General preseason strategy?

[letsgopens66]

What is the general preseason roster strategy? To bring up a ton of AHL guys and let them play? Or just bring up a few top prospects to see if they're ready to play with the rosters?

[MajorMulholland]

Basically play your young guys and any guys your on the fence about using on the big club. Dont need to play any of your good players because you already know your going to have them on your team when the regular season starts. Use your top prospects in a top line role so you can get a good long look at them.

[letsgopens66]

Quote: Originally Posted by MajorMulholland

Basically play your young guys and any guys your on the fence about using on the big club. Dont need to play any of your good players because you already know your going to have them on your team when the regular season starts. Use your top prospects in a top line role so you can get a good long look at them.

^Ok, thanks. Although I was confused, because I saw that Pittsburgh last year seemed to play a lot of their NHL roster (guys like Fleury, Crosby, Gonchar, