NHL 18 Franchise Mode :Expansion Edition

Lessavyfav

Registered User
Aug 2, 2010
805
22
Lower round picks develop a lot slower than early rounders.

The key is to sign them. If you leave them unsigned, they will probably not progress.

In my current league I have drafted at least 40 low and mid elite players after round 1. I usually leave them unsigned for two years. The ratings for these players would only jump about 1-3 overall on average.

In my recent season, I gutted most of my roster so that about 12 newly drafted or signed players could play. Their overall increased by a couple points that season.

But still, by age 21-22 most of these players were in the 60-63 range.

It's realistic for players to progress slowly, but each real team has a few draft picks a year that pan out.
 

Stand Witness

JT
Sponsor
Oct 25, 2014
9,629
2,704
London, ON
hmmm... just started a season franchise mode and after the first season the Canucks won the cup...

They were 45-27-10. 6 players with over 60 pts.
 

Deku

I'm off the planet
Nov 5, 2011
19,828
4,474
Ottawa
I went back in and clicked Franchise mode and can't see anywhere to load a previous file, just all the regular options that are there at the beginning. I did go past at least one 'Save' option, though.

It didn't make a save file, but when I went back into creating an expansion team, all my changes were still there.
 

Elvs

Registered User
Jul 3, 2006
12,271
4,638
Sweden
I'm still editing teams so I haven't really tried franchise mode yet. But if they made it harder to develop prospects I'm fine with that. Most players in real life are former first or second round picks.

I only simmed one season and unlike earlier games, I couldn't find a clear outlier of someone randomly retiring at an early age. Not even Matt Cullen retired. I welcome this change. I've played franchise mode with the Ducks before, planning to trade Corey Perry in the offseason only to see him announcing his retirment at 34, still with years left on his contract. Makes no sense at all.

So if more players keep playing until they are older, there's also less need for a bunch of late round draft picks to reach NHL calibre overall ratings.
 

Lays

Registered User
Jan 22, 2017
13,559
12,630
Just downloaded the game this morning and have yet to even play it. I've spent 6 hours so far editing EA's ****** (but somewhat improved) overalls and I'm still going. I wish there was a way to share my roster I'm sure it'd save a lot of people time
 

XXIV97

Registered User
Jun 2, 2016
3,627
3,246
I traded Fleury for Jake Bean and Julien Gauthier (both low elites). After playing for the AHL team for the remainder of the season, Bean jumped up from an 74 to 82 in the next preseason. Then I decided to give him top paring time (he was tied for the best d-man on the team), then he jumped from an 82 to an 86 by the offseason.
 

FlamerForLife

Mon Seanahan
May 22, 2015
4,701
1,926
Calgary
Just downloaded the game this morning and have yet to even play it. I've spent 6 hours so far editing EA's ****** (but somewhat improved) overalls and I'm still going. I wish there was a way to share my roster I'm sure it'd save a lot of people time

2K has this feature in Nba, not sure why EA hasn't/can't add it in
 

East Coast Icestyle

Registered User
Mar 6, 2015
3,266
2,320
Nova Scotia, Canada
Just downloaded the game this morning and have yet to even play it. I've spent 6 hours so far editing EA's ****** (but somewhat improved) overalls and I'm still going. I wish there was a way to share my roster I'm sure it'd save a lot of people time

I spend most of my time tweaking rosters to be honest haha, I find it fun. I. Don't think their overalls are nearly as bad this season. Some older players had to be bumped down and some prospects and rookies bumped up but overall it seems alright.
 

M88K

irreverent
May 24, 2014
9,062
7,009
Anyone else having issues with prospects not developing?
took 32 expansion (shit that you have to use default rosters BTW) But I approached the draft like Vegas should have. Really good team
Brodin, Martinez, Grubauer, Myers, Vantanen. Etc. Just so happen to get 3rd in the draft, Take Miro Heiskanen.
3 season's later he's gone up maybe 2 oa.
He was signed immediately and played top pairing in the AHL.
the very next draft year, don't remember who i took but my scouts said Elite [exact] and he turned out to be a 55oa, signed him because EA, and he's still 55oa.

