters solidify the depth of their bottom six, but leaves questions about the teams commitment to their youth movement. Newcastle shipped out promising winger Sergey Chadov, 22, along with a pair of black aces in Declan Buzzell and Paddy Cranston. In return Newcastle received the services of a pair of 36 year old forwards Zack Page and Charles E.L Deziel from the Coquitlam Sea Hawks. 
 
GM Wick Schozen would not go on the record as he was seen leaving the Ringside Lounge. The bartender, who returned in the morning to see Schozen still there, relayed to us that Schozen, in his words, spent the night making sure the deal remained consistently hydrated so to blossom into a transaction. 
 
Chadov is coming off a season where he put up 7 points in a limited 9 game showing after the front office change of the Fighters, leaving many to expect he could build off of that for a strong year this season. Coach ncik had spoken briefly about Chadov after the Fighters morning skate. 
 
“I’m happy with the return we received. Our issues on the defensive side of the puck couldn’t be fixed with a patient approach in a timely manner.” ncik explained. "Seeing Chadov go is not ideal, we thought he could really make an impact this season, but we are looking at the big picture. We aren’t trying to develop a losing culture here with this team and you have to give to receive.  I’m happy with the two players we are receiving, I like what they will bring to our team both in the room and on the ice.”
 
This is the first midseason trade Wick Schozen has been able to complete for the Fighters since being named the teams general manager. Fans at the end of last season will recall the report of Schozen standing outside Mountain Lakes Cougars arena in the rain Raniero Grossi to take star center Rushan Shuldeshov with him to the GHL. Schozen would not shed any light on the events of that night but did get a statement across about this mornings transaction
 
“I'm excited to see what two guys with children can do on a team full of kids."
 
 
This all took place after the Fighters were able to capture their first regular season win over the season in a 5-2 victory over the Missanabie Wasps last night. It was the first game this season we got a chance to see how well the Fighters can perform. Newcastle outshot their opponent 29-22, but it was their offensive possession that really set the tone.
 
“It's nice to finally get a win in regulation.” Captain Rafet Bugri said after the game. “This was our first game we really bought in as a team and stuck to the script, the boys earned their beers tonight.” 
 
Yassine Hutton opened the scoring two minutes into the first to further his league leading goals total. He later assisted an insurance goal by defenseman Marius Hirt to move back into sharing the league lead in points with Nottingham Panthers defenseman Erkan Finkelstein.
 
 
None of the players were aware that this morning's deal had started being worked out by Schozen after the team fell to the Portland Tigers 7-2 the night before. The game exposed the team's glaring lack of defensive support through their forwards it was clear a change had to be made before the season stumbled out of control. The newcomers Deziel and Page will be in the lineup tonight against the Parkville Kinsmen who are still trying to achieve their first win of the season.

(Originally posted April 9th)

Through the first two games of the regular season fans of the Newcastle Fighters have more questions than answers as the team searches for their first regulation win. After overcoming Stoney Brook in a back and forth game that saw the Fighters give up their lead on three separate occasions. With two minutes left in the third and trailing by two goals the Fighters miraculously tied the game with two goals in 30 seconds to eventually win the game 6-5 in the shootout off of the hat trick tally by Yassine Hutton. 
 
The following night was much of the same story against the Rocky Mountain House Timberwolves albeit with a less fortunate outcome. Newcastle managed to go up on their opponent on five different occasions, each time pissing the lead down their leg before the Timberwolves put home the first consecutive tallies of the game by one team to win the game 6-5 in overtime. 
 
In speaking with coach ncik after the game he wanted to reiterate that it’s still early in the season and the only freaking out will be from the media trying to find a scoop. 
 
“Look both games played out odd. You don’t often see a team manage to drop a league like it’s apart of their gameplay. We’ll make the on ice adjustments and try to find what works best for our group. There’s a lot of new personnel on the ice level and in the press box for this team, we’re all trying to get a feel for our identity as a team.” After almost a year hiatus, this is Coach ncik’s return behind the bench as well as his right hand man, general manager Wick Schozen. After both games Schozen could be found the Ringside Lounge, the bar atop of the Newcastle Ice Dome, but could not be reached for comment. 
 
