ATD 2024 Line-up Assassinations

[VanIslander]

For newbies, this is the time to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of your team, of every individual team... in an indepth, friendly way. Every team that is posted here gets its 15 minutes of fame, of spotlight, of appreciation, of discussion. It's an optional process, but most teams usually do.

This process happens AFTER the picks and BEFORE voting, ranking teams in your division (votes on regular season standings to be sent via PM to a designated ex-GM/mod to tally votes).

Post your line-up here, with all 24 guys in position, including a 'C' and two 'A' and two powerplay units and two penalty kill units. After the line-up is posted, we review each other's line-ups.

Here is an example, the thread three years ago: ATD 2021 Assassination Thread

Click to read more...

 

[Claude The Fraud]

Coach: Al Arbour
Captain: Ted Kennedy
Assistant: Viacheslav Fetisov
Assistant: Frantisek Pospisil

#17 Vladimir Krutov - #11 Igor Larionov - #24 Sergei Makarov
#14 Doug Bentley - #16 Vladimir Petrov - #20 Vaclav Nedomansky
#10 Gary Roberts - #9 Ted Kennedy - #15 Eric Nesterenko
#21 Kirk Muller - #19 Derek Sanderson - #18 Ed Westfall
#24 Kent Nillson - #12 Pat Verbeek

#7 Frantisek Pospisil - #71 Jan Suchy
#2 Viacheslav Fetisov - #3 Red Dutton
#23 Mike Ramsey - #55 Sergei Gonchar
#8 Randy Carlyle

#20 Vladislav Tretiak
#1 Tiny Thompson

PP1
#17 Vladimir Krutov - #11 Igor Larionov - #24 Sergei Makarov
#2 Viacheslav Fetisov - #55 Sergei Gonchar

PP2
#20 Vaclav Nedomansky
#14 Doug Bentley - #16 Vladimir Petrov - #15 Eric Nesterenko
#71 Jan Suchy

PK1
#9 Ted Kennedy - #15 Eric Nesterenko
#2 Viacheslav Fetisov - #3 Red Dutton

PK2
#19 Derek Sanderson - #18 Ed Westfall
#23 Mike Ramsey - #7 Frantisek Pospisil​

 

[Dr John Carlson]

Hogsmeade Lunas

Coach: Tommy Ivan
Goaltending Coach - Mitch Korn

Jamie Benn (a) - Frank Boucher - Charlie Conacher
Artemi Panarin - Hooley Smith (a) - Patrick Kane
Gordon Roberts - Joe Thornton - Vic Stasiuk
Blair Russell - Ken Mosdell - Scotty Davidson
David Backes (C/RW)

Allan Stanley - Bobby Orr
Scott Niedermayer - Art Coulter (c)
Jim Schoenfeld - Dan Boyle
Lennart Svedberg (RD)

Grant Fuhr
Hap Holmes

PP1
Boucher/Kane
Panarin - Conacher - Kane/Boucher
Orr

PP2
Benn
Roberts - Smith - Thornton
Boyle

PK1
Mosdell - Smith
Schoenfeld - Orr

PK2
Boucher - Russell
Stanley - Coulter

PK3
Benn - Davidson

​

I'll explain my first powerplay unit because it may not be obvious what I'm going for (it looks like one of Pat Kane or Frank Boucher is going to be banging home rebounds in front - that's not what I'm after). It's modeled after the Capitals' excellent powerplay between around 2012-2022. Kane and Boucher taking turns quarterbacking from along the half-wall while the other sits to the left of the net as a secondary playmaker from the goal line. Panarin is in the Ovechkin spot since he runs that in real life, and Conacher is the other triggerman in the middle, taking one-timers from Kane and Boucher, while also being big enough to withstand some punishment around the slot. Orr is sort of a mix between a distributor and a pointman while being the skater most responsible for lugging the puck up ice to get zone entries started.

