Improving a bad team on paper!

[PrezLHSSH]

Hi everyone!

I'm just looking for different ideas to improve my team, that is bad on paper but that found some way to win, make the playoffs (they haven't started yet) , and make other GM mad lol. I have probably the worst team in terms of overall but I tried a lot of different things to balance my lineup and try new strategies and had a huge winning streak at the end of the season. I will probably finish 5th or 6th in the conference.

I had success with the following lines lately but I still feel like my 2nd line is my weakness and that my special teams are bad even tho i tried a lot of things:

Prospal - Backlund - Connolly (30% 0-2-3)
Brunnstrom - Stajan - Jones (28% 1-2-2)
Crabb - O'Reilly - Upshall (24% 1-2-2)
Brunette -Pyatt -Rupp (18% 1-2-2)

Hamonic - Smith (34% 1-1-3)
Orpik -Roszival (30% 0-3-2)
Erskine - Fayne (28% 1-2-2)

G: Neuvirth

team strategy 0-3-2

I tried to make the most out of what I had since I'm on rebuilding with the Flames and traded away good players for picks and prospects. I also made playoffs last year so I haven't got solid picks to help right away. I think the defence is pretty balanced ( I alawys try to place a defenceman that has a lot of DF and CK with one that has higher SK and PH) but its on offence and special teams that I have most troubles. I try to go with the flow and give more playing time to players on a good streak and punish those who doesn't produce enough (like Brunette). It seems to work.

Anyway, I'm just looking for suggestions on how to improve this lineup to play against more talented teams in playoffs and also for what kind of players I should try to seek in free-agency. Help with strategies would also be welcome.

http://www.alphahockey.com/File/2013-Re ... tml#Flames

Thanks for the help!

[Kramden23]

At a quick glance I would imagine your PK is pretty weak (29th) due to overuse of players on D...

Hamonic - 1st AND 4th D pair, 1st line PP, 2nd line PK
Orpik - 2nd D pair, 2nd line PP, 1st line PK
Rozsival - 2nd AND 4th D pair, 2nd line PP, 2nd line PK

You can't use a player on every-single-unit and not expect them to get tired and/or to perform to their fullest. I haven't really looked at much else, but that's what jumped out at me.

[QSHL]

Indeed I try to use it like this :

Best offensive-minded D on PP1
Best overall D on PP2, PK2
Best defensive minded D on PK1

Mix and match others. Don't give 1st unit + 2nd unit to anyone.