Bench Players Quickly Losing Ability?

Zeke K · 11-26-2021, 01:37 AM

Is anyone else seeing this in their games?

I'm in 2031 in my game and one thing that I have noticed is that bench players ability/potential are taking a beating.

I have had quite a few new to the team 3-4 players fall off to 2-3 by December. Same with 3-3 players that go to 2.5 or 2. They are bench players, but they appear to be heavily punished for not getting icetime. I've never seen this happen and it's quite frustrating.

How are these players somehow forgetting how to skate just because they aren't seeing regular ice time? That is the role of players in their skill range; but in a few months they fall off to worthlessness. I've never seen a player's ratings be so volitile in such a short amount of time.

JeffR · 11-26-2021, 02:30 AM

There's no mechanic that reduces player ability because they're not getting icetime. The only effect icetime will have on development is slowing the rate of attribute improvement if the player isn't getting enough of it. If they're declining, it's because they've naturally reached that point in their careers.

Zeke K · 11-26-2021, 03:02 PM

Well, I have seen this from 22 year olds and 27 year olds none of which should drop off a star/star and a half within 3 months on the team.

Their only commonality is being on the bench. This has happened with around 8-10 players so far in this game. I was wondering if it was just my game.

Adam B · 11-26-2021, 05:14 PM

Did you change how stars are evaluated? Maybe you tied too much to points.

And when you say they're dropping that, do you mean you see in the development reports that they're minusing or just visually seeing stars move?

Zeke K · 11-26-2021, 05:31 PM

Thanks for the reply, I've done nothing with points. For example: Here is a 22 y.o. LW, St. Louis (at the bottom of the screenshot), that was a 3.5/3.5 at the beginning of the season but declined to a 2.5/3.0 by February.

I'd already had to trade for a new defensive substitute prior to the 2nd screenshot as well due to the same kind of drop...

Okay, just went back to 'cap his page and it's odd (see third screenshot) the team scouting shows the drop I'm referring to but the consensus scouting shows him at his preseason numbers. I hadn't noticed that. Odd.

magik · 11-26-2021, 07:34 PM

Did you check players with commissioner mode or without it?

It could be that they were overrated and your team scouting actually put their ratings closer to their actual values or they are currently underrated.

11-26-2021, 01:37 AM	#1
Zeke K Minors (Double A) Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 153	Bench Players Quickly Losing Ability? Is anyone else seeing this in their games? I'm in 2031 in my game and one thing that I have noticed is that bench players ability/potential are taking a beating. I have had quite a few new to the team 3-4 players fall off to 2-3 by December. Same with 3-3 players that go to 2.5 or 2. They are bench players, but they appear to be heavily punished for not getting icetime. I've never seen this happen and it's quite frustrating. How are these players somehow forgetting how to skate just because they aren't seeing regular ice time? That is the role of players in their skill range; but in a few months they fall off to worthlessness. I've never seen a player's ratings be so volitile in such a short amount of time.

11-26-2021, 05:14 PM	#4
Adam B Hockey Community Manager Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: A Hockey Rink Posts: 2,590	Did you change how stars are evaluated? Maybe you tied too much to points. And when you say they're dropping that, do you mean you see in the development reports that they're minusing or just visually seeing stars move? __________________ *Come Watch Adam and Jeff's Live Twitch Streams Every Wednesday Night at 11pm Eastern on the FHM Twitch Channel and the OOTP Twitch Channel*

11-26-2021, 05:31 PM	#5
Zeke K Minors (Double A) Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 153	Thanks for the reply, I've done nothing with points. For example: Here is a 22 y.o. LW, St. Louis (at the bottom of the screenshot), that was a 3.5/3.5 at the beginning of the season but declined to a 2.5/3.0 by February. I'd already had to trade for a new defensive substitute prior to the 2nd screenshot as well due to the same kind of drop... Okay, just went back to 'cap his page and it's odd (see third screenshot) the team scouting shows the drop I'm referring to but the consensus scouting shows him at his preseason numbers. I hadn't noticed that. Odd. Attached Images

11-26-2021, 02:30 AM	#2
JeffR FHM Producer Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Kelowna, BC Posts: 17,427	There's no mechanic that reduces player ability because they're not getting icetime. The only effect icetime will have on development is slowing the rate of attribute improvement if the player isn't getting enough of it. If they're declining, it's because they've naturally reached that point in their careers.

11-26-2021, 03:02 PM	#3
Zeke K Minors (Double A) Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 153	Well, I have seen this from 22 year olds and 27 year olds none of which should drop off a star/star and a half within 3 months on the team. Their only commonality is being on the bench. This has happened with around 8-10 players so far in this game. I was wondering if it was just my game.

11-26-2021, 07:34 PM	#6
magik Minors (Single A) Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 88	Did you check players with commissioner mode or without it? It could be that they were overrated and your team scouting actually put their ratings closer to their actual values or they are currently underrated.