 

[Professor What]

Gallifrey TARDIS

Coach: Pete Green

Dickie Moore - Howie Morenz - Bernie Geoffrion
Jere Lehtinen - Joe Malone(A) - Daniel Alfredsson(A)
Esa Tikkanen - Adam Oates - Alexander Mogilny
Charlie Simmer - Doug Jarvis - Patrick Sharp

Paul Coffey - Valeri Vasiliev(C)
Herb Gardiner - Larry Murphy
Kevin Lowe - Ted Green

Spares: Kris Draper, Adam Fox, Johnny Gaudreau

Hugh Lehman
Pekka Rinne

PP1:
Mogilny
Morenz Oates Geoffrion
Coffey

PP2:
Simmer
Alfredsson Malone Moore
Murphy

PK1:
Jarvis Lehtinen Vasiliev Gardiner

PK2:
Oates Tikkanen Lowe Green​

 

[VanIslander]

Dickie Moore - Howie Morenz - Bernie Geoffrion

Embarrassing! Stunningly stellar!

Paul Coffey - Valeri Vasiliev(C)
Herb Gardiner - Larry Murphy

Hugh Lehman

Embarrassing!

Details to follow.

With continued +/- energy:
Tikkanen & Oates, ...
Vasiliev, Lehman...

 

[Hitru]

Embarrassing! Stunningly stellar!

Embarrassing!

Details to follow.

With continued +/- energy:
Tikkanen & Oates, ...
Vasiliev, Lehman...

If I understand right you love our 1st line and believe Tikkanen and Oates to be great in +-. I can agree with that.

I will not understand what's your problem with our 1st pairing is though

 

[jigglysquishy]

Regina Capitals
Coach: Dick Irvin

Tommy Phillips - Stan Mikita - Lanny McDonald "C"
Markus Naslund - Evgeni Malkin - Rick Middleton
Dave Andreychuk "A" - Cooney Weiland - Ace Bailey
Brian Sutter - Butch Goring - Jerry Toppazzini
Extra: Rat Westwick, Bob McDougall

Börje Salming "A" - Alexei Kasatonov
Weldy Young- Joe Hall
Vitaly Davydov - Cale Makar
Extra: Viktor Kuzkin

Patrick Roy
Jiri Holeček

PP1

Tommy Phillips - Stan Mikita - Lanny McDonald
Börje Salming - Alexei Kasatonov

PP2
Dave Andreychuk - Evgeni Malkin - Rick Middleton
Weldy Young - Cale Makar

PK1
Cooney Weiland - Ace Bailey
Börje Salming - Alexei Kasatonov

PK2
Butch Goring - Jerry Toppazzini
Weldy Young- Joe Hall

 

[tony d]

California Golden Seals

Coach: Tommy Gorman

Syd Howe-Steve Yzerman(A)-Gordie Howe (C)
Roy Conacher-Sergei Fedorov-Steve Larmer
Craig Ramsay-Steve Kasper-Danny Gare
Patrick Marleau-Gilbert Perreault-Tony Amonte

X - John Tavares Center X - Todd Bertuzzi Winger

Sprague Cleghorn(A)-Jack Stewart
Jiri Bubla-Sergei Zubov
Moose Vasko-Red Horner

X - Jimmy Watson Defenseman

Turk Broda
Curtis Joseph

Special Teams:

PP 1: Syd Howe-Steve Yzerman-Gordie Howe-Sprague Cleghorn-Sergei Zubov
PP 2: Roy Conacher-Gilbert Perreault-Steve Larmer-Jiri Bubla-Sergei Fedorov

PK 1: Craig Ramsay-Steve Kasper--Moose Vasko-Jack Stewart
PK 2: Sergei Fedorov-Gordie Howe-Sprague Cleghorn-Jiri Bubla

 

[MVP of West Hollywd]

Drumheller Dinosaurs

John LeClair / Mario Lemieux (A) / Marian Hossa
Michel Goulet / Mats Sundin / Jarome Iginla
Zach Parise / Rod Brind'amour (C) / Jack Walker
Sid Smith / Dave Poulin / Vladimir Vikulov
Spares: Dale Hunter, Phil Kessel

Rod Langway / Pierre Pilote (A)
Vladimir Lutchenko / Al MacInnis
Gus Mortson / Brian Rafalski
Spare: Robert Svehla

Johnny Bower
Carey Price

Coach: Art Ross

PP1
Leclair
Lemieux - Goulet
MacInnis - Rafalski

PP2
Parise
Iginla - Sundin - Hossa
Pilote

PK1
Brind'amour - Walker
Langway - Mortson

PK2
Poulin - Hossa
Lutchenko - MacInnis


Strengths: Strong defense with balanced skillsets. Arguably best PP1 in the draft and up there for PK1 too. Good defensive 3rd line. Lots of guys who can score dirty goals.

