Roster Depth?

[lemming3k]

I've never played a hockey management sim before, so I'm not used to there being much in the way of injuries or suspensions, or having to worry about stocking my affiliate teams.

What kind of depth should I be looking at for my roster and how much of that is going to sit in the minors and never play(and should I be worried about those players or am I just stocking them to keep me above the minimum cap)?

I won't go through listing all my players, but if I have 6 great D men I'm expecting to be my core for many years, how many am I looking at floating between AHL and back up to the league?
Would it be better to use prospects as they'll only get a small amount of ice time which will upset the better(older) players and prospects won't have to clear waivers a lot?
I'm guessing only 1 goaltender outside my starting roster is enough.
D men maybe 1/2 backup, and 2 prospects should cover most emergencies?
Forwards probably 2/3 backup and 3 prospects?

I'm looking to move on a lot of dead weight and keep the AHL stocked largely with prospects from picks so I'll always have a good future roster, but I'm assuming there will always be a need for one or two decent players, plus keeping above the cap (although as the team grows and wages increase this should get easier).
Any help/advise would be great!

[batdad]

I always have at least 12 forwards, 6 dmen and a goalie in the minors, unless the team I start with has nobody, and I am playing challenge rules.
No...those guys in the minors, few and far between ever play for me, at least the ones you start with. Come up and fill in for injuries eventually but most of the time I just let contracts expire and the guys I draft and trade for move in to the affiliate.

Prospect development varies from player to player. In old EHM if a guy did not get at least a 6.5 rating playing 10-12 minutes per game as a rookie...back to farm or junior he went. In this EHM right now, it seems as though that rating is more of a 6.25 type. But then again, the ratings seem to cluster around 6.5, so maybe it is the same, but the upper end is not as high as it was. I really do not like bringing guys up from the minors (old version of game) who were not getting at least 7.75 ratings in the AHL. IN the new version, this rating is more to me apparently in the 7.1 range or even 7.

I always have minimum 4 goalies under contract. I don;t like my affiliates using "grey" players to fill out a roster, and if an injury or two happens I want my own guys in the lineup and not have to panic for a goalie.

I never have a problem staying over cap floor and under salary cap. Occasionally have to make a decision or two, but it is fairly simple most of the time.

[Alessandro]

but it is fairly simple most of the time.

Way too simple and I hope in the new EHM it will be harder.

[lemming3k]

Thanks.

I'm basically thinking since my team is tanking in real life and the rosters are from the trade deadline, I have a lot of picks over the next 2 years(with not much talent already) and I'd like to add to them and grow a team, including affiliate. I'd like to have a couple guys who can step up, but overall it will largely be potential players who I'll replace as things go along, keeping the best ones.
I wasn't sure how thin this would leave me on cover, especially in the first season.

[batdad]

but it is fairly simple most of the time.

Way too simple and I hope in the new EHM it will be harder.

Exactly my thought pattern