Season 15 Challenges - 3/team - DEADLINE FRI MARCH 29

[Chris-Wild]

#2. Jonathan Toews - SP/SK/DF

Tough to find a scouting report but here is a video showing how great a skater and how fast he is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msdqaPCOsd4

He's fluid, he's fast, he's a talented skater no doubt...I am seeking a slight bump of his SP/SK to 78/80

Also would like his DF bumped to 76, he was last years selke finalist and deserves to be near the top:

Toews led all Chicago forwards with a career-high plus-25 rating. He was second in the NHL with 95 takeaways and won 56.7 of his faceoffs. Toews also delivered 74 hits and blocked 28 shots.

http://m.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/datsyuk-kesler-and-toews-named-finalists-for-selke-trophy/article2000653/?service=mobile

[Chris-Wild]

#3. Ryan Callahan - DF

Continually one of the best defensive forwards in the game today, every year he is near the top of the statistics in blocked shots (2011-12 season finished 3rd among all forwards) and takeaways (35 more takeaways than giveaways). He is consistently leaned on by Torts to play against other teams top lines.

I am seeking a DF of 72.

[Francis-NJ]

Lennart Petrell

Current DF: 60

Requested DF: 72 (big leap I know, but his numbers justify an above 70 DF)

Petrell has proven to be the go-to guy on the PK in Edmonton and is doing an admirable job. Currently sitting at -3 in a team with only 1 player on the plus side (Mark Fistric, +3 in 17 games)

2nd best forward on the Oliers in SH TOI/g with 2:53 (Eric Belanger 3:23), he ranks 7th in the whole league in that department. (6th if you don't count Darren Helm with only 1 GP)

Also 2nd best forward on the Oilers with 19 blocked shots (RNH 21)

''He’s an exceptional penalty killer with good skating abilities and stood out in the Oilers 2-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday''
Edmonton Sun
http://www.edmontonsun.com/2011/09/23/p ... ilers-camp

''Is a solid defensive winger with NHL size and some versatility in his game
Kills penalties well and can provide energy''
Hockey News
http://forecaster.thehockeynews.com/hoc ... r.php?4740

[Francis-NJ]

Vernon Fiddler

Current DF: 70
Requested : 73

Leads Stars Forwards with 2:31 SH TOI/g. Fiddler is the go-to guy in Dallas on the PK. 17th in the whole league.

2nd forward in blocked shots on the team with 21 (Derek Roy 22) and an incredible Giveaway/takeaway ratio with 4/16 make him one of the more steady forward on the team

Plays with hockey smarts, can get under opponents' skin, displays solid defensive instincts and sound face-off skills.
Hockey News
http://forecaster.thehockeynews.com/hoc ... r.php?2892

Fiddler played his last two seasons with the Phoenix Coyotes to great effect and was a good fit with what they wanted to do there, which was play smart defensive hockey. Fiddler is known as a dynamite faceoff guy, always welcome in Dallas, and a good penalty killer, which the Stars need because that was a huge problem last year.
http://www.defendingbigd.com/2011/7/1/2 ... -year-deal

[Rui - Flames]

Nick Bonino

Current: 66 SP, 66 SK, 55 DF
Suggested: 70 SP, 68 SK, 64 DF

Bonino has worked hard on his skating since being DHL created, so I'm looking to see his skating attributes match those of the SHL.
Bonino has been deployed regularly on the PK this year. He is by far the most efficient shot blocking forward on the Ducks this season (36 in 23 games). He's also the 2nd best Ducks forward in terms of takeaways with 11.

(Forecaster) Assets: Displays solid two-way instincts, as well as leadership skills. Works hard to improve his game. Has the ability come up big with the game on the line. Owns untapped offensive upside.

Here are a few quotes from an article on his emergence this season:
http://www.anaheimcalling.com/2013/2/7/3961594/anaheim-ducks-nick-bonino-trade-center
"What I am here to say is Bonino's play has been stellar this season, even when he hasn't been on the scoresheet."
"In fact, I would even argue that while he's been moved around the lineup a fair amount, Bonino has quietly been one of the most solid and consistent depth players on an Anaheim team that's started garnering trace amounts of national attention."
"Bonino and fellow forwards Andrew Cogliano and Saku Koivu have stood out with their aggressive pressure and selfless shot blocking."
"Bruce Boudreau has shown confidence in the Hartford, Connecticut native by sending him out to take key draws, particularly in the defensive zone."

