Still too many good players in FA

[Swedishgamefreak]

Just finished my second season. Simmed to preseason and noticed that Stamkos, Sorokin, Lindholm and Nylander is still Free Agents even though there are teams that has the cap space to sign more players.

[belial1134]

I'm beginning my second season as well...just a few days from the actual start of regular season and here's what the FA situation is like

27 year, 5 star Aho should have been signed a long time ago (coming off a 47 goal, 119 pt season and he won the Conn Smythe)
Will be interesting to see if he jets off to an international league...

Lindholm is coming off a 29 goal, 53 pt season in only 59 games played. Probably another one which should have been signed by now.

other that those two, doesn't look too bad.

[Swedishgamefreak]

Originally Posted by belial1134

I'm beginning my second season as well...just a few days from the actual start of regular season and here's what the FA situation is like

27 year, 5 star Aho should have been signed a long time ago (coming off a 47 goal, 119 pt season and he won the Conn Smythe)
Will be interesting to see if he jets off to an international league...

Lindholm is coming off a 29 goal, 53 pt season in only 59 games played. Probably another one which should have been signed by now.

other that those two, doesn't look too bad.

I'm beginning my third season. Could you post back after your second season to see if there are many top players in FA for you too?

[Savoie45]

Originally Posted by belial1134

I'm beginning my second season as well...just a few days from the actual start of regular season and here's what the FA situation is like

27 year, 5 star Aho should have been signed a long time ago (coming off a 47 goal, 119 pt season and he won the Conn Smythe)
Will be interesting to see if he jets off to an international league...

Lindholm is coming off a 29 goal, 53 pt season in only 59 games played. Probably another one which should have been signed by now.

other that those two, doesn't look too bad.

Unfortunately for sports fans it will never be perfect. You could up the Talent weight from Stats at the setup screen and see how much that helps. From my few select tests I almost always ended up with at least one higher rated player in free agency, but they almost always end up getting signed unless they are in their mid 30's.

[belial1134]

Originally Posted by Swedishgamefreak

I'm beginning my third season. Could you post back after your second season to see if there are many top players in FA for you too?

Yes, will do,

I'll actually try and post periodic updates during my 2nd season if any significant thing happens..In fact:

10/15 B. Skjel (3 star) signed 750k/1 year
11/15 B. Pesce (3 star) signed 4,277,160/1 year

so Aho and Lindholm are the only two noteworthy FAs left. Will continue to monitor and report.

[belial1134]

Originally Posted by Savoie45

Unfortunately for sports fans it will never be perfect. You could up the Talent weight from Stats at the setup screen and see how much that helps. From my few select tests I almost always ended up with at least one higher rated player in free agency, but they almost always end up getting signed unless they are in their mid 30's.

Agreed...Overall, I don't think it is too bad. I'm mostly just curious how/when the AI looks for Free Agents to sign. I just updated my post and the 2 3star players were signed. One on 10/15, the other 11/15 so maybe the 15th of each month the AIs do a check for Free Agents?


I wouldn't mind upping Talent weight from Stats but I assume you can't do that one you start a season?

[Savoie45]

Yes you can actually. I put mine to 50 and then 30 for current season, 60 for last season.

[belial1134]

Originally Posted by Savoie45

Yes you can actually. I put mine to 50 and then 30 for current season, 60 for last season.

Ok. So how exactly does Talent weight from Stats work?


Is it the higher the number, the more focus stats factor in to player signings?


Guess I've never really understood what it did/how it worked. I've always kept it at default.


Any insight would be appreciated. Thank you

[tomkmb]

Originally Posted by belial1134

Ok. So how exactly does Talent weight from Stats work?


Is it the higher the number, the more focus stats factor in to player signings?


Guess I've never really understood what it did/how it worked. I've always kept it at default.


Any insight would be appreciated. Thank you

I've never understood it until this year either, I think the way it's worded and presented is confusing as in essence it's the same as the weightings settings for AI judgement in OOTP Baseball but just phrased differently.

You're correct in your assumption, it's my understanding that the lower the number in the 'talent from stats' the less weighting stats have on the bearing of AI roster decisions. Again, Jeff has never confirmed but the member of the team who constructs the NHL ratings recommended trying it as a solution to some of these issues. So it's worth a go!

[belial1134]

Originally Posted by tomkmb

I've never understood it until this year either, I think the way it's worded and presented is confusing as in essence it's the same as the weightings settings for AI judgement in OOTP Baseball but just phrased differently.

You're correct in your assumption, it's my understanding that the lower the number in the 'talent from stats' the less weighting stats have on the bearing of AI roster decisions. Again, Jeff has never confirmed but the member of the team who constructs the NHL ratings recommended trying it as a solution to some of these issues. So it's worth a go!

Thanks. I upped it from 40 to 50 and will see if that triggers Aho or Lindholm getting signed.

update: 1/1/25 (same season I was on) Aho signed a 2 yr deal for $10,390,000/year. The team that signed him balanced this year/rebuild next year which makes sense as he is still just 27, 5 stars, and coming off a monster season the year prior.

That leaves Lindholm as the only 4 or above Free Agent. Only have 1 3 star FA (Kaapo Kahkonen) so still not bad. We'll see what happens with Lindholm. I wonder if AI teams are programmed to check free agents as the playoffs get closer.

update 2: 1/3/25 Lindholm signed 2 yr deal for 5,960,000/year. Team is rebuild this year and next year. Seems pretty reasonable.
1/15/25 Kaapo Kahkonen signed w/ HC Dynamo 1 yr @ $337,967

I did increase talent from stats before the updates, so I wonder if that influenced the signings or it would have happened eventually.

All in all, pretty good. Really just 2 star players that took off half a season but at least they signed 2 year deals. I'll try to post my FA's before the start of my next season.