And WTF is with the "pro scout" updating the trade block and putting on all my good players.
Also why does the computer keep offering the same shit deals
Every team in the world thinks I'm going to trade an 87oa Alec Martinez for a 1st round pick, in a game where 1st round picks can't even progress to be more than 4th line players.

By the end of the 4th year. I said f*** drafting because it makes no sense that they don't progress in any real manner.
Miro Heiskanen is 78oa, 3rd pairing Defenseman
My 10oa "elite" [exact] forward is 56oa
and none of my other draft picks have progressed in any meaningful manner (signed or otherwise)

Also why is the scout so amazingly wrong all the time?
Scouted the player drafted 10oa something like 25-30x and he still is completely and total shit (55oa). while the "shit player" (according to my scout) the CPU took at 11 was 75. a player that's potential was top 6 medium.

It's nice the scouts can be wrong, but i scouted the damn player enough times to be able to write a novel about his life, He shouldn't be a 7th round pick rated player after all that work, at least not without the ability to fire the scout
 

Elvs

Registered User
Jul 3, 2006
12,271
4,638
Sweden
Anyone else having issues with prospects not developing?
took 32 expansion (shit that you have to use default rosters BTW) But I approached the draft like Vegas should have. Really good team
Brodin, Martinez, Grubauer, Myers, Vantanen. Etc. Just so happen to get 3rd in the draft, Take Miro Heiskanen.
3 season's later he's gone up maybe 2 oa.
He was signed immediately and played top pairing in the AHL.
the very next draft year, don't remember who i took but my scouts said Elite [exact] and he turned out to be a 55oa, signed him because EA, and he's still 55oa.

And WTF is with the "pro scout" updating the trade block and putting on all my good players.
Also why does the computer keep offering the same shit deals
Every team in the world thinks I'm going to trade an 87oa Alec Martinez for a 1st round pick, in a game where 1st round picks can't even progress to be more than 4th line players.

By the end of the 4th year. I said **** drafting because it makes no sense that they don't progress in any real manner.
Miro Heiskanen is 78oa, 3rd pairing Defenseman
My 10oa "elite" [exact] forward is 56oa
and none of my other draft picks have progressed in any meaningful manner (signed or otherwise)

Also why is the scout so amazingly wrong all the time?
Scouted the player drafted 10oa something like 25-30x and he still is completely and total shit (55oa). while the "shit player" (according to my scout) the CPU took at 11 was 75. a player that's potential was top 6 medium.

It's nice the scouts can be wrong, but i scouted the damn player enough times to be able to write a novel about his life, He shouldn't be a 7th round pick rated player after all that work, at least not without the ability to fire the scout

Maybe Heiskanen simply busted? At 78 overall he's still an NHL player. And he should still only be 22, so he could still develop into a solid top 4 guy.

Also, the guy you drafted #10 overall is probably gonna end up being better than that guy picked #11 overall, down the road. Your scout is only sorting players by their potential. But you have the ability to look into their attributes, so it's up to you if you wanna pick a project player with elite potential, or an NHL ready player with less potential.

For instance, from the 2005 draft Gilbert Brule (#6 overall) made the jump to the NHL immediately. Meanwhile Bobby Ryan (#2 overall) was considered more of a project. He didn't become a regular NHL'er until the 2008/2009 season, when he was one of the finalists for rookie of the year.

And from the 2007 draft, Thomas Hickey was picked #4 overall. He didn't debute until 2012 and is still only a 3rd pairing guy to this day. Maybe Heiskanen is your new Hickey? Although at least in your case your player may still have top 4 potential.

Again from the same draft, Derek Forbort was drafted #15 overall. He didn't make his NHL debute until 2015, that's eight (!) years after he was drafted. And judging by his play last season, he might establish himself as a top 4 defenseman soon.
 
Last edited:

dropdeadjoey

Registered User
Oct 23, 2014
230
0
Ontario
Wait we have no option to switch rosters for the 32 team draft ?

