Next Challenge?

[bruins72]

So, is there anyone that has played the WHL a fair amount in EHM that could give us all a rundown of how the rules work in the WHL. I know they draft younger players and have age restrictions on playing. Maybe someone can share a little info with those of us that aren't as familiar with the WHL?

[batdad]

Draft out of Bantam *age 14*. Those players in EHM are then not eligible to come to camp, sign or play for the team until they are 16. In other words they MUST play a year after you draft them before you are allowed to sign them in the game and have them play for your team.

The rest of it is the same as other CHL leagues--50 man lists, 2 imports, 3 20 year olds.

No other different rules in EHM from OHL-Q-WHL than the draft age.

[bruins72]

Thanks! I'm going to include that in the challenge announcement.

[Loosie]

Thanks! I'm going to include that in the challenge announcement.

Also Like the OHL the draft is before the end of the playoffs (The Q is the only one that is after), so there is roster limit juggling to be done if your team has a deep run.

[batdad]

Right. You have to be careful. I think it comes even after the first round. SO you need to make sure you are able to keep your guys through the playoffs...sometimes this leads to dropping prospects, and/or guys who will never play with you.

Unlike real life though it is easier in EHM, since 20 year olds playing with other teams, 19 year olds playing with NHL teams and college kids NEVER sign with another WHL team after you drop them. In real life, this happens alot, so they hold on to all college kids on a special list that is over and above the 50 man list.

[bruins72]

Well depending on how things fall, we might have to consider revisiting the Nashville Predators with another challenge. They've already lost Suter and if they don't match the offer on Weber, they could be looking at some serious rebuilding! On the other hand, Minnesota is definitely looking like they won't be a good candidate for a challenge any time soon.

Oh and speaking of upcoming challenges, I've already got something in the works for our next challenge after the WHL Broncos challenge. It should be something fun in between the Broncos challenge and Manimal rosters 5. I'm already looking forward to it!

[bruins72]

So I'm enjoying the 1974 database so much, I got an idea in my head for another challenge with it. Use the Minnesota North Stars and make it so that you're only allowed to trade for Minnesota natives. For drafting, you've got to draft Minnesota natives first and if there aren't any left, they've got to be US-born players. Would that be too difficult?

[Primis]

So I'm enjoying the 1974 database so much, I got an idea in my head for another challenge with it. Use the Minnesota North Stars and make it so that you're only allowed to trade for Minnesota natives. For drafting, you've got to draft Minnesota natives first and if there aren't any left, they've got to be US-born players. Would that be too difficult?

That's rough. I've been dabbling in GMing USA and USA U20's in the 74 DB and while there are some good Americans, there aren't many. Last World Championships I had to resort to playing some U20 guys (Dave Christian has just turned 18) *and* also a 12 year-old Brett Hull (not kidding). And I was seriously considering a 15 year-old Brian Mullen but passed. I think once you get down the road the depth improves but right now, yikes...

[nino33]

FYI in the 1974 db the 2007 draft = the IRL 1977 draft


I took a look at the number of US born players in the top 3 rounds in the IRL Drafts (1st Round Picks in brackets)...

1977 - 4
1978 - 4
1979 - 6 (M. Ramsey #11 overall)
1980 - 7 (R. Wilson #12 overall)
1981 - 5 (B. Carpenter #3 overall)
1982 - 9 (P. Housley #6 overall)
1983 - 9 (B. Lawton #1 overall, P. LaFontaine #3 overall, T. Barrasso #5 overall)
1984 - 12 (E. Olczyk #3 overall, A. Iafrate #4 overall, D. Quinn #13 overall, K. Hatcher #17 overall)

[bruins72]

Hmmm... okay. That one is looking pretty tough then.

[nino33]

If the 1974 db was to be used in a Challenge again in the future, I'd strongly recommend a team in the Eastern Conference

You'd play the talented/classic teams more often (and have to go through them in the playoffs!) - the Habs, Bruins, Flyers, Rangers, Sabres, Islanders, and Leafs are all in the East

Appropriately "weak teams" that could be used include the Washington Capitals (1974-75 was their first season!) and the Ottawa Senators (they’re really the WHA's Michigan Stags)

If such a thing was to happen it would be a different/better database too!
More modern players/staff deleted, more Major Juniors at start-up, more historical Staff (Major Junior/Minor Pro), and many more historical Europeans/Russians!

[Primis]

Appropriately "weak teams" that could be used include the Washington Capitals (1974-75 was their first season!)

And Bill Mikkelson of the -82 +/- fame!

[nino33]

According to wiki the Capitals .131 winning percentage is still the worst in NHL history (they finished 8-67-5 for 21 Points! they only won 1 game on the road!)

Bill Mikkelson's -82 is still the worst ever single season plus/minus rating!

[nino33]

So I'm enjoying the 1974 database so much, I got an idea in my head for another challenge with it. Use the Minnesota North Stars and make it so that you're only allowed to trade for Minnesota natives. For drafting, you've got to draft Minnesota natives first and if there aren't any left, they've got to be US-born players. Would that be too difficult?

That's rough. I've been dabbling in GMing USA and USA U20's in the 74 DB and while there are some good Americans, there aren't many. Last World Championships I had to resort to playing some U20 guys (Dave Christian has just turned 18) *and* also a 12 year-old Brett Hull (not kidding). And I was seriously considering a 15 year-old Brian Mullen but passed. I think once you get down the road the depth improves but right now, yikes...

