Why do I think, that my team should win this ATD:
1. I have the most balanced team in this ATD:
1.1. Each position on my team either elite or at the very least above average. I have no any weak link in my team:
a) I have the best top-4 D on this ATD. First, ANY of my top-4 D equally good offensively and defensively. There is no such a group on any other team – they have either great offensive D with questionable on ATD-level defense (Coffey, Karlsson) or great defensive D without offence (Hitchman, Chara). Second, my top-4 consists of the best possible players: Lidstrom is an elite #1, Lapointe is great #2, Lester Patrick is an elite #3 and Ott Heller is a very good/great #4. I can think about only one team in the entire ATD with the same top-4 D quality – TML with Bobby Orr - Tim Horton and Carl Brewer - Allan Stanley pairs, but these top 4 is way worse offensively and TML has much worse goaltending. Another top-2, which is on par with mine is Howe – Bourque… ant that’s probably it.
While my bottom pair is not the best overall, it consists of two top-shutdown D of all time – smth, that a lot of 3-d pairs lack – they often have at least on clear defensive liability, which needs to be sheltered. But it’s ATD and no one can be sheltered here – almost any player is all-time best. I have no problems to have my bottom pair against ANY top-line on this ATD.
b) I have the best center’s depth on this ATD. No team has such a group of C: Messier, Barry, D.Savard, J.Primeau. The only team, that could have smth similar was Pittsburgh Bankers, but after IE moved Stewart to LW they are not any more.
c) I have an elite PP1 and one of the best PP2. My PP 1 consists of all-time elite Kerr, Lidstrom and Lapointe with addition of all-time great Heatley and Savard. My PP2 has all-time great Goulet, Barry and L.Patrick.
d) I have the best PK defensemen’ combination on this ATD. Mitchell is top-3 PK D of all-time, while any other top-3 are elite PK D as well.
Any of Messier, Aurie, S.Howe and Primeau was prized for their PK in real life.
e) My coach won more Jack Adams Trophy than any modern coach. He did it with 3 different teams, so he proved, that he can work with any team. He won these trophys while league was changing style of play, many new players came from Eastern Europe and there were much more teams, than it was in 06 era. So, he won it in the most competitive time of the NHL (or one of the most). Dynasties years are long gone and coaches of his days couldn’t count on super rosters any more. That’s why I don’t think he was that much worse (or any worse at all) than such a dynasties coaches like Blake or Imlach.
His style is well-suited to my players – he payed a lot of attention to defense, being not defense-only coach. And my team has no floaters (or almost no) – every player can play defense and Burns know how to play it the most effective way.
f) I have above average starter in net. The main knock to Benedict is the comparatively weaker competition, but he dominated the field that much, that it can’t diminish his greatness: he led his league in GAA 10 times, led his league in shutouts 10 times, led his league in wins 8 times, set post season shutout record twice, is 4th All-time in post season shutouts and was the all-time leader for 80 years, set Playoff Shutout record in one series (finals) with three (stands today), set Playoff Shutout record with consecutive shutouts with three (stands today). In 1919-20, his 2.66 goals-against mark was 2.13 goals better than the league average. That same season he was the ONLY goalie to record a shutout (he had 5). I can’t see anything, that makes him worse than Gardiner or Brimsek or even Vezina.
But, which is more, my back-up is an elite back-up on this ATD. I’ll have no problem to rest my starter or in case he will be injured. My combo Benedict - Lumley is either the best or one of the best on this ATD.
g) I have one of the best captains in history. My captain’s alternatives could have been captains themselves in any other team.
1.2. My lines are very well-balanced:
Smokey Harris – Messier – Mosienko has the following points finishes:
1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 7, 10, 10, 10, 11, 12, 13 - 2, 3, 5, 5, 7, 10, 12, 12, 13, 15 - 5, 5, 7, 8, 9
Assists finishes:
1, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 6, 9, 11, 11, 16, 18 - 2, 3, 5, 6, 6, 8, 11, 13, 14, 17, 18 - 2, 7, 9, 10, 10
Goals finishes:
2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 9, 9, 12, 13, 14, 16 - 8, 9, 9, 9, 14 - 2, 5, 6, 10, 10
So, this is great balance between assists and goals – everybody in this line can score a goal and everybody can make an assist, so, we may expect great passing game here.
Also, Heatley will play some shifts here, which will make this line even more goal-scoring threat.
Harris and Messier will fight in corners and along the boards, they can hit, they are two big bodies and they will create a space for Mosienko.
Both Harris and Messier were defensively responsible, both can drop their gloves.
S.Howe – Barry – Aurie have real life chemistry.
Anyone was two-way players, especially Syd and Aurie. Aurie can be “tough guy” for this line, providing defense and secondary scoring and passing, Howe is responsible for passing, scoring and defense and Barry is primary scoring threat with secondary assists and some defense. Syd is one of the best 2-nd line LW and Barry is one of the best 2-nd line C.