Weakness: Top 6 defense, 3rd line offense, playmaking depth after Lemieux.

Coaching: Shore's main coach a good fit to maximize Pilote as puck mover. Cowley's coach a good fit to let Lemieux have freedom.

 

[Chet Donnelly]

Emerald Flowsion

Head Coach: Glen Sather
Team Captain: Ray Bourque
Alternate Captain: Henri Richard
Alternate Captain: Fern Flaman



Forwards
Frank Mahovlich • Phil Esposito • Rod Gilbert
Busher Jackson • Henri Richard • David Pastrnak
Joe Klukay • Duke Keats • Gordie Drillon
Rick Martin • Joel Otto • Mark Stone
Henrik Sedin, Mikko Rantanen

Defensemen
Ray Bourque • Erik Karlsson
Ken Reardon • Fern Flaman
Willie Mitchell • P.K. Subban
Glen Harmon

Goaltenders
Clint Benedict
Roberto Luongo


​

Power Play 1​

Esposito • Mahovlich • Gilbert • Bourque • Karlsson​

Power Play 2​

Jackson • Drillon • Keats • Pastrnak • Subban​

​

Penalty Kill 1​

Richard • Klukay • Reardon • Flaman​

Penalty Kill 2​

Otto • Stone • Bourque • Mitchell​

 

[VanIslander]

If I understand right you love our 1st line and believe Tikkanen and Oates to be great in +-. I can agree with that.

They are stellar. My love for your 1st line made me jump the queue.

I will not understand what's your problem with our 1st pairing is though

I wore #7 to honor Coffey in my hockey youth hockey teams in 1984-85. I was ashamed by his antics at the Joe in Detroit a decade later, he circling the ice like Cliff Ronning, a vulture-like motion, something every season-ticket holder in my hometown Vancouver saw with Ronning and Bure, but we didn't gaf care, as long as we were winning. To pair Coffey with a bit of a question mark in Vasiliev (a great non-NHLer who may have thrived against all-time greats for mote than a couple of toyrneys with 5-man game plans)... basically i'm saying Coffey or Vasiliev are ideally paired, if top pairing, with a Langway, etc.

The TARDIS 2nd line is impressive for finding two usually overdrafted wingers more suited to a 3rd line role in an under 24-team ATD, and pairing them with a superstar who needs their exact skillset: who are better wingers for Joe Malone (if you don't put him at LW) than d Lehtinen and grit traffic Alfie?

I'm messing with you. That is f'd up. Oates ought to center the 2nd line and Malone be kicked to wing. Tikki, Jarvis, Alfie ought to rock 3rd line duty.

Paul Coffey - Valeri Vasiliev(C)

Coffey is a great 2/3, V a question mark 3nd d, 2nd pairing guy ideally. So, no #1 in the house, 25+ minute all-situ wise. But Larry Murphy is on the team and your coach may trump your GM and play him as often as Bowman did in Pittsburgh in a cup run victory, then head to Detroit where he recruited Murphy again to win more cups on the TOP PAIRING again there. (Some say Murphy wouldn't be in the HHOF if it ain't for the role Scotty put him in - but the point is: he got the job done!)

The goaltending....

Hugh Lehman
Pekka Rinne

It needs less Coffey... or more... in shootouts.

This team will win a lot of 5-4, 6-5 games.
Can it win 1-0, 3-2 affairs? The investment in goaltending and defense is underwhelming, but... but... this is a forward-tilt, balls-to-the-wall club that could win it all leaning forward with the aforementioned stunningly great 1st line, a possible coach Green makeshift Malone - Oates - Mogilny 2nd line, Tikkanen - Jarvis - Lehtinen 3rd line.