[Carolina Gm-Andrew]

Carolina Challenges

Jonathan Ericcson

Current Df- 69

Requested DF- 74

Jonathan Ericcson is 13th among all NHL defenseman in time spent on the PK per game, at 3:14. He has established himself as the Red Wings go to player in shorthanded situations as he is being used as their top PK defenseman, above more recognized blueliners in Niklas Kronwall and Kyle Quincey.

In addition he is blocking over a shot per game.


Ryan Wilson

Current Df-67

Requested Df-74

Ryan Wilson plays in all situations but has really established himself on the P.K. Here he leads all Colorado skaters at 3:02 per game. He is jumping over the boards in front of Jan Hejda (74df) and Greg Zanon (74df). I would like his DF rating to reflect his new role and allow him to play it in DHL.


Ruslan Fedentenko

Current DF- 56

Requested DF-70

Ruslan Fedentenko is a 11year veteran of the NHL, this year he is playing on Philadelphia's first P.K pairing. He is averaging 2:54 on the pk per game, which is 6th among forwards in the NHL. This puts him ahead of the following players with DF ratings above 70: Fiddler, Gaustad, Nielsen, and Kelly.

[bluesgm]

just to be clear St Louis Blues 3 challanges are: Setoguchi, CLutterbuck and Cogliano

Tampa is welcome to use my write up on Drew Miller....but St Louis is not challanging him

[Boltsgm]

Updated...

[jonquixote]

MATT NISKANEN DF 72

Niskanen is no longer a bottom pairing guy. He's on the 2nd pairing in Pittsburgh, playing more than 17 minutes a night at ES. He plays the 2nd hardest competition according to Behind The Net (and he's not getting a teammate bump), and of the Pens regular defensemen he has the fewest giveaways. When he's off the ice, Pittsburgh gives up .2 goals per game more than when he's on it - his numbers are positive.

He's a legit defensive defenseman in the NHL - no star, but he should be able to be relied upon to play good defense - and deserves a number north of 70.

MAGNUS PAAJARVI DF 60 SP 80

Paajarvi's crazy fast, and it should show. Here's a highlight reel that shows his speed. His SP is pretty good right now, but it should be close to elite, if not actually elite. It's the thing he does. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZz-eXS7pm8

Here's the link to forecaster's scouting report that praises both speed and 2-way ability: http://forecaster.thehockeynews.com/hoc ... r.php?6555

But he's also playing legit now in the NHL in a 2-way role, and he's the belle of the mathletes' ball in Edmonton. His GA ON is .64(!) goals lower than his GA Off and the only players with a lower GA ON are Smyth and Belanger (DF 55 and 65 respectively).

Here's a link to an article that compares him favorably (as in - better) to Ryan Jones (DF 58) : http://oilersnation.com/2013/1/15/ralph ... a-good-day and also talks about how his defensive play has been this year (hint: really fucking good).

And a link with loads of stats that show how he's progressed (along with some effusive praise from one of the Edmonton hockey media's more prominent mathletes). http://lowetide.ca/blog/2013/03/magnus-opus.html

And another link full of praise for how he's come along and rounded out his game: http://oilersnation.com/2013/3/12/overn ... -this-time

He should be a guy who can play on the 3rd/4th lines in a checking role, and the only way to do that is to give him a DF of around 60.

[jonquixote]

Mikael Samuelsson DF 63

There aren't a lot of stats for Samuelsson this year because of his injury, but he's a vet known for his 2-way play and his DF should be much higher than the wimpy average number he currently has.

Here's forecaster on him: http://forecaster.thehockeynews.com/hoc ... r.php?1698

"Has a good shot, size and two-way ability. Plays a solid game in all three zones. Understands the positioning aspects of the game of hockey. Can play the point on power plays."

That's 4 sentences, 3 of which praise abilities that should all contribute to a high DF stat. Last year, his ES numbers were comparable to teammates Bergeinheim and Kopecky, all of whom have mid-60s DFs. Samuelsson doesn't kill penalties so I think that's why his rate is mistakenly low, but DF is more than PK. He plays a responsible, fairly physical game and last year had a positive +7 GvA TkA ratio.

He's a good defensive player and should be rated as such.

[Boltsgm]

are these going to be updated before sims run?

[Nick - Philly]

I think John said ratings committee will be looking at these today and it will be updated for tomorrow's sims.