Not yet, I hope they add that option in because it's a bit silly without it.

I have a feeling the sim engine is rather broken for this game, I did a 31 team expansion draft as Vegas, took some decent players, and actually made the playoffs the first year. This would have made sense if I hadn't traded James Neal before the deadline, meaning my highest scoring forward was Nail Yakupov with 55 pts. Snagged Liljegren in the 2nd because he is always an early 2nd round pick, signed him and he improved to a 74 by the end of the first season playing bottom pairing AHL minutes.
 

JuJu Mobb

Montreal Canadiens
Dec 9, 2009
2,796
2,973
Is there a way to edit jerseys of your team after you start franchise mode?
 

Travis093

Travis
May 5, 2012
883
1,478
Saskatoon
Currently in 2042 and have yet to win a cup. Went 14-0 in the playoffs and lost in game 7. Missed the playoffs I think for the next two years.
Currently have 4 franchise players on my team and lost in the 1st round again
 

ThatNavyGuy

Registered User
Mar 6, 2012
266
1
Currently in 2042 and have yet to win a cup. Went 14-0 in the playoffs and lost in game 7. Missed the playoffs I think for the next two years.
Currently have 4 franchise players on my team and lost in the 1st round again

Whoa!! How's the league looking as far as ratings?
 

Lays

Registered User
Jan 22, 2017
13,559
12,630
Just downloaded the game this morning and have yet to even play it. I've spent 6 hours so far editing EA's ****** (but somewhat improved) overalls and I'm still going. I wish there was a way to share my roster I'm sure it'd save a lot of people time

I finally finished a bit over a week later. I added in notable NCAA prospects as well as every prospect not in the game for the 2018 NHL draft up until round four (based on my own rankings so far) and every 2019 first rounder missing. Also like 3-4 2020 guys. I changed mostly everyone's rating + potentials in all leagues. Got excited to finally step into GM mode but I forgot to choose a team to start off with and I've been stuck the past 15 mins...will update soon
 

Travis093

Travis
May 5, 2012
883
1,478
Saskatoon
Whoa!! How's the league looking as far as ratings?
Salary cap got out of control. Had to sign my one player for 20m. Had lots in the 14-18m range.
3rd liners were asking 5-6m.

My 96 ovr averaged 90 points a year
93 ppg
89 young guy had 52 points.

Just lol. I never won a cup in my 25 years and Vegas who won the last year:
Leading scorer was 82 overall with 69 points making 7m a year
81 with 58 points making 4.3m
87 with 52 points making 13m
85 D with 52 points making 6m

I got out first round 4-1
Mine:
96 with 91 making 19.75m
93 with 84 making 15m
93 with 80 making 1m
89 with 52 making 1m
86 D with 51 making 12m
 

Lays

Registered User
Jan 22, 2017
13,559
12,630
I finally finished a bit over a week later. I added in notable NCAA prospects as well as every prospect not in the game for the 2018 NHL draft up until round four (based on my own rankings so far) and every 2019 first rounder missing. Also like 3-4 2020 guys. I changed mostly everyone's rating + potentials in all leagues. Got excited to finally step into GM mode but I forgot to choose a team to start off with and I've been stuck the past 15 mins...will update soon

Is it me or is CPU even more Pejorative Slured than last years game? For example, my first year (with the Panthers) Ottawa (a contender, 2nd in division) at the deadline offered me Turks for a 2nd and a 3rd. I wasnt even a contender that year and I declined because of how stupid that trade was for Ottawa (I like to keep things super realistic) Toronto trades for Turks instead and also decides to add Chris Tanev. They are out of the playoff picture. When signings come around they can't afford to pay Marner as they're so close to the cap...Marner sits out year. I'm only in my third year and it also seems teams are getting a little weird, every FA class seems to get better and better. Seeing Patches, Zucc, etc in FA is not realistic at all. In my third year I just slimmed against Calgary and I see Brodie and Gio both missing; they have added Simmonds, JAM, Patches on there team. No starting goalie but Tyler Parsons is at a 78 and their backup is 72...wtf EA
 

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