New Improvements To PowerPlay Manager

Over the last few weeks there have been in incredibly exciting improvements to the Powerplay Manager online game.

October 2, 2009: The improvements began with the introduction of trophies for all tournament, league and competition winners, so you can now not only brag about your win, but show it off with a shiney new trophy! Also implemented during this update was the “online users” page, which is a great way to track down who’s online, see who has pro-pack and much more. The PPM team also introduced the PPM Facebook Page and Group.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2345238254
http://www.facebook.com/pages/PowerPlay-Manager/40840299922

October 12, 2009: Press Releases have been incredibly popular features of other manager games, and PPM has now implemented their own. You can now post press releases about your team, players, etc to share with the wider community. These are a spectacular way to help spread the word, brag about wins, inform about changes or simply act like a real hockey team and post regular updates. This update also introduced the PPM Twitter page. If you are a twitter user, be sure to follow PPM!

http://twitter.com/hockeymanager

October 15, 2009: This was a major update for fans of the propogation of the game, as PPM how reward those who help spread the word with a fantastic credit referral system. This is also a fantastic way for Support Team Captains to measure their marketing efforts and track new members.

Veteran Leader Joins Blue Tongues

by Wendy Hansen, 28 April 2009 | Beat Writer | Bluetongues Ice Hockey Club

Few players on the Blue Tongues roster can say they know first hand what it’s like to win the Goodall Cup – the third oldest prize in ice hockey around the world – but veteran forward Trevor Walsh, who recently signed with the Blue Tongues after his move to Brisbane with his family, can attest to what it takes to win the coveted trophy all too well.

“There is only one way to approach any game and that is to want to win. If you don’t want to win, then there is no sense playing a competitive sport. That’s what I love about the game of ice hockey – it attracts the most competitive people.”  When asked what he can bring to the Blue Tongues line up this season, Walshie (as he’s affectionately known) replied, “It’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks but I will give 100% every shift I play this season. I believe this year the Blue Tongues have a real chance to be successful and I am very happy to be a part of this team.”

And a part of any successful team is chemistry, on and off the ice.

“On ice chemistry being the most important of the two,” Walshie said. “Most teams have a lot of different personalities with many different off ice commitments which might prohibit a lot of interaction. It’s on the ice where the chemistry is most important.”

Walsh knows a thing or two about chemistry on the ice. In the last 9 seasons, he has scored 118 goals and 93 assists. “Every member of the team must be on the same page. No one player can think he is bigger than the team’s objective. It is not an easy thing to achieve, but when the chemistry is right, it usually has a successful outcome and is a really fun thing to be a part of. I have been fortunate to be a part of this type of situation a couple times while playing hockey.” And not just locally either, as Walshie has represented Australia numerous times as part of the Mighty Roos, Australia’s National Mens team.

A hard-hitting and intense forward, the ever humble Walsh imbedded himself into the hearts of the Adelaide Avalanche (and now Adelaide Adrenaline) fans. “Adelaide has a real healthy hockey following and I was very fortunate to play there for the last 9 years. The people of Adelaide were very good to me and my family.” And when asked what he thinks the Adelaide fans’ reaction will be to his return to the ice in an opposing sweater, Walsh answered, “I think that they understand that a hockey player wants to play at the most competitive level for as long as he can. I missed out on a year and a half of the AIHL due to things out my control in Adelaide. I just want to finish out my career with a championship. I believe I can do that here on the Gold Coast. I think Adelaide fans will respect that.”

We hope he can finish his career with another Championship too, with the Blue Tongues!

Ovechkin wins Hart & Pearson – NHL Award Results

Washington Capitals superstar Alexander Ovechkin made the NHL Awards night all about him today, capturing both the Hart Trophy as league MVP and the Lester B. Pearson Award as the players’ choice for the most outstanding player.

The complete list of awards and their winners:

Art Ross Trophy: Alexander Ovechkin
Calder Trophy: Patrick Kane
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl: Detroit Red Wings
Conn Smythe Trophy: Henrik Zetterberg
Frank Selke Trophy: Pavel Datsyuk
Jack Adams Award: Bruce Boudreau
Lady Byng Trophy: Pavel Datsyuk
Lester B. Pearson: Alexander Ovechkin
Masterton Trophy: Jason Blake
Maurice Richard Trophy: Alexander Ovechkin
Norris Trophy: Nick Lidstrom
Prince of Wales Trophy: Pittsburgh Penguins
Vezina Trophy (leagues top netminder): Marin Brodeur
William J Jennings Trophy: Chris Osgood / Dominik Hasek

To be awarded:

Lester Patrick Trophy (outstanding service to hockey)

Information Source: NHL.com – Trophies | NHL – Yahoo! Sports

Red Wings G Dominik Hasek retires

After 18 seasons in the NHL, 2 MVP awards and 6 Vezina Trophies, “The Dominator” Dominik Hasek has announced his retirement.

