wynne's NJ Be A GM

[Wynne - Retired Flyers GM]

Going to be tough to make a winning franchise here, but let's see what we can do

Injuries off; salary cap on

I'm expecting to win at least 36 games this season.

Heading into preseason, the lineup looks like this;

Zach Parise - Travis Zajac - Ilya Kovalchuk
Patrik Elias - Dainius Zubrus - Mattias Tedenby
Petr Sykora - Adam Henrique - David Clarkson
Eric Boulton - Ryan Carter - Nick Palmieri

Ex. Cam Janssen

Andy Greene - Anton Volchenkov
Adam Larsson - Henrik Tallinder
Bryce Salvador - Kurtis Foster

Ex. Mark Fayne

Martin Brodeur
Johan Hedberg

I guess they don't have Steve Bernier signed :/

To start off the trade block, I'm going to put Kurtis Foster and Bryce Salvador up.

Going through other team's trade blocks, Derick Brassard may be a target.

We go through the preseason, and finish with a 3-1-0 record, with our only loss coming to the Philadelphia Flyers. Ilya Kovalchuk led the way with 4 goals.

Before we start the season, I decide to go after a center. At first, I was thinking Tyler Seguin, but I'm going to hold off on making a push for him. I did stick with Boston, and tried for Chris Kelly.

First Offer;

Chris Kelly for Kurtis Foster

Peter feels insulted. I try to include a 3rd, with no luck.

Instead, I go a different direction, and offer Kurtis Foster to Chicago in exchange for Nick Leddy and a 6th. They gladly accept.

And that will be all before the start of the season, trade wise.

Zach Parise - Travis Zajac - Ilya Kovalchuk
Patrik Elias - Dainius Zubrus - Mattias Tedenby
Petr Sykora - Adam Henrique - David Clarkson
Eric Boulton - Ryan Carter - Nick Palmieri

Ex. Cam Janssen

Andy Greene - Anton Volchenkov
Adam Larsson - Henrik Tallinder
Bryce Salvador - Nick Leddy

Ex. Mark Fayne

Martin Brodeur
Johan Hedberg

[Wynne - Retired Flyers GM]

Time to start the season. The boss says he'll be happily surprised if we make the playoffs, but won't be upset if we didn't. Plan is to make the playoffs.

After starting the season 0-2-1, we turn it around and finish October with a 5-3-1 record.

Before starting November, I decide to put Dainius Zubrus and Cam Janssen on the trade block. They join Bryce Salvador as players hopefully on their way out of town.

Have way through November, my scouts let me know they are excited about the class this year, so I may look at picking up more draft picks.

I also get my first offer, from the Ducks. They offer me Mark Bell for a couple of minor leaguers, Matt Anderson and Jean-Sebastien Berube. I sent a counter, that included those two, for Peter Holland, with no luck.

We end up finishing November with a 12-7-4 record, good for 8th in the East, tied with the Leafs and Rangers.

I thought it was a good time to try to bring in another young puck moving defenseman, in Jake Gardiner. After many attempts, Brian Burke finally gave in, and I acquired Jake Gardiner, along with Mike Brown and Philippe Dupuis in exchange for Dainius Zubrus, Mark Fayne, Cam Janssen and a 3rd round draft pick.

To make room for the 3, Ryan Carter was sent to the AHL, and Eric Boulton was put on waivers, where he was claimed by the Islanders. Jacob Josefson was also recalled to take a spot on the 3rd line.

Lineup now looks like;

Zach Parise - Travis Zajac - Ilya Kovalchuk
Patrik Elias - Adam Henrique - Mattias Tedenby
Petr Sykora - Jacob Josefson - David Clarkson
Mike Brown - Philippe Dupuis - Nick Palmieri

Andy Greene - Anton Volchenkov
Jake Gardiner - Adam Larsson
Henrik Tallinder - Nick Leddy

Martin Brodeur
Johan Hedberg

The trade block now includes Bryce Salvador, Henrik Tallinder and Philippe Dupuis.

Finishing up December, we sit 5th in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 20-12-5.

Before we begin January, we look to make a few moves. I see LA has Kyle Clifford on the block. We offer up Peter Harrold, and get an accept.

We make 1 more deal, acquiring Derick Brassard and a 3rd from Columbus for Henrik Tallinder.