I think eventually GMing USA and USAU20s should become a little more feasable (and the North Stars Challenge idea would be possible)...hockeydb has many NCAA players from 1974-75, and I've got them in spreadsheets and will eventually use the data to create more historical players for the 1974 db [PLUS I'll use the relevant Olympic/WC/WJC/CC rosters too (all of which I already have), so eventually it should be much much better - but right now I have OHL/WHL editing, and AHL/CHL editing, and adding Major Junior/Minor Pro Staff, and the adding of historical Europeans/Russians as my focus]

[Loner]

Inspired by challenge #31 I create a new game, with a max salary of 48 millions and min of 32. Their was a massive movement of players in first year with many stars player being buy out or playing in the AHL.

I simmed to Sept 5 2020. The market has stabilized, only 3 team spend to the max while the average cap space is around 1.5 millions. 2 significant players have suffered from the low cap hit. Malkin is now playing in the KHL and Carey Price who have trouble staying on a team even the with last 3 vezina. About 12 good but obviously greedy veterans are unemployed at the start of this season.

This look like a good challenge with strong salary management where having a 7 millions player can really hurt your depth.

[bruins72]

Interesting! That's a nice experiment. Maybe we can try that in a future challenge.

[rancer890]

Any idea about Challenge #32 btw?

The Bruins challenge was a lot of fun. Would be great to have something similar again where we start in the future.

[bruins72]

I'd like to do one of those again too. We probably won't be doing that again right away as the next challenge though. I found out that Mac users were unable to load the save, so that excluded some people from the challenge. We are looking at doing a challenge with an OHL team next. There seemed to be a lot of interest in playing a junior team again.

[jesterx7769]

woot junior team! Will make rebuilding harder with no UFA's

edit: Are we going to try to use the same save again? I think we all liked that and starting before the draft was also very cool.

I know mac users had a problem but two things
1) How many people are ONLY plaing on Mac and not using some form of bootcamp? I don't want to sound like a d**ck but if it is only 1 or 2 people that doesn't really justify not using it
2) What if a Mac user uploads the save game for other Mac users? They would be using different data than PC people but two files out there is better than 30

[nino33]

I almost always hope to play in Challenges, and look forward to doing so, but due to my editing focus haven't really done so much (though I always hope HaHa)...I just wanted to add another opinion - I've zero interest in a "sim forward" Challenge myself



And as for the idea of the effect of just a couple people having to much effect, I took a look at the Challenges from the last few years to see how many users completed a 3rd season...and I added (in blue font) how many users completed a 1st season.

Bruins (current) - 7 17
Lightning - 7 17
Flames (1974) - 7 11
Sabres - 4 14
Leafs - 11 22
Flames - 0 7
Wings (1974) - 7 10
Swift Current (WHL) - 2 6
Blue Jackets - 3 20
Panthers - 7 20
Nordiques - 4 14
Stars - 13 13
Baie-Comeau (QMJHL) - 5 17
Sarnia (OHL) - 7 20
Oilers - 11 26


While am glad that many users have enjoyed the current sim forward Challenge, when I look at the numbers above I see that just a couple/few users really does matter (especially if any Mac users actually play at least 3 seasons)...I also noticed that as popular as the sim forward Challenge seems to be, I don't think it's necessarily any more popular than most other Challenges

[jesterx7769]

I didn't think I would like the sim forward challenge either but once I played it I really liked it. I believe I said in the voting thread how I had no interest. The first season was the hardest I personally have done in a challenge which makes you mad but it was fun to rebuild. Starting before the previous years draft was also a nice way of getting a chance to rebuild.

What makes you say you have zero interest? Because you won't know all of the names? There are still name people around 5-10 years in. That is really the only difference.

edit:

By looking at the numbers it begs the question what can be done to get people to play past season 1?

[nino33]

What makes you say you have zero interest? Because you won't know all of the names?

Kinda/pretty much...

I spend many hours every week editing EHM (and have now for about 5 years!)
I help with the TBL Rosters, I created the 1974 database and currently I'm helping to improve the 1998 database (and with the retro database players age 0-16 are added, so I'm used to a lot of real players HaHa)...so I've spent many THOUSANDS of hours working on "real players" and that's what I continue to do as that's what interests me

During all this time I've spent editing I've only managed to pull myself away twice to take part in a Challenge - a season and a half playing the Dallas Stars Challenge and a season playing the 1974 Atlanta Flames Challenge...and that's it! I "play" EHM by taking part in an online league (DMB), otherwise all my EHM time is editing time - based on the past I know how unlikely it is for me to participate, so I know that with a sim forward start it's just not going to happen! HaHa

The reality is every hour spent playing in a Challenge is an hour spent not editing HaHa

Definitely nothing bad meant by my "zero interest"

[rancer890]

I would definitely be interested in a junior team. I might actually get through the seasons quicker with no FAs or trades to worry about. OHL is probably my favourite junior league, and the Dub probably my least. Mostly because you can't sign your draftees till one year later.

In EHM/OOTP/FM, I always liked having fictional/holiday into the future saves. It made things different. And since I always start a lot of saves I like to see different things.

I think the only challenge I would probably dislike is a challenge based on the past (like the '74 Flames). Modern or future is the way to go for me.

[bruins72]

Oh, the challenges set int he past are a whole lot of fun. You should give them a try sometime.

I think I may run a poll in the challenge forum to see who uses a Mac for EHM and who uses a PC. Even though Macs can be made to boot into Windows, that doesn't mean that the Mac users will have a PC version of EHM. They would have most likely gotten a copy of the Mac version of EHM when it came out.

[jesterx7769]

It's cool if you're busy Nino, I appreciate all the different DB workers I thought you meant zero interest just because it was a simmed ahead future challenge