DISCLAIMER---THIS IS A SIM, ONLY A SIM, AND NOTHING MORE THAN A SIM. DON'T LOSE YOUR MIND OVER ANYTHING. ENJOY!
2022 Offseason.
NHL Draft Lottery
As I had traded away assets on expiring deals and gave teams some cap relief, I acquired quite a few picks. PIT had 4 1sts and 3 had a shot at winning the Lottery. I called it a 1 year retool but I basically blew the team up--but kept the core.
Draft Lottery Results:
#1---NJD
#2---LAK
#3---PIT
NHL Draft
PIT trades (2)1sts(3rd OVR), 4th to LAK for 1st(2nd OVR)---PIT moved up to #2.
Contract Extensions(notables).
PIT signs:
C. Lee-----------4 x 939K
F. Hallander--6 x 1.6M
N. Legare-----6 x 2.0M
P. Joseph-----5 x 3.9M
S. Poulin------5 x 4.4M
K. Letang-----8 x 4.8M
E. Malkin-----8 x 5.7M
So you can see I locked up the kids long term at reasonable numbers and gave Geno and Tanger deals till the end of their career to get the number as low as possible.
July 1st---Oh and what a July 1st. GMJR loses his mind(JK, it's me that lost my mind.)
So I wanted my 1st/2nd round picks back so I could (leak) offer sheet someone(s).
PIT trades 1st/3rd/(2) 5ths to LAK for 1st(PIT)
PIT trades 2nd to CGY for 2nd(PIT), 7th
Then I cleared some cap.
PIT trades J. Compher(bad contract), A. Rivard(prospect I took #9 OVR) to MIN for J. Brodin(older and not as good), 5th
THEN--THE BLOCKBUSTER.
PIT trades J. Zucker, M. Pettersson, D. Lindqvist(taken #19 in draft), A. Zetterberg(taken #10 OVR in draft), 5th to EDM for L. Draisaitl, E. Bear, M. Benning
Some context before you blow up: EDM has failed to build a contender around McDavid at this point in the sim. Bear and Bennning have not reached the potential we think they can and are at best average 3rd pair D. They were throw ins.
Then to solve the backup goalie issue--DeSmith was abominable last year.
PIT trades R. Volchkov, M. Lemieux(prospects), E. Bear, 2nd, 7th to ARI for A. Hill, B. Hayton
All in means all in.
PIT trades 1st, 2nd to TBL for A. Cirelli(RFA rights)
Get out your offer sheets!
PIT offer sheets K. Kapanen for 5 x 4.425M. 2nd transferred
PIT offer sheets B. Byram for 5 x 6.4M. 1st/3rd transferred
FA signings:
PIT signs N. Bonino for 7 x 1.1M
PIT signs J. Rutta for 2 x 704K
PIT signs A. Cirelli for 8 x 4.35M
NOTABLE TRADE:
CGY trades M. Tkachuk to EDM--hillarious-never gonna happen.
PIT player progression:
S. Wright========+5(86)
P. Joseph========+4(81)
A. Cirelli=========+3(87)
B. Hayton========+3(84)
B. Byram========+3(86)
S. Poulin=========+3(79)
L. Draisaitl=======+2(94)
F. Hallander======+2(76)
S. Crosby========+1(94)
J. Marino========+1(85)
D. Simon========+1(81)
J. Riikola========+1((80)
N. Legare=======+1((77)
E. Malkin========-1(91)
K. Letang========-1(89)
J. McCann=======-1(84)
J. Guentzel=======-2(89)
The opening night lineup.
Huberdeau-----Malkin-------Draisaitl
Guentzel--------Crosby-------Kapanen
Hayton-----------Cirelli---------Wright
McCann----------Bonino-------Simon
Byram-Letang
Brodie-Marino
Joseph-Reilly
Murray
Hill
PIT trades I. Podnicky, J. Jonsson(prospects) to BUF for U. Luukkonen
Fast forward.
PIT record at Trade Deadline: 40-17-5 (3rd in League)
PIT stats(notables): (62 GP)
Malkin----------74 PTS
Draisaitl--------71 PTS
Guentzel-------65 PTS=57 GP
Crosby----------57 PTS
Letang----------56 PTS
Huberdeau---55 PTS
Kapanen------46 PTS
Byram---------40 PTS=58 GP
Wright---------39 PTS
McCann-------35 PTS
Cirelli-----------29 PTS
Simon----------26 PTS
Poulin----------26 PTS=43 GP
Bonino---------25 PTS
Joseph---------14 PTS
Marino--------12 PTS=55 GP
G
Murray------40 GP, 25 W, 3.15 GAA, .903 SV%, 2 SH
Hill------------16 GP, 10 W, 3.25 GAA, .900 SV%, 1 SH
Luukkonen-6 GP, 5 W, 3.32 GAA, .900 SV%