Game 1 of season 14 saw fans lay witness to ten players making their debut with the team seven of which are rookies. The Fighters will be skating quite a young team this season. The average age of their starting lineup is only 23. The team’s youth movement is spearheaded by the offseason signings of a pair of 21 year olds, center Raft Bugri and defensemen Louis-Felix Depatie. Ahead of the first game the team announced that Bugri would lead the team as captain this season, with Depatie assisting. 
 
Recently signed goaltender Belel Langlet, 19, started the first two games of his career. The young goaltender had generated a lot of buzz before agreeing to terms with Newcastle at the end of last season. Langlet was coming off a stellar season in the Finnish junior league when Newcastle selected him with the 4th pick of the first round of the SHL draft in season 12. The following season he forwent his final two years of juniors to turn pro, making great strides in his game in the second tier Swedish league. Yet his first two outings left fans questioning Coach ncik’s judgement to announce Langlet as the teams starter before the season over the teams veteran star goaltender Aziz Fraunholz. 
 
“The fans are going to voice their opinion,” ncik stated “we have passionate fans here in Newcastle, it’s not lost on my mind that without them I couldn’t make a living doing what I love and my wife wouldn’t be able to spend all my money on whatever pair of shoes or handbag she swears she needs. It’s just I made the call and I’m going to stick with it, if it doesn’t work out I am going to have to answer to them and ownership come the end of the season. Aziz is going to be in tomorrow against Portland and win or lose, Langlet is going the next night.”
 
Newcastle’s last management group probably listened to the fans a little too much, an example of which would be fan favorite Kola Lukstins, the 29 year old fighter signed to the unmovable 400k three year deal. An obviously risky deal considering he has a bar stool at the Ringside bronzed in his honor. A bit of spine in the coach and general manager could be a good change of pace for a team that hasn’t reached the GHL in seven season’s and has never finished above 7th in the SHL, being relegated twice in that span. 
 
 
The Fighters take on Portland tonight in a game where they are hoping to continue to progress towards finding their on ice identity. On The Ropes will continue our coverage right here in the forums until team ownership gets us our own press release. 

(Originally posted April 8th in Game Plan Hockey Manager forums)

I find most my prospects find a team by around day 20. Although the odd prospect can remain teamless until late season which I find a bit odd.

Just prioritize your third round selections and they will be drafted in order of what is available. So in your list you aren't going to have a 2nd round preference, just players you'd prioritise with your first pick and those you want with your two thirds. 
On a separate question, has anyone had experience using selections from a higher league? Is it the same, you just prioritise players with say the 2nd round if you had a SHL second round and were in the BHL, even though those second round SHL players are ranked higher than your BHL first round prioritised prospects?

ncik

Is adding more statistics to the game in the pipeline for improvements? I believe we have a good set of base stats available, but it's rather hard to fully analyze a players performance. For example, if I want to know if a player played well defensively all I can go off of is +/- and taking a shot in the dark at guessing what the performance number could mean. A good starting point would be adding a stat like corsi (shots for minus shots against while player is on the ice). Managers would get a good indication of a players puck possession.
Anyways just me nit picking, keep up the good work Anders.
ncik

That sounds phenomenal, if anyone here plays be a gm on NHL games, a live feed like the simulation in that game would be surreal. But if that is too ambitious, expanded statistics would more than please the crowd.
ncik

Related, it would be nice if you could message a manager from their Team Page (under Action) instead of filtering through all managers

Just a small thing that might make speaking with other GM's more convenient, if something similar to an email inbox was implemented instead of having to chase down old messages through all the gm notifications.

Kind of taking an idea from another game that I played. Team press releases are always a fun thing to add to experience of owning and managing a team. In the other game during the season me and a couple of the other managers that had become familiar over the game would write weekly press releases about the our team, take friendly digs at the others teams. I feel it could add to the community aspect and add another level of realism.
ncik

Just a small thing that might make speaking with other GM's more convenient, if something similar to an email inbox was implemented instead of having to chase down old messages through all the gm notifications.