Goalie management needs serious work (at least in fictional)

[damientheomen3]

I recently got FHM 3 for the Stanley Cup Finals sale, but one major thing I've noticed is that goalie prospects just don't seem to be handled well at all, at least in fictional sandbox mode. Now, I am playing something of an unconventional setup (14 pro teams, 14 minor league teams and 30 junior teams), but for my first league I made a goalie with really high potential to sim a few seasons and see where he goes and he just... didn't.

He didn't play at all in two pre-draft junior seasons, because his 1* current/5* potential couldn't outrank the other guy's 2* current/3* potential, but he still went 4th overall because of the potential. He spent another year in the juniors, didn't play at all again, and wasn't signed by his drafting team. Then in the following two years, in the minors after having his rights signed, he didn't play at all, not even once, again, for the minor league team of the team that signed him. He didn't progress either, in any rating whatsoever (which is likely because teams can only develop one goalie at a time in the important ratings, which I feel is deeply flawed).

But, looking into other players, it looks like a lot of young goalies get shafted. There was a goalie in the same league that went first overall, was signed, then had his rights released 3 months after signing and constantly shuffled around despite his 5* potential. Again, it's entirely possible this is because of my unconventional setup of twice the junior teams as pro teams, but this has still left a kind of sour taste in my mouth as a first impression.

I like the FHM series. As someone that's still trying to get integrated with hockey, likes to learn sports through management sims, and finds EHM utterly inaccessible because I don't want to spend an hour setting up my training based off a guide that's a game old and doesn't really apply too well, I find the simplicity of the game enjoyable, but I don't want to play a RL league (especially with that ghastly 14/16 conference setup). Are young goalies still this poorly mismanaged if I were to have a more conventional setup, or does it at least even out at that point?

[Adam B]

Well, a lot of what you're describing is a big issue in hockey right now. Typically goalies have a tough time developing and really most goalies aren't hitting their peak until their late 20s.

I can't say for sure, but it would seem because of the limited leagues it is hindering some development for sure, but teams will play the goalies they feel they help them the best right now (current potential) rather than future.

What you may want to explore is playing Sandbox mode and simming to July 1st and then expanding the NHL to 32 teams if you want a balanced league. That may be a better way to go as it leaves all leagues for players to filter through.

[damientheomen3]

I guess the core issue I'm getting at here is the training system. Is it really necessary to have it so players don't develop unless they have training assigned, like it seems to be, considering a team can only really develop one goalie per organizational level? That feels massively unrealistic to me, although I just don't like training systems in management sims in general.