[Swedishgamefreak]

Originally Posted by belial1134

Thanks. I upped it from 40 to 50 and will see if that triggers Aho or Lindholm getting signed.

update: 1/1/25 (same season I was on) Aho signed a 2 yr deal for $10,390,000/year. The team that signed him balanced this year/rebuild next year which makes sense as he is still just 27, 5 stars, and coming off a monster season the year prior.

That leaves Lindholm as the only 4 or above Free Agent. Only have 1 3 star FA (Kaapo Kahkonen) so still not bad. We'll see what happens with Lindholm. I wonder if AI teams are programmed to check free agents as the playoffs get closer.

update 2: 1/3/25 Lindholm signed 2 yr deal for 5,960,000/year. Team is rebuild this year and next year. Seems pretty reasonable.
1/15/25 Kaapo Kahkonen signed w/ HC Dynamo 1 yr @ $337,967

I did increase talent from stats before the updates, so I wonder if that influenced the signings or it would have happened eventually.

All in all, pretty good. Really just 2 star players that took off half a season but at least they signed 2 year deals. I'll try to post my FA's before the start of my next season.

Ah I see! Maybe I should increase that setting too then.

[renojedi]

I know you said teams still have cap space but was wondering if you all leave the cap the same every year.

Real Life is projected as follows:

2022-23: $82.5 million (firm)
2023-24: $83.5 million (projected)
2024-25: $87.5 - $88 million (projected)
2025-26: approximately $92 million (projected)

I know the game doesn't automatically do it since it causes some issues but wondered if anyone did it manually each year? I plan to to see if how it works out.

Maybe in combination with adjusting talents setting.

[belial1134]

Originally Posted by renojedi

I know you said teams still have cap space but was wondering if you all leave the cap the same every year.

Real Life is projected as follows:

2022-23: $82.5 million (firm)
2023-24: $83.5 million (projected)
2024-25: $87.5 - $88 million (projected)
2025-26: approximately $92 million (projected)

I know the game doesn't automatically do it since it causes some issues but wondered if anyone did it manually each year? I plan to to see if how it works out.

Maybe in combination with adjusting talents setting.

I haven't adjusted the cap space in FHM9 but I did experiment with it in FHM8 so maybe some things have changed since...


In FHM8, I started added 1 million to the cap each year (and I played quite a few seasons too..) The one thing I remember is your top superstars would be getting around $13+ million a year.


So teams wouldn't necessarily have cap space to sign free agents because they were using that extra money to meet the demands of their current players to keep them from going to free agency.

[belial1134]

Start of preseason in my next season. Obviously, Shesterkin should be signed and probably Samsonov. Hopefully it doesn't take until January of the next year before they get signed like Aho and Lindholm did in my prior season.

Rest of the Free Agent's doesn't seem too out of the ordinary

[tomkmb]

Originally Posted by belial1134

Start of preseason in my next season. Obviously, Shesterkin should be signed and probably Samsonov. Hopefully it doesn't take until January of the next year before they get signed like Aho and Lindholm did in my prior season.

Rest of the Free Agent's doesn't seem too out of the ordinary

What were their performances like last season?

I notice you said that you moved the 'talent from stats' rating UP last year, which would mean the AI is taking stats into account MORE than star ratings. Which is the opposite of how I have mine set, with a LOWER setting it means they judge players more based on their star ratings than their performance, ergo they could have a bad season and still get signed.


If they're in there for cap space (or lack thereof) reasons then this of course will not make as much of a direct impact.

[belial1134]

Originally Posted by tomkmb

What were their performances like last season?

I notice you said that you moved the 'talent from stats' rating UP last year, which would mean the AI is taking stats into account MORE than star ratings. Which is the opposite of how I have mine set, with a LOWER setting it means they judge players more based on their star ratings than their performance, ergo they could have a bad season and still get signed.


If they're in there for cap space (or lack thereof) reasons then this of course will not make as much of a direct impact.

Shesterkin - 75 games played (55-19-1) 2.22 ga, .925 save%, all star, vezina nominee.

55 wins was the most in the league, 2nd place was 44 wins.


Samsonov - did have a pretty poor season statically but he was on Toronto which went 36-36-10.
63 games played (27-28-7) 3.40 gam .910 save%, all star


I'm not sure if I should raise talent from stats or lower it. What are you seeing with yours lower? Any 4 star or higher free agents sitting out half a year?


Salary cap probably plays a large part. Shesterkin was with the Rangers and it looks like they only about 2.5 million of space. I don't see his contract info in his bio tab but I would guess it was at least 10mil/year.


To check salary cap space do you check the tab that says cap obligation? or the tab next to it? I usually just look at the free agents and it shows me a different number but that screen is easier for me to read.

[Savoie45]

I've tried it at all extremes and while it seems to help with keeping stars from going to waivers there always seems to be at least one big name that ends up in FA.

[redtiger7]

I have teh opposite problem.I'm doing historical random debut and getting no FA who are actually worth anything.

[belial1134]

update:
Shesterkin signed on 10/1 2 years @ $9,370,000/year.
Samsonov signed 10/15 1 year for 6,482,734

There were a total of 8 FAs signed in Oct and 1 in November (I just got to Dec 1st). Really not a whole lot of exciting FAs currently available other than maybe Husso (3 star goalie) so far looking pretty good and glad to see Shesterkin sign in October compared to Aho not getting signed until Jan in my previous season

[Byrath]

Originally Posted by redtiger7

I have teh opposite problem.I'm doing historical random debut and getting no FA who are actually worth anything.

Same here in regular historical, not one NHL caliber UFA in two seasons, besided Oates coming out of college and Klima coming overseas. A couple backup goalies.
I guess when teams are only spending about 40% of their allocated player payroll, they re-sign anyone with any value.