 

[Hitru]

Coffey is 1D and a great one to that. Yes, he won't play pk and that's not what's asked from him. Buth he will drive offense better than one or two bueliners can. Vasiliev is not a question mark 3rd either ( for example, he is ranked as 31D in top 200 players list, whic is not perfect by any means but should be enough to rebuke claims he is questionmark 3D in 24 player draft ).

Furthermore, the pair should work nicely with Vasiliev handling more of d side and physical stuff while Coffey does his thing. Murph will carry 2nd pair well.

 

[nabby12]

Winnipeg Falcons

Coach: Lester Patrick*

Sid Abel(A)¹‡-Peter Forsberg-Bill Cook(C)*†
Jiri Holik°ª-Peter Stastny°-Vladimir Martinec°
Baldy Northcott⁴-Neil Colville*‡-Jimmy Ward⁴
Matthew Tkachuk⁵-Dan Bain²-Phil Watson*
Brady Tkachuk⁵-Bobby Holikª
_____________________________
Derian Hatcher(A)³-Eddie Shore
Bill Quackenbush¹-Bullet Joe Simpson²†
Leo Reise Jr¹‡-Kevin Hatcher³
Andrei Markov
__________________
Charlie Gardiner
Connor Hellebuyck²

Legend:
*=Lester Patrick & players he's coached to Stanley Cups [Patrick, Cook, Colville, Watson]
°=Czechoslovak National Team Teammates, 1975-79, 2x IIHF Gold Medalists & Canada Cup Finalists [J. Holik, Stastny, Martinec- 1st & 3rd entries italicized because linemates]
¹=Detroit Red Wings Teammates, 1946-47 to 1948-49 (2x Stanley Cup Finals & 1 Wales Trophy)-
[Abel, Quackenbush, Reise Jr]
²=Native to and/or flourished in Manitoba [Bain (career w/Victorias), Simpson (born Manitoba, played 3 years in MB for Victorias & Selkirk), Hellebuyck (currently starring for Jets)]
³=Brothers & teammates, Gold Medal Winning 1996 World Cup of Hockey Team USA squad [D. Hatcher, K. Hatcher]
⁴=Linemates, 1929-30 to 1937-38 Montreal Maroons, 2x 1st Pl Canadian Division, 1934-35 Stanley Cup Champions [Northcott, Ward]
⁵=Brothers II, [M. Tkachuk, B. Tkachuk]
ª=avuncular relationship (uncle/nephew) [J. Holik, B. Holik]
‡=WWII Veterans [Abel, Colville, Reise Jr]
†=WWI Veterans [Cook, Simpson]

PP1:
Bill Cook
Sid Abel-Eddie Shore-Peter Forsberg
Joe Simpson

PP2:
Bain
Colville-Stastny-Martinec
K. Hatcher

extra PPers - M. Tkachuk, Quackenbush

PK1:
Northcott-P. Watson
D, Hatcher-Colville

PK2:
J. Holik-Martinec
Quackenbush-K. Hatcher

extra PKers - Shore, Reise Jr.

 

[Hawkey Town 18]

Chicago Shamrocks

Coach: Hap Day

Alexander Ovechkin (A) - Mike Modano - Alexander Maltsev
Steve Shutt - Norm Ullman - Guy Lafleur
John Tonelli - Jonathan Toews (A) - Larry Aurie
Bob Davidson - Aleksander Barkov - Joe Pavelski


Victor Hedman - Eddie Gerard (C)
Roman Josi - Jimmy Thomson
Jim Neilson - Terry Harper


Andrei Vasilevskiy
Roy Worters
(About a 55/45 split in the regular season, Vasilevskiy will get the reins in the playoffs)


Spares: Barry Beck, Walt Tkaczuk, Rejean Houle


PP1
Pavelski
Ovechkin - Maltsev - Lafleur
Josi

PP2
Shutt/Tonelli
Ovechkin/Toews - Ullman - Lafleur/Modano
Hedman


PK1
Modano - Toews
Gerard - Harper

PK2
Barkov - Aurie
Neilson - Thomson

Extra PK F: Pavelski, Davidson
Extra PK D: Hedman

​

Estimated Regular Season Minutes
Forwards

Player	ES	PP	PK	Total
A. Ovechkin	14	6		20
M. Modano	11	2	4	17
A. Maltsev	13	4		17
S. Shutt	13	1		14
N. Ullman	14	3		17
G. Lafleur	15	5		20
J. Tonelli	11	1		11
J. Toews	12	1	3	16
L. Aurie	10		4	14
Bob Davidson	8			8
A. Barkov	9		3	12
J. Pavelski	8	5		13
TOTAL	138	28	14	180

