This is Unreal(Franchise Mode)

[Igor Shestyorkin]

So, I have a Colorado Franchise mode going. Season 2023-24. Out of the last 6 seasons, my team has made the Stanley Cup finals five times. We've one the Stanley Cup once. We've lost to Tampa Bay three times out of the five. Our record against them in the finals is 3-12. We got swept the first time, beat in 5 the second time, beat in 6 the 3rd, and most recent time.

It's so frustrating. Make the cup practically every year and never win it, almost. The one time we won was against Toronto in 5, and the other one we lost was against Carolina in 6(or 7? I forget).

It's just so frustrating. Has this ever happened before to anyone else?

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[blundluntman]

Lost 3 cups in a row once and ever since then I basically play every elimination game lol. So frustrating.

 

[CartographerNo611]

I try to build a solid NHL roster and I barely go .500. Sign enforcers and grinders and I go 50 wins and get bounced in the first round. I wish making the Finals twice in a row would be my problem lmao.

 

[Index]

Lost 3 cups in a row once and ever since then I basically play every elimination game lol. So frustrating.

That just ruins the fun though.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

The bad thing is that you lose in Round 1 or Round 2 to a team that has an 80 OVR goalie.

 

[blundluntman]

That just ruins the fun though.

Well I'm not as good at this game as the past ones (not clutch either) so it's still pretty suspenseful lol

 

[Dabeast]

In NHL 13 I did an Oilers franchise and I played the Devils in the cup a bunch of times


btw hi NYR

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

In NHL 13 I did an Oilers franchise and I played the Devils in the cup a bunch of times


btw hi NYR

Hi.

 

[GrnEggsNHam]

The bad thing is that you lose in Round 1 or Round 2 to a team that has an 80 OVR goalie.

This is extremely frustrating and is a noticeable trend while being the top seed. You'll also notice the underdog becoming a Cinderella and winning the Cup after upsetting your squad in the 1st round more often than not. Whenever I have a good team in the regular season the 1st round series is always the toughest to win. I normally have to make rather drastic changes to the lineup, mid-series, in order to win.

 

[Tryblot]

You also never win the draft lottery.

 

[Nickmo82]

You also never win the draft lottery.

I won it one time from 3rd spot I think.

 

[David Suzuki]

You also never win the draft lottery.

I won it once from 13th and once from 10th but whenever I'm last I never win lol

 

[Tak7]

The simulation engine changes from regular season to playoffs. It always has.

Much more random, but generally team building with a focus on:

1) Overall
2) Offensive awareness

Really leads to playoff success.

So if you've got a great team but are losing in the playoffs, it's probably because the team you are playing has a better overall OFFENSIVE AWARENESS than you do - it's the single most important stat coming through in the playoffs.

 

[King Weber]

Definitely helps to have players playing the roles they're supposed to. What I mean is that it's better to have three 2nd liners on the 2nd line than three 1st liners on the 2nd line.

A few players with high Poise really seem to help too.

 

[teravaineSAROS]

Wait so you're mad your team hasn't won the Stanley cup twice or more within 6 years?

In real life 20 of the NHL teams haven't even made the finals in 10 years, some teams haven't made the finals in 30-50 years.

How much coddling do you expect? Play it on Rookie level if you don't like challenges and want unrealistic success in the Playoffs

 

[Intangir]

I try to build a solid NHL roster and I barely go .500. Sign enforcers and grinders and I go 50 wins and get bounced in the first round. I wish making the Finals twice in a row would be my problem lmao.

I remember a franchise I meticulously crafted a couple years ago through trades (with the Montreal Canadiens as base) in something like nhl 14 on PS3. That team, in year 2018-2019, was absolutely stacked talent-wise as I had five forwards including Tavares (at something like 95) who had a 90+ overall rating, my weakest NHL skater (IE scratched ) was an 84 overall, all 7 of my D had at least 86 overall, the goaltender was Price at something like 90 overall and I had plenty of grit spread throughout the lineup alongside players with a lot of poise.

Now, with such a team you'd expect at least 50 wins and a trip to the conference finals, right? The result was underwhelming and hilarious at the same time. Simulating all 82 games at superstar difficulty on the default sliders and settings, the team went 26-51-5, with the worst goal differential of the entire league. Not one of my players reached even 55 points.

That was the last time I played the franchise mode on EA's NHL games.

 

[GHJimmy]

The problem I had too was my first franchise played it like couple weeks and was dead last with 3 first round draft picks and non of them were top, well one was 5th and the rest were above 15th over all, and playoff teams were up top! I tried Simming it to draft I was like third last and still got above 20th draft. Tampa won the cup and won the draft lottery from being like 28-29th so they snatched dahlin and were unbelievable on the next season! They need to tune it up a notch and maybe a better gameplay

 

[daniel619]

You also never win the draft lottery.

I just trade up

 

[twiztidwolff]

I literally can't even get into the playoffs more than twice, I got the the finals once.

 

[twiztidwolff]

I don't get it with the roster building, whether it's a simulation issue or a me issue I don't know

 

[phillyb]

One thing I've noticed is that EA loves deadline deals. I picked up Marner one year at the TDL on an expiring contract. We won the cup (simmed) and he won the Conn Smythe. So ever since then, I try to make a splash at the deadline.

 

[GrnEggsNHam]

I don't get it with the roster building, whether it's a simulation issue or a me issue I don't know

Team strategies and the individual line strategies play a large role.

 

[phillyb]

I don't get it with the roster building, whether it's a simulation issue or a me issue I don't know

Definitely helps to have players playing the roles they're supposed to. What I mean is that it's better to have three 2nd liners on the 2nd line than three 1st liners on the 2nd line.

A few players with high Poise really seem to help too.

This has been something that I've been paying attention to lately and it's really helped me in simming. Another thing I'll note is you really have to pay attention to potential. Playing two Top 4 D on your bottom pair doesn't help with development. But if you put a young 78 overall Top 4 D in your Top 4, he develops better and faster than he would have on the bottom pair.

 

[ToppsSmith]

I wrote a guide to making a power team before, may do it again as it is long list in the forums. However overalls should be taken out of EA games as it isn’t what makes the player great. You got to find where they fit in the lineup in individual stats. Mix and match lineups like that. A team of super stars will always fail unless the other team is just really weak as morale will plummet due to ice time.

I do make the same mistake and try to go quick with automatic line fill too though and look at overall but when I want the cup... I follow my little guide and 6-10 times I will win it and out of the times I don’t I still make a strong playoff run.

Also noticed but this just could be pure luck, but when I finish 4 to 8th last I usually end up winning the draft lottery. I kind of aim for it now my first season for Dahlin.

 

[YoSoyLalo]

You also never win the draft lottery.

I’ve won it more times than I can count honestly