Goulet – D.Savard – Odie Cleghorn. This is by far the best and the most high-scoring 3-d line on this ATD. Savard is good 2-nd line C and he is clearly among the best (if not the best) 3-d line C here. Goulet is by far the best 3d liner, because he is good 1st line LW.
Goulet goals finishes (2, 4, 4, 5, 6, 9) match Savard assists finishes (2, 3, 3, 6, 7, 12, 18) perfectly. Both defensively responsible, both great skaters. Goulet will fight in corners and along boards. Odie Cleghorn is another good scorer (goal scoring finishes in NHA and NHL are: 1, 3, 4, 5, 5, 5, 7, 8, 9), but, which is more sufficient to us, he is tough guy who will defense Savard if needed. Icing the cake his stickhandling abilities – it should be nightmare for any defense to play against both Savard and O.Cleghorn in the same line. Both Goulet and Cleghorn are big bodies, which compensates Savard’ size.
Heatley – J.Primeau – Kerr
The best and by far the most scoring 4th line on this ATD. Heatley is good 1st liner, Primeau can be 2nd liner or elite 3d liner. Basically, he was Oates of his days. In real life Primeau played with two high-scoring wingers, doing all the dirty job for them. This line is created exactly like his real life line was – Heatley goal-scoring finishes are 2, 5, 6, 8, 8, 9, Kerr goal-scoring finishes are 2, 3, 3, 6, 9. Both need exactly the player Primeau is – great hard-work passer. And don’t think, that Kerr or Primeau were PP specialists only – Heatley ES goal-scoring finishes are 2, 7, 8, Kerr’s: 2, 6, 7. Both never played with such a passing monster as Primeau, so, we can expect them do even better than this. Also, Primeau will benefit from them as well, because both Heatley and Kerr were defensively responsible and Primeau will get the help he lacked in his real life, which make him even more effective. Also, Kerr in the slot with Heatley’s hard shot with Primeau feeding Heatley should be deadly. Both Heatley and Kerr were big bodies, which compensates comparatively small Primeau’s frame.
Considering, that Kerr will be injured from time to time, I have a perfect replacement for him in Shalimov. Shalimov was great scorer, great goal-scorer and used to play in a line with big high-goalscoring LW and hard-working C with great pass, so, even with Kerr absence my 4th line will lose very little.
1.3. I don’t have any line with small and/or soft players only. In each of my line there is a player, who can drop gloves and defend his teammates. In first line small Mosienko plays with big Harris and Messier, in second line the comparatively small Aurie is an enforcer himself, in third line there is tough Odie Cleghorn, in 4th line Kerr and Heatley are big fellows.
If it’s not enough and I expect some bad actions against my guys I can dress King Kong Korab, who is a legitimate fighter, being in the same time a pretty good defenseman/LW himself. I can use Korab both as 6th D or 4th line LW (in the last case Heatley will move to the first line and Mosienko can be benched).
1.4. I can repeat it once more – my top 4 D consists of Ds who were great BOTH defensively and offensively. It adds another scoring threat to my high scoring lines. There is no such a top 4 D in the entire ATD.
2. I have the most impressive scoring depth on the whole ATD. Each of my lines can score. I have Heatley, who is good enough to be 1st liner in my 4th line, Goulet and Savard in my 3d line. Even my role players – Aurie and O.Cleghorn are legitimate scoring threats. I don’t have offensive black holes like Gainey or Lehtinen in my roster. Any of my top4 D is high scoring defenseman.
3. Having such a scoring depth allows me to let all my players have almost the same amount of ice time. The most using forwards will play about 17 min per game. It allows me to maintain a higher tempo than any other team can afford and have my men more rested at the end of games and, which is more sufficient, during the season and PO series. I won’t drain my top players forcing them to play top ES, PP and PK minutes. My PK forwards wont be used in PP and viseverse. My bottom D pair is my top PK pair, which gives them enough time to catch their breath.
I can’t buy typical explanation “they used to play heavy minutes in real life”. It’s ATD with the best possible players of all time and your top-players won’t be rested enough.
4. My team won’t spend much time in penalty box, because it doesn’t have any high-penalized players. But I have players who can drop gloves if needs.
5. My team should be great in play-off, because it has a lot of great PO performers. Let’s see what do I have PO considered:
1st line: Harris – elite, Messier – one of the best in history, Mosienko - average
2nd line: S.Howe - great, Barry – elite, Aurie – elite
3d line: Goulet – great, D.Savard – elite, O.Cleghorn – good
4th line: Heatley – great, J.Primeau – good, Kerr – great
1st pair: Lidstrom – elite, Lapointe - elite
2nd pair: L.Patrick – elite, Heller - elite