Defense

Player	ES	PP	PK	Total
V. Hedman	20	3		23
E. Gerard	18		4	22
R. Josi	16	4		20
J. Thomson	17		3	20
J. Neilson	10		3	13
T. Harper	11		4	15
TOTAL	92	7	14	113

 

[ChiTownPhilly]

Preliminary questions (first of a series)-

@Claude The Fraud
Last year, I was part of a Franchise that drafted Westfall & Nesterenko... and there were times I felt I had two of the same kind of thing. Now (understanding that I think this can actually be justified), share with us the thought process that led to Nesterenko being higher on the depth-chart, both at Even-Strength & on Special Teams?

@Dr John Carlson
Knowing Bobby Orr's injury-history, was any thought given to the idea of minutes-managing him during the Regular Season?

 

[Dr John Carlson]

Knowing Bobby Orr's injury-history, was any thought given to the idea of minutes-managing him during the Regular Season?

Both guys on my second pairing are not being used heavily on special teams, which allows me to load up on them at even strength more than I would otherwise and help reduce my Orr-reliance. While Niedermayer obviously won't be putting up anywhere near Orr numbers, the second pairing is built around the same idea as the first, with an incredible skater paired with a stay at homer, so swapping between the two on the fly is pretty natural. And I did get Svedberg primarily as Orr insurance.

 

[The Macho King]

RICHMOND RENEGADES

Coach: Joel Quenneville
Captain: King Clancy
Assistant: Lionel Hitchman
Assistant: Vyacheslav Starshinov

Bobby Hull - Elmer Lach - Martin St. Louis
Bert Olmstead - Jean Ratelle - Cecil Dillon
Marty Pavelich - Vyacheslav Starshinov - Joe Mullen
Rick Nash - John Madden - Tim Kerr
Ondrej Palat, Vincent Lecavalier

Lionel Conacher - King Clancy
Carl Brewer - Lionel Hitchman
Brian Campbell - Teppo Numminen
Albert Leduc

Glenn Hall
Tim Thomas
​

PP1: Hull, Lach, St. Louis, Olmstead, Clancy
PP2: Starshinov, Ratelle, Kerr, Nash, Conacher

PK1: Pavelich, Madden, Hitchman, Brewer
PK2: Dillon, Starshinov, Conacher, Clancy

 

[tinyzombies]

ok boys, it's your job to turn this into a championship contender:

Head Coach Fred Shero

Captain: Bobby Clarke
Alternate Captains: Larry Robinson, Newsy Lalonde

Kariya - Clarke - Bathgate
Noble - Lalonde - Anderson
Propp - Carbonneau - Finnigan
Rusty Crawford - Hawerchuk - Bondra

Robinson - Stuart
Boon - Mantha
Wilson/McDonagh - Heller

Vezina
Barrasso

Bench
Hodge
Kovalev

PP1:
Clarke
Bathgate - Lalonde - Kariya
Robinson

PP2:
Anderson
H. Stuart - Hawerchuk - Bondra
Boon

PK1: Robinson, Mantha, Carbo, Propp
PK2: McDonagh, H. Stuart, Clarke, Finnigan

 

[ChiTownPhilly]

Gallifrey TARDIS

Coach: Pete Green

Dickie Moore - Howie Morenz - Bernie Geoffrion
Jere Lehtinen - Joe Malone(A) - Daniel Alfredsson(A)
Esa Tikkanen - Adam Oates - Alexander Mogilny
Charlie Simmer - Doug Jarvis - Patrick Sharp

Paul Coffey - Valeri Vasiliev(C)
Herb Gardiner - Larry Murphy
Kevin Lowe - Ted Green

Spares: Kris Draper, Adam Fox, Johnny Gaudreau

Hugh Lehman
Pekka Rinne​

Oates ought to center the 2nd line and Malone be kicked to wing. Tikki, Jarvis, Alfie ought to rock 3rd line duty.


