It's the beginning of August, and hockey may not be the first thing on your mind when you wake up in the morning. But both NHL and EASHL teams are preparing for next season by signing free agents and trading players.

During the offseason, teams try to maintain a winning lineup or build one that can win in the future. In the NHL, the process can be a long one. It takes time to build the perfect lineup by drafting promising young players and mixing them with older, more established players.

For EASHL teams, the schedule is tighter. Since there are monthly seasons, you have to be on top of your game from the very beginning if you want to make the playoffs at the end of the "regular" season.

But other than the more hectic nature of EASHL team building, the process is pretty similar in both NHL and EASHL. For both the teams and the players, the focus is always about winning.

Teams want to win. Making money is obviously a priority, but money comes with success. However, players also need to consider where they can be most successful while fitting into the grand scheme of things.

So let's look at some factors players need to think about when picking a team.

NHL: What kind of a hockey city will I be playing in? Will I be playing in an old-school city with fanatical supporters like in Montreal or Toronto, or will I be playing for a relatively new team where the main mission is to build a fan base from scratch. Players' families come into play as well. Will the wife or relatives be happy with the climate, schools, activities? In some cases, language can be an issue as well, especially for Europeans. Montreal, for example, can be difficult for an English-speaking player as well.

EASHL: Location and timezones are important. It's easier if everyone is online at the same time. Also, the less lag there is between club members the better it is for online gaming. A language barrier can also be an issue for virtual hockey players -- some North American accents can be a bit challenging for us Europeans even if we speak English pretty well.

Chances of Success

NHL: What are the chances the team makes the playoffs, and how far can the team go in them? Quality players who have leverage can choose between teams that already have a culture of winning, or teams that have a good long-term plan but might still lack the depth to make it in the next couple of years.

EASHL: Is the team a consistent gold-medal performer or a newcomer with potential? Whether it's a good thing or not, changing teams is a lot easier in EASHL so you can try different teams and lineups during the season. But a team that sticks together will play together better than six strangers who are team hopping all year.

Ice Time

NHL: How much ice time are you looking at? Which line would be realistic, and which players might you be playing with? These are all important factors that directly relate to production on the ice. Will you receive power-play time? Are there guarantees for minimum minutes per game?

EASHL: Which lineup, if the team runs multiple lines, do you have a chance to play with in the playoffs if the team makes it?

Team Chemistry

NHL: What sort of players will you be playing with? If you're a sniper, you need a good playmaker next to you. Will the team bond well during the long season? Of course predicting team chemistry is not a perfect science, but you need a good mix of different player types for a team to succeed.

EASHL: Just like in the NHL, team chemistry is very important. It's maybe even more important because during the playoffs you only play with one line. The team needs to be ready by the time the playoffs begin. Individual skills can win games, but gold medals and championships come with good team play and chemistry.

Money

NHL: On top of the obvious salary, there is the length of the contract, no-trade clauses, performance-based bonuses etc. Hopefully, one day the NHL will have rules regarding player contracts that everyone understands and can agree upon.

EASHL: There have been rumors of teams being sponsored, teams being sold prior to the playoffs and signing fees being paid, but as far as I know nothing official has been reported.

Issues Only Found in the EASHL

Age, does it matter? Is it easier to find like-minded players from your own age group, or is it enough if you just think similarly of the game and how it's played?

Chatty/mute? Do you talk a lot as a team? Is it necessary to communicate a lot during the game, or do you just go by the book and analyze the game after the fact?

Morals? Do you play straight or use questionable tactics? Is it possible to play on a team that thinks differently than you?

Are you friends with your teammates? Did a bunch of you start the club as friends, or are you a random group of people brought together by the EASHL?

Final Thoughts

Whether you're a real or a virtual hockey player, choices are difficult and will affect your life beyond the occupation or hobby. Hockey is bigger than life after all.

In my humble opinion, the EASHL is bound to go in a direction where it will get more serious in one way or another. Whether organized directly by EA or as a private league, it will happen.

People love the EASHL and are very passionate about it. The Web sites, forums and private leagues are full of people who play this mode almost exclusively. Money comes into play whenever there is enough people involved. Competition comes naturally to us, and money is always the ultimate way to measure who is the best at something.


What do you think of the comparisons? And who has the dirt on money changing hands between EASHL teams?