To make room for Brassard and Clifford, I send Jacob Josefson back down to the AHL, and scratch Petr Sykora. Our lineup now looks like this;

Zach Parise - Travis Zajac - Ilya Kovalchuk
Patrik Elias - Derick Brassard - Mattias Tedenby
Kyle Clifford - Adam Henrique - David Clarkson
Mike Brown - Philippe Dupuis - Nick Palmieri

Andy Greene - Anton Volchenkov
Jake Gardiner - Adam Larsson
Bryce Salvador - Nick Leddy

Martin Brodeur
Johan Hedberg

We head into the All-Star break with a 28-15-5 record. Our All-Star representatives are Ilya Kovalchuk and Martin Brodeur. A very boring All-Star Game ends in a 2-1 win for Team Red (Eastern Conference).

1st Star - Henrik Lundqvist
2nd Star - Danny Briere
3rd Star - Ilya Kovalchuk

We finish January with a record of 28-15-6, good for 5th in the East. We were sitting 4th before our last game of January against the Rangers, which we lost, and are now trailing the Rangers by 1 point, and the Penguins by 3 points.

After a very disappointing stretch in January, we now sit with a record of 32-22-7 heading into the trade deadline. We will either be buying or sitting tight, we'll have to see what comes up.

[Wynne - Retired Flyers GM]

After beating the Rangers 4-1, we head into the trade deadline.

No offers

CBJ calling;
Dupuis for CBJ 4th, Martin St. Pierre - Counter; 4th + Jenner - No dice

FLA Calling;
Dupuis for FLA 4th, Mark Cullen - Counter; Shawn Matthias, 4th - Nope
CBJ Calling;
Dupuis, Sesito for Curtis Sanford, Martin St. Pierre - Counter; Clarkson for Ryan Johansen, CBJ 5th - Accepted

MTL trades Kaberle, Campoli and Diaz to NSH for Fisher, a 1st and 2 others.

ANA Calling;
Larsson for Lubomir Visnovsky, Jeff Deslauriers - Counter; Greene, Leddy, Brassard for Fowler, Smith-Pelly, Palmieri - Deal

EDM trades Ryan Smyth and picks to NSH for Craig Smith, Nick Spaling and Brian McGrattan

DET Calling;
Gardiner, Brown for Kindl, Conner - No thanks
TB Calling; Mike Brown for Juraj Kolnik - Counter; Josefson, WSH 2nd for Brett Connolly - No deal

And that wraps up the deadline.

Lineup now looks like;

Zach Parise - Travis Zajac - Ilya Kovalchuk
Patrik Elias - Ryan Johansen - Mattias Tedenby
Kyle Clifford - Adam Henrique - Nick Palmieri
Mike Brown - Philippe Dupuis - Petr Sykora

Cam Fowler - Anton Volchenkov
Jake Gardiner - Adam Larsson
Bryce Salvador - Matt Corrente

Martin Brodeur
Johan Hedberg

This team is going to need some work this off-season.

Almost collapsed down the stretch, but finished the season by going 8-2 in the last 10, good for 5th in the Conference.

WSH
NYR
BUF
PIT
NJ
TB
PHI
BOS

VAN
CHI
LA
SJ
CGY
COL
DET
NSH

Ilya Kovalchuk led the way with 32 goals and 55 assists.

Ended up being swept by the Penguins in the 1st round, that's weak.

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Buffalo Sabres in 5 games wo win the Stanley Cup.

The Rockford Icehogs were the Calder Cup champs.

Lost to retirement were Petr Sykora, Bryce Salvador, Martin Brodeur and Johan Hedberg.

Other notables; Tomas Vokoun, Teemu Selanne, Daniel Alfredsson, Jaromir Jagr

It's draft time!

The scout's short list includes;

Lukas Sedlak
Simon Tardif-Richard
Maxime Levesque
Ilya Nikolaev
Cody Fowlie

I put Travis Zajac on the trade block before the draft.

I see Cal Clutterbuck and Jaroslav Halak as possible targets off the trade block.

Currently hold the 17th overall draft pick. COL holds #1.

CBJ Calling;
Zajac for Vermette, Letestu - No thanks
CAR Calling;
Zajac for Sutter, Zack Smith - No thanks

I ignore my scouts, and go with LW Tyson Dallman with my 1st round pick.

CAR Calling;
Zajac for Jokinen, Stewart - No thanks
MTL Calling;
Zajac for Pacioretty, Smithson - Tempting, but no.