Coffey is a great 2/3, V a question mark 3nd d, 2nd pairing guy ideally. So, no #1 in the house, 25+ minute all-situ wise.

You see, I think a useful way of looking at this is to compare Gallifrey's first-pairing RD to others in his division. They are: Park, Horton, Karlsson, Lapointe, and Kasatonov. Vasiliev does NOT look out of place on that list. Though we might call Karlsson 'greater' (or "more top"), I think, all things being equal, I'd rather have Vasiliev in an ATD-context.

FWIW, I think Malone is suitably positioned at Center, I've long asserted that Malone at LW makes sense if paired with larger-than-life personnel who can help make space for him. the TARDIS doesn't have anything like that in their hold- at least, not after the first line, which is already in something of a bespoke state. Lehtinen continues to be under-valued in a wearisome manner.

@Professor What & @Hitru : Gallifrey's an interesting squad to me, inasmuch as they're less strong in places that I think ATD over-estimates, historically.... Goaltending [someone has to have the last-place Goaltender in your Division- and looks like it's you], and Power Play [Mogilny & Simmer featuring big in a <24 team ATD power-play feels like it comes up a little short in-the-balances]. But (to my earlier point), 80% of the time (roughly) a Power Play is a non-event on the scoreboard. I DO like the coach-personnel blend here- but in order to cement playoff-contender status, I'll need to be convinced that the TARDIS can go at it hammer-and-tongs with anyone in 5v5 play. I'd be interested in hearing your vision with regard to that goal.

 

[The Macho King]

Emerald Flowsion

Head Coach: Glen Sather
Team Captain: Ray Bourque
Alternate Captain: Henri Richard
Alternate Captain: Fern Flaman



Forwards
Frank Mahovlich • Phil Esposito • Rod Gilbert
Busher Jackson • Henri Richard • David Pastrnak
Joe Klukay • Duke Keats • Gordie Drillon
Rick Martin • Joel Otto • Mark Stone
Henrik Sedin, Mikko Rantanen

Defensemen
Ray Bourque • Erik Karlsson
Ken Reardon • Fern Flaman
Willie Mitchell • P.K. Subban
Glen Harmon

Goaltenders
Clint Benedict
Roberto Luongo


​

Power Play 1​

Esposito • Mahovlich • Gilbert • Bourque • Karlsson​

Power Play 2​

Jackson • Drillon • Keats • Pastrnak • Subban​

​

Penalty Kill 1​

Richard • Klukay • Reardon • Flaman​

Penalty Kill 2​

Otto • Stone • Bourque • Mitchell​

I'll do a quick peak at some stuff I see throughout the day.

Mahovlich and Espo on a line is very much a black hole defensively. I don't think of Gilbert as a particularly notable two-way player, and he seems a little... undergunned to be a top line RW in this format, so I'd definitely be concerned about their matchup potential. Espo is also maybe a questionable fit here. Slower guy and Frank and Gilbert were not. Additionally general line construction is puck retriever - playmaker - goal scorer. That's not set in stone and you can get away from that a bit, but I look at this line and I wonder who is going into the corners to retrieve the puck, who is looking to distribute the puck, and who is carrying the puck up ice. And I don't have a great answer.

Your second line is better constructed although I'm not sure if Pastrnak has enough of a resume to be a second liner yet? At worst he's close though so that's a nitpick if anything. Richard as a Bergeron substitute is an inspired choice though and I think that unit will function pretty well.

The third line is curious... Drillon is a negative defensively, but Klukay and Keats obviously are not. I'm guessing you want it as a quasi-scoring line but Drillon makes it kind of not work as a pure checking line since he's such a black hole on that end. I'd think of whether Stone has enough of a career to be on the third line there because he seems like a better fit. Fourth line is fine.

