New Feature Request: human GM of Farm Teams

eventninja · 02-09-2025, 12:23 PM

Hi. I'm appealing to the Dev team to remove the restriction for single-player multi-GM games where you cannot have a human GM of any Farm Team. Managing an NHL team alongside an AHL, or even ECHL team, has a lot of benefits both in terms of being a rich gameplay experience while also holding truer to the actual business of professional hockey.

Control Over Decisions: I don't want my Farm Team GMs to sign players to fill roster spots to compete with my Prospects. I don't want them to hire bad staff or fire good staff.

Player Development: By hiring the best coaches and staff for my Farm Teams, staff style preferences can be matched through the entire NHL>AHL>ECHL hierarchy. Prospects should develop faster in a way that best fits their future role in the NHL, allows a clearer understanding of the Prospects ability to perform within a consistent system.

Division of Labour: By assigning the Scouts of my Farm Team, I get a wider distribution of scouting without tying up NHL-level scouts.

Game Play Efficiencies: Controlling an NHL and AHL team doesn't require controlling the ECHL affiliate. By aligning the NHL and AHL teams, most of the non-Roster decisions will align. Two teams should not mean twice the work, or twice the time required to complete a season.

I've enjoyed this style of gameplay since EHM2007. So long as there is no negative impact to Online Leagues, this playing style could easily fit alongside what fans expect from the FHM series.

Iceman90 · 02-09-2025, 01:08 PM

I totally agree with you on this. In another hockey GM sim, I manage my NHL, AHL and ECHL teams.

I will say however, many of your gripes can be worked around using Comissioner Mode. I usually use that tool to staff my farm team.

Leafsdude · 02-10-2025, 02:01 PM

So much this. At least give me the option to have some control on the finances as the NHL GM. My AHL team is really struggling because the team refuses to put money into team morale, so everyone is pissed off.

Iceman90 · 02-10-2025, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leafsdude

So much this. At least give me the option to have some control on the finances as the NHL GM. My AHL team is really struggling because the team refuses to put money into team morale, so everyone is pissed off.

Or have the AHL team mirror the spending of the NHL team.

treestreetgaming · 02-14-2025, 02:12 PM

You can control the lines used and the staff hired and fired on your farm teams by clicking the boxes in the manager options.

Leafsdude · 02-16-2025, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by treestreetgaming

You can control the lines used and the staff hired and fired on your farm teams by clicking the boxes in the manager options.

Well aware. Doesn't fix my problem now, does it?

Javs · 02-17-2025, 11:09 AM

Would be nice if the parent team could "own" their affiliate, and be in charge of all operations.

Assistance GM hiring would be great too, they could handle the affiliate teams if the user wanted as well.

treestreetgaming · 02-17-2025, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leafsdude

Well aware. Doesn't fix my problem now, does it?

Some of the problems you listed it does. Was just trying to help but sorry for trying.

Iceman90 · 02-19-2025, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leafsdude

Well aware. Doesn't fix my problem now, does it?

This seems a little aggressive. Everyone is just trying to provide options that might help you achieve this within what the existing game mechanics allow. We realize it's not perfect.

Leafsdude · 02-22-2025, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by treestreetgaming

Some of the problems you listed it does. Was just trying to help but sorry for trying.

So I didn't realize the OP was offering ideas that were solved by those points. I guess you didn't realize I wasn't the OP either.

Regardless, the thing I was having issues with was not solved by the suggestion, so I still stand by the core of my response.

02-09-2025, 12:23 PM	#1
eventninja Bat Boy Join Date: Feb 2025 Posts: 2	New Feature Request: human GM of Farm Teams Hi. I'm appealing to the Dev team to remove the restriction for single-player multi-GM games where you cannot have a human GM of any Farm Team. Managing an NHL team alongside an AHL, or even ECHL team, has a lot of benefits both in terms of being a rich gameplay experience while also holding truer to the actual business of professional hockey. Control Over Decisions: I don't want my Farm Team GMs to sign players to fill roster spots to compete with my Prospects. I don't want them to hire bad staff or fire good staff. Player Development: By hiring the best coaches and staff for my Farm Teams, staff style preferences can be matched through the entire NHL>AHL>ECHL hierarchy. Prospects should develop faster in a way that best fits their future role in the NHL, allows a clearer understanding of the Prospects ability to perform within a consistent system. Division of Labour: By assigning the Scouts of my Farm Team, I get a wider distribution of scouting without tying up NHL-level scouts. Game Play Efficiencies: Controlling an NHL and AHL team doesn't require controlling the ECHL affiliate. By aligning the NHL and AHL teams, most of the non-Roster decisions will align. Two teams should not mean twice the work, or twice the time required to complete a season. I've enjoyed this style of gameplay since EHM2007. So long as there is no negative impact to Online Leagues, this playing style could easily fit alongside what fans expect from the FHM series.

02-09-2025, 01:08 PM	#2
Iceman90 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Calgary, Alberta Posts: 187	I totally agree with you on this. In another hockey GM sim, I manage my NHL, AHL and ECHL teams. I will say however, many of your gripes can be worked around using Comissioner Mode. I usually use that tool to staff my farm team.

02-10-2025, 02:01 PM	#3
Leafsdude Bat Boy Join Date: Dec 2024 Posts: 9	So much this. At least give me the option to have some control on the finances as the NHL GM. My AHL team is really struggling because the team refuses to put money into team morale, so everyone is pissed off.

02-14-2025, 02:12 PM	#5
treestreetgaming Minors (Single A) Join Date: Dec 2020 Location: Maine Posts: 83	You can control the lines used and the staff hired and fired on your farm teams by clicking the boxes in the manager options.

02-17-2025, 11:09 AM	#7
Javs Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 2,859	Would be nice if the parent team could "own" their affiliate, and be in charge of all operations. Assistance GM hiring would be great too, they could handle the affiliate teams if the user wanted as well.