N.H.L. thread

[LieutenantDan67]

Wow....long, enthusiastic hockey thread! Glad to see the passion for any major sport!

I'm not a big hockey fan (I'm a NFL guy), but enjoy the vid games from time to time, but then in the 90's there was a basketball or NFL strike season, so I turned to the NHL. Living in Seattle, I watched the Canucks games on the NHL ticket on DirectTv. I've had a soft spot for them ever since. What happened to the cool blue unis???

Do the hockey minors work a little differently than baseball? Seems to me that I'm always getting newletters from the Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) that such and such signed with the Red Wings, another player to the Bruins, etc. Not specifically a 'farm team' for any specific club, right?

I got NHL 09 yesterday as I'm stoked about BAP. I want to create a player and get on with the Thunderbirds, and hopefully make my way to the Canucks. Do you have a choice who you play for?

Hope all of you fans enjoy the season, and God bless all the players that no one gets seriously hurt this year. Hate to see injuries in any sport.

Dan

[boffo]

The Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL are a major junior team. It's one of the 3 leagues that make up the Canadian Hockey League(CHL) along with the OHL and QMJHL. They consist of players age 15-20 and is the last step before they turn pro. When a North American teenager is working towards a hopeful NHL career the main two choices they have is either the CHL or in the US they can go the NCAA route.

Once they turn 18 they become eligible for the NHL draft in either league. At that point they become property of whatever team drafted them. If they play well enough they can go straight to the NHL at that point. If not they can be sent back to their junior or college team. Once they turn 20 in the CHL or are finished their education in NCAA if they still haven't made the NHL they can be assigned to a minor pro team which is essentialy the farm system for their team. The direct level beneath the NHL is the AHL and beneath that is the ECHL.

In NHL 09 when you create a pro they begin on the AHL team of whatever franchise you choose. ie. I picked the Boston Bruins so my player has begun his career on the Providence Bruins of the AHL. The junior and college teams aren't represented in the game at all.

Oh....and what system did you get NHL 09 for?

[boffo]

Originally Posted by Molish

Go HABS!!!

Wait.. shit! I'm too late!

I knew there was a rule I forgot to add when we redid them. Cheering for the Canadiens is a bannable offense.

[Molish]

Originally Posted by boffo

I knew there was a rule I forgot to add when we redid them. Cheering for the Canadiens is a bannable offense.

Here's a tissue.

[LieutenantDan67]

Originally Posted by boffo

The Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL are a major junior team. It's one of the 3 leagues that make up the Canadian Hockey League(CHL) along with the OHL and QMJHL. They consist of players age 15-20 and is the last step before they turn pro. When a North American teenager is working towards a hopeful NHL career the main two choices they have is either the CHL or in the US they can go the NCAA route.

Once they turn 18 they become eligible for the NHL draft in either league. At that point they become property of whatever team drafted them. If they play well enough they can go straight to the NHL at that point. If not they can be sent back to their junior or college team. Once they turn 20 in the CHL or are finished their education in NCAA if they still haven't made the NHL they can be assigned to a minor pro team which is essentialy the farm system for their team. The direct level beneath the NHL is the AHL and beneath that is the ECHL.

In NHL 09 when you create a pro they begin on the AHL team of whatever franchise you choose. ie. I picked the Boston Bruins so my player has begun his career on the Providence Bruins of the AHL. The junior and college teams aren't represented in the game at all.

Oh....and what system did you get NHL 09 for?

Wow...very informative. Thank you! Kinda complex, innit? LOL

I have it for Xbox 360...was going to start last night but got addicted to the NFL Draft in my NFL Head Coach 09 game and played till 2:30 AM. I'll be interested to see who the minor team is for the Canucks...

[boffo]

Originally Posted by LieutenantDan67

Wow...very informative. Thank you! Kinda complex, innit? LOL

I have it for Xbox 360...was going to start last night but got addicted to the NFL Draft in my NFL Head Coach 09 game and played till 2:30 AM. I'll be interested to see who the minor team is for the Canucks...

Trust me when I say that I gave you the dumbed down version. There are various exceptions to the eligibility rules to play in the different lower leagues but I figured they weren't too important.

The Canucks AHL team is the Manitoba Moose. Or at least it was the last time I checked. The AHL isn't a very static league when it comes to team locations and affiliations. There are usually at least a couple that change each summer.

Too bad about the 360 version. I want to join an EASHL team so I either need to find one to join or find enough people to make starting my own worthwhile.

[LieutenantDan67]

Thanks boffo...damn, I was REALLY stoked that the Thunderbirds would be in the game.

Sorry I got the 'wrong' version, but I seriously doubt I'd be of much aid on a EASHL team LOL.

[boffo]

Originally Posted by LieutenantDan67

Sorry I got the 'wrong' version, but I seriously doubt I'd be of much aid on a EASHL team LOL.

That's OK. And I'm sure you'd be enough help on a team assuming it's a team that is just trying to have fun. I know I'm too old to get all worked up and competitive while playing a game online with strangers. When gaming becomes stressful instead of fun while playing then there really isn't much point in doing it.

[LieutenantDan67]

Yeah, I know what you mean. When my COD4 sessions go to hell online and my blood pressure soars, I shut it down and put Tiger Woods 09 or Hot Shots OOB in and try to chill. LOL I'm in a Madden league, and this is the first time I've really tried to play team sports online.

[boffo]

I've got Hot Shots Golf as well. Good game. Keeping things on topic, I get stressed out enough from watching hockey. Sometimes I just listen to the game on the radio while I play whatever the latest hockey videogame I own happens to be. That helps keep me a bit more relaxed. Being competitive and stressed playing a game would really throw that balance off.