I don't love your first pair. How many pucks are you playing with because both Bourque and Karlsson are going to want it. I'd normally say split them up but Reardon plays kind of a poor man's Karlsson game so I don't know if they'll fit together either. I think you just kind of overloaded on offensive Dmen here, and considering a rather... meh defense from your top line the lack of pure defensive ability may really expose you, especially since your goaltending is middle of the road rather than elite.

I'm not sure if Reardon is a first unit PKer in this format - once again he was more of a puck rusher tough customer guy who was solid on D, but I don't think of him as a lock down guy. Also I wouldn't necessarily ding you for it but I do tend to prefer a 4F-1D PP (although obviously your guys have the bona fides to be on a first unit).

My final question is Willie Mitchell. #2D on a couple of Cup Winners I guess but... ATD worthy? ATD PK worthy especially? I need to be convinced.

 

[The Macho King]

Gallifrey TARDIS

Coach: Pete Green

Dickie Moore - Howie Morenz - Bernie Geoffrion
Jere Lehtinen - Joe Malone(A) - Daniel Alfredsson(A)
Esa Tikkanen - Adam Oates - Alexander Mogilny
Charlie Simmer - Doug Jarvis - Patrick Sharp

Paul Coffey - Valeri Vasiliev(C)
Herb Gardiner - Larry Murphy
Kevin Lowe - Ted Green

Spares: Kris Draper, Adam Fox, Johnny Gaudreau

Hugh Lehman
Pekka Rinne

PP1:
Mogilny
Morenz Oates Geoffrion
Coffey

PP2:
Simmer
Alfredsson Malone Moore
Murphy

PK1:
Jarvis Lehtinen Vasiliev Gardiner

PK2:
Oates Tikkanen Lowe Green​

Pretty nice first line here. No notes - elite 1C, great trigger RW, and Moore gives you a little bit of everything.

Second line... Lehtinen probably should not be seeing top 6 in an ATD. He's giving you zero offense in this format. I'm not sure of the fit with Alfie and Malone, but I could see how that would work though.

Third line... Oates is a bit of an odd casting (I generally consider him a budget second liner or a third liner if you have a Nighbor/Clarke type to take some of the heavy defensive usage), but he's not a *bad* defensive player. Mogilny is an odd fit there and Tikkanen is also probably playing a line too high (similar to Lehtinen). The biggest issue I have is through your top six I don't see a great defensive center and you're relying a lot on your LW to do that lifting, but your offensive talent isn't extreme enough to overcome that.

Fourth line is fine.

Coffey is on my do not draft list. I think he's especially exposed in this format because Vasiliev isn't a guy that really covers his weaknesses and you went budget on goaltending, which means most of Coffey's skating when he doesn't have the puck is going to be fishing pucks out of the net. Then you kind of go hat on a hat with Larry Murphy on the second pair. Third pair is okay.

 

[Professor What]

So, I'm kind of trying to do this under something of a time crunch, so I hope it'll be coherent. I may even be up and down while I'm trying to write it.

Anyway, I'm glad everybody loves our first line. We're proud of it. Love the way it came together.

As for the workings of the top three lines, we've discussed a left wing lock there, to support the LW position providing the defensive conscience. We feel that Moore, Lehtinen, and Tikkanen can cover that role just fine. Malone and Mogilny should provide the goalscoring for the second and third lines, and we believe that Alfredsson and Oates offer even range in their games to be their setup guys as well as contributing a bit of goalscoring and defense on their own.

This might come off as weird, but I'm not going to try to defend Coffey. He's one of those guys that opinions are set on. You either love him or hate him, and nothing I can say is going to change your mind. One thing is certain though: when it comes to a defenseman stirring the drink for offense, it's hard to think of anybody not named Bobby Orr that does it better. A guy I will defend is Vasiliev. As CTP said, I think he fits in very nicely with the #1 RD's in the division. He's obviously going to be asked to take on a defensive role in this lineup, but we feel that he can do it. Yes, it's still going to be like having one defenseman back there as far as the first pairing is concerned, but when we're on defense, Moore will be back there to support too. Make no question, this is still an offensive first unit, and we know that. But I don't think that Lehman is going to be hanging out to dry any more than say, Fuhr did. We're at least trying to have some measure of defensive responsibility among our forwards as well.

