EHM The Blue Line

I've played significant time in the NHL and the WHL and the drafting ive found to be really different and much harder in the WHL. 85% of the draft are rated at 5 stars and nearly all the guys are potential first liners even down in the 7th or 8th round. My scouts are usually the best that i can buy, 15-18 judging potential, 10+ working with youngsters etc. so i'm not convinced my scouts are rubbish. i generally only draft guys that have been scouted by my head sout and another 4 or 5 scouts. i am finiding that way more often than not my draft picks are complete busts who never develop like the scouting report leaving me to trade for talent. i only ever draft in the first few rounds as i dont have enough space on my reserve list. i may be a little too quick to bring 16 year olds in my team (i usually have 2 a season) but i also loan other guys out to the BCHL or AJHL (the best tier2 leagues imho)

For those that play in canadian juniors what is your draft strategy and the best way to develop talent in the limited time we have?

I have had good success by drafting based on current talent and then bringing everyone to the team as soon as possible. If they don't make the team by the time they've had two seasons under contract I cut them. Goalies get slightly different treatment with me keeping only 3 under contract, my two best and one prospect in my affiliate. I'll usually also have a forth goalie's rights, but if I have a young guy already on the big team then I stick with just three.

I think that there's a little reason why you've got so many guys with a 5 stars rating. Their potential mentionned is their full potential (ie the PA) and it is compared to the strength of your team/league. So many of those guys will devellop as stars for your team... It's just that they'll reach their full devellopement later than age 20, and therefore won't be available anymore at that time for your team. Not 100% sure it is, but i think it's how it works in the game and there is no specific difference made for the potentials in junior teams.

So your best bet is to look at the current talent of the player, rather than gambling on a short-term devellopement that may never happen (unless you're sure the guy will devellop in time). Scout a lot, scout several times the players you're interested in, and make yourself your own opinion based on all the datas you have (scouting reports, attributes, stats, etc).

As for the best way to devellop talent, i think it's pretty obvious: a good training schedule with good coaches, a decent playing time, good linemates, good tactics, and a bit of luck

I've basically just stopped looking at the star rating in the draft screen and now look in this order

1. scouting report - need all scouts to say first line player
2. general attributes - must have good attributes already - i've taken way too many guys hoping they'll develop in time, they almost never do.
3. scoring - must have good numbers, i dont care thier position, if they cant produce in bantam leagues then theres no way they'll peform in the WHL.
4. High determination and workrate attributes - no idea if this has anything to do with drafting but it cant hurt.

As far as practice goes i leave that up to my coaches but again i only have the best i can possibly get, i always have 4 assistants and a head coach and i make sure each of the assistants are decent but each have a specialty (coaching forwards etc.) so that coach will take that part of pracitce.

Strange thing is i am finding that guys who i have traded for are losing thier attributes and appear to have the rot set in after a season or two. i have the latest patch all that. not all guys just some. its quite strange......