Sorry that it's been a while since my last update...

We made the playoffs and I was all ready to go as the third (I think) seed.

Series 1 vs St. Louis:

Game 1: W 6-3
Game 2: W 5-2
Game 3: W 9-2
Game 4: L 3-2
Game 5: W 2-0

Series 2 vs Dallas:

Game 1: L 2-0
Game 2: W 3-1
Game 3: L 3-2
Game 4: L 1-0
Game 5: W 3-2
Game 6: L 1-0

The three shutouts in the series killed us, especially since two of them were 1-0 games and the other was 2-0. Had we been able to win just one of those I could've seen us winning the series, but I guess that just wasn't in the cards. The Capitals won the cup.

After the postseason, I was offered a three year contract renewal with the Blackhawks, of course I stayed (speaking of which I'm still debating how long to do this, part of me wants to do all 25 years, but another wants to stop if/when I don't get a renewal from Chicago, or possibly once I win the cup/all non CPU-generated players are retired.)

Before the draft Vinny Lecavalier retired, I claimed him off of waivers to trade but found no partners, so he just stayed in the AHL (he was better than some of my NHL guys, but I didn't want to make a roster move and I'd rather have had my young guys progress. I should have brought him up for playoffs though, wasn't thinking).

On to the draft, I only had 5 picks this year (no 2nd or 3rd) so I was really only able to snag one good prospect.

1(22): Doug Wiseman, C
4 (112): Bob Primeau, LW
5 (142): Justin Reed, D
6: (172): Charles Kato, D
7: (202): Milan Bilik, C

Even before re-signing players I had a look and saw that I have a lot of prospects, I'll probably look to move a few in the upcoming season, depending on how well we start.

I was quite surprised by how some of my players progressed/regressed:

Brewer 69 -> 75
Vachovec 76 -> 80
Leddy 85 -> 80 (How in the hell does this even happen?)
Morrow 76 -> 82
And Wardley went from whatever he was in the AHL (73?) to 80. Everyone else either only moved by a point or two or stayed put.

Anyway I released D Brent Seabrook, G Libor Kasik, and LW Dominik Volek and resigned G Kent Simpson, G Brandon Hope, G Marcus Johnsson, D Joseph Morrow, D Evan Wardley, RW Joel Armia, LW Troy Bourke, C David Walch, C Ryan Strome, C Nathan MacKinnon, D Jamie Oleksiak, and D Vyacheslav Tursumbayev.

As I head into free agency I'm not really looking for anything in particular. I now have three line full of guys 80+ in OVR, most of them with room to grow. I'm deep at Center, Defense, Right Wing, and pretty well off at goalie. I also have enough Right Wingers to comfortably fill my Left Wing as well. The only moves I really see myself making are to move some redundant pieces and to possibly sign a backup goalie for the AHL.

Into free agency: I was actually surprised at the quality of players available, usually its older guys and bottom six guys, but along with Seabrook (who I cut) both Chris Stewart and Michael Grabner were availible, both are 30 year old solid second liners, however I am not in the marker for a Right Winger, so I let them go, also there were two 4 star POT goalies on the market, I found my AHL backup, who was my lone free agent pickup: G Vince Weller. I wasn't able to find a deal that I liked right now, I did edit my block to include Shaw and Strome, and if I don't get a good deal in the season, I hope to find one during the deadline.

SUMMARY:
-Released D Brent Seabrook, G Libor Kasik, and LW Dominik Volek.
- Resigned G Kent Simpson (1.565M/2yr)
- Resigned G Brandon Hope (730k/2yr)
- Resigned G Marcus Johnsson (590k/1yr)
- Resigned D Joseph Morrow (4.285M/2yr)
- Resigned D Evan Wardley (3.28M/2yr)
- Resigned RW Joel Armia (2.4M/3yr)
- Resigned LW Troy Bourke (850k/2yr)
- Resigned C David Walch (3.755M/2yr)
- Resigned C Ryan Strome (815k/1yr)
- Resigned C Nathan MacKinnon (585k/2yr)
- Resigned D Jamie Oleksiak (780k/1yr)
- Resigned D Vyacheslav Tursumbayev (530k/2yr)
- Signed FA G Vince Weller (650k/2yr)