As for goaltending, yes, we're the weakest in our division there. I'm not going to try to argue that. It would be crazy to do so, since it's a who's who of netminding in our division. I almost get the feeling that Lehman is being viewed as a scrub though, and I don't think that's fair. I don't think there's any question that he's a solid regular season guy, and his playoff reputation has gotten something of a rehabilitation through things like the pre-consolidation project. Ultimately, his job isn't to outduel the big guns in the division in defensive struggles, but to keep us in games, which I think he can do quite well. Again, Grant Fuhr comes to mind. The numbers weren't always stellar, but he did his job, and there's no questioning the success that the teams had with that setup.

Anyway, as I said, I did this with some distraction, so if I didn't say something clearly, let me know and I'll try to clarify. Thanks to the folks who have reviewed our team. This is one of the sections of the draft that can sting if you don't take it the right way, but it's also one of the best opportunities to learn, and ultimately to me, the ATD is just a fun way to learn about a fun hobby.

 

[Hitru]

I will quickly defend our 1pp. I agree that Mogilny can be seen to be slightly underwhelming in ATD 1pp, but Coffey, Oates, Boom, Morenz are, in my opinion, very good pp pieces.

Coffey is excellent in both shooting and passing, Oates is one of the best playmakers of his time, and Boom + Morenz can shoot. Coffey or Morenz will skate the puck to the offensive zone. And Mogilny has a good shot too, so it's not like he brings nothing to the table.

So taken the whole unit under consideration I don't think 1pp is a weakness for us.

 

[MVP of West Hollywd]

I will quickly defend our 1pp. I agree that Mogilny can be seen to be slightly underwhelming in ATD 1pp, but Coffey, Oates, Boom, Morenz are, in my opinion, very good pp pieces.

Coffey is excellent in both shooting and passing, Oates is one of the best playmakers of his time, and Boom + Morenz can shoot. Coffey or Morenz will skate the puck to the offensive zone. And Mogilny has a good shot too, so it's not like he brings nothing to the table.

So taken the whole unit under consideration I don't think 1pp is a weakness for us.

I don't have a problem with Mogilny playing 1st powerplay talent wise however it stuck me that the power play is written in the 1-3-1 way with him listed in the typical "net front" role, I would be interested to know if it's a strategy to forego trying to have someone go for screens/rebounds/deflections in favor of more skill.(unless I'm missing something about how Mogilny was used on power play) Maybe first powerplay of Malone, Geoffrion-Morenz-Moore, Coffey, and then Oates passing to Mogilny on 2nd powerplay would make more sense to me. My impression is Malone is one of those guys that doesn't move the fastest but is good at knowing how to score close, maybe in an ideal world he's in the role Geoffrion or Morenz have on the current power play unit, but I think I'd still take my chances with him as the closest guy to the net over Mogilny.

 

[Johnny Engine]

I don't have a problem with Mogilny playing 1st powerplay talent wise however it stuck me that the power play is written in the 1-3-1 way with him listed in the typical "net front" role, I would be interested to know if it's a strategy to forego trying to have someone go for screens/rebounds/deflections in favor of more skill.(unless I'm missing something about how Mogilny was used on power play) Maybe first powerplay of Malone, Geoffrion-Morenz-Moore, Coffey, and then Oates passing to Mogilny on 2nd powerplay would make more sense to me. My impression is Malone is one of those guys that doesn't move the fastest but is good at knowing how to score close, maybe in an ideal world he's in the role Geoffrion or Morenz have on the current power play unit, but I think I'd still take my chances with him as the closest guy to the net over Mogilny.

Not the peak of Mogilny's prime here, but this summer I watched and took note of the Leafs 2002 run. When they had all their horses, Mogilny played the right flank in an umbrella with Kaberle on the left side, McCabe at the point, and Sundin and Roberts near the net. When the injuries hit, they just started rolling their top two forward lines with Kaberle and McCabe playing most of the power play, and the structure got very loose and Mogilny's unit wasn't very effective at all (Green and Corson were the most common other forwards...there's your problem).
No evidence of him doing anything in the net front in either of those cases. I could see him in more of a goal line playmaker role, but I'd certainly rather see him get a chance to fire wristshots from a distance.