“Physically, I’m felling great—as well as ever,” Hasek said Monday as he announced his retirement. “I just don’t feel that I’m ready to compete on the highest level.“I need motivation. Right now, I don’t feel it’s there and I don’t want to disappoint anyone.”
- Yahoo! Sports

Hasek was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks and spent his rookie years as backup to Ed Belfour.  In his career he spent 2 seasons with Chicago, 9 seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, 4 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings and a short 1 season stint with the Ottawa Senators.

During his career, Hasek has won:

• Hart Memorial Trophy for MVP twice (nominated 5 times)
• Lester B. Pearson Award twice (nominated 3 times)
• Vezina Trophy 6 times
• William M Jennings Trophy 3 times
• Stanley Cup in 2002 with the Detroit Red Wings
• The 2002 gold medal at the Nagano Olympic Games for the Czech Republic

Hasek has named on:

• NHL first All-Star Team 5 times
• NHL All-Rookie Team in the ‘91 and ‘92 season
• NHL All-Star Game 5 times (although did not play in 2000 due to injury)

In his NHL Career, Hasek played a total of 735 games, totaling 42836 minutes of ice time.  He collected 389 wins, 223 losses, 82 ties and 13 overtime losses with 81 shutouts.  His career GAA and SV% stand at 2.10 & .922 respectively. 

Red Wings’ Henrik Zetterberg wins Conn Smythe – NHL – Yahoo! Sports

Henrik Zetterberg has been awared the Conn Smythe trophy as the Playoff MVP.   There was little doubt after the final horn blew that Zetterberg would be the one to take home the award.  His solid 2-way play and never-say-die attitide has made hime one of the best players to play with, and one of the worse players to play against.

Zetterberg was quick to give the honor to the guys he players with.

From the Pittsburgh Penguins,

Zetterberg is also the favorite to win the Selke Trophy for the leagues best defensive forward.

McKeon Grades the Trades

Ross McKeon of Yahoo! Sports has been busy today, grading all 30 teams of the NHL according to how they did with the Trade Deadline.

It may come as a suprise to some that Dallas and Pittsburgh, the 2 teams who made the blockbuster trades yesterday are graded so differently.

McKeon grades the Dallas Stars at #1, citing their trade as “the big strike”.

1. Dallas Stars – Grade: A+: The Stars made the big strike by acquiring arguably the best player available for now and moving forward. Center Brad Richards was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner when Tampa Bay won the Stanley Cup in 2004. He’s 27, skilled and durable – just a perfect fit for any team. Never mind that $7.8 million owed for each of the next three years. The Stars parted with backup goalie Mike Smith, who may emerge as a No. 1 with the Lightning, Jussi Jokinen, Jeff Halpern and a fourth-round pick. Dallas did not have to surrender any of its young defense, another key. That deal makes a lot more sense than what Pittsburgh gave up to Atlanta in the day’s other blockbuster.

The Pittsburgh Penguins however, failed to gain such a high ranking, coming in at #22 with a D+ grade.

22. Pittsburgh Penguins – Grade: D+: No one can accuse the Penguins of being shy at the deadline. Pittsburgh changed more than any team by adding three players and deleting two from the roster and one from the pipeline and parting with three draft picks in two separate deals. Pittsburgh got rental Marian Hossa to play alongside either Evgeni Malkin or Sidney Crosby. They got versatile and dependable Pascal Dupuis in the same deal with Atlanta but surrendered young, popular teammates Colby Armstrong and Erik Christensen and prospect Angelo Esposito. You have to wonder what team chemistry will form out of all these moves. In addition, Hal Gill comes aboard to add size and a physical element on defense. First-, second- and fifth-round picks were dealt away.

Filling out the top 10 are:

2. Atlanta Thrashers – Grade: A

3. Washington Capitals – Grade: A-

4. Colorado Avalanche – Grade: B+

5. San Jose Sharks – Grade: B

6. Columbus Blue Jackets – Grade: B

7. Carolina Hurricanes – Grade: B

8. Chicago Blackhawks – Grade: B

9. New York Rangers – Grade: B-

10. Buffalo Sabres – Grade: B-