We have 2 picks in the 2nd round. With our 1st, we select Mathew Campagna. With our 2nd one, we select Nail Yakupov.

MTL Calling;
Zajac for Pacioretty, Desharnais - Nope
DAL Calling;
Zajac for Ott, Fiddler - ...

3rd round pick; Big 6'7 defenseman, Troy Donnay

MIN Calling;
Zajac for Clutterbuck, Cullen - No

Round 4, we draft another huge defenseman, 6'9 Vyacheslav Alexeev, along with Oscar Klefbom.

No offers in round 5, so we go after a goalie, Jonathan Bernier.

We offer a 1st, 2nd and 4th - Accepted, goaltending problem solved.

2 more picks in round 5, we select Cody Ceci and Colin Behenna.

We let our scouts do the rest, and sim the rest of the draft. Pretty uneventful, with just 2 trades.

Signing Time;

Sign Scott Wedgewood and re-sign Zach Parise to a 6 year deal. Qualify 6 players, and the let the rest go to free agency. I've got 31 guys signed, and over 25M to spend.

Projected Lineup;

Zach Parise - Travis Zajac - Ilya Kovalchuk
Patrik Elias - Ryan Johansen - Mattias Tedenby
XXX - XXX - XXX
Kyle Clifford - XXX - Nick Palmieri

Anton Volchenkov - Cam Fowler
Adam Larsson - Jake Gardiner
XXX - XXX

Jonathan Bernier
XXX

Depending what is out there, Henrique/Josefson and Brown may draw in.

Start by looking at goaltenders. Evgeni Nabokov is an 89

Offers;

G Brent Johnson - 1 Year @ $1.260M - ACCEPTED
D Korbinian Holzer - 1 Year @ $.590M - 2-Way - ACCEPTED
D Tim Gleason - 1 Year @ $4.015M - ACCEPTED
C Chris Kelly - 2 Years @ $2.085M - Declined, picked a different team
C Mikael Granlund - 3 Years @ $.525 - 2-Way - ACCEPETED
C Andrei Loktionov - 1 Year @ $.695 - 2-Way - ACCEPTED
RW Evgenii Dadonov - 1 year @ $.695M - 2-Way - ACCEPTED
LW Toni Rajala - 3 Years @ $.845 - 2-Way - ACCEPTED
LW Niklas Hagman - 1 Year @ $1.500M - Declined, picked a different team
RW Lee Stempniak - 1 Year @ $2.545M - ACCEPTED

Missed out on the guy I wanted most, Chris Kelly.

Lineup now projected as;

Zach Parise - Travis Zajac - Ilya Kovalchuk
Patrik Elias - Ryan Johansen - Mattias Tedenby
XXX - XXX - Lee Stempniak
Kyle Clifford - XXX - Nick Palmieri

Anton Volchenkov - Cam Fowler
Adam Larsson - Jake Gardiner
Tim Gleason - XXX

Jonathan Bernier
Brent Johnson

Granlund might end up getting a spot on the 3rd line.

Offers;

LW Ruslan Fedotenko - 1 Year @ $1.200M - ACCEPTED
D Greg Zanon - 1 Year @ $1.200M - ACCEPTED
C Dominic Moore - 1 Year @ $1.150M - ACCEPTED

After those;

Zach Parise - Travis Zajac - Ilya Kovalchuk
Patrik Elias - Ryan Johansen - Mattias Tedenby
Ruslan Fedotenko - Mikael Granlund - Lee Stempniak
Kyle Clifford - Dominic Moore - Nick Palmieri

Anton Volchenkov - Cam Fowler
Adam Larsson - Jake Gardiner
Tim Gleason - Greg Zanon

Jonathan Bernier
Brent Johnson

Baring any trades, this is likely the team to start the season. Just need to make a few depth signings and I'll be ready to go.

Filled out my roster, and I'm ready to go. Still have 18M to play with in case something comes up.

We go through the pre-season, and finish 4-0, and Kovalchuk leads the way with 7 goals, let's hope that continues.

Next stop, start of the season against the Boston Bruins!

[New Jersey Devils GM]

Nail in the 2nd? Guess you didn't edit him. lol

Team looks deep and young.

[Wynne - Retired Flyers GM]

Nope, didn't edit him. He used to go like top 5, got the update, and now he's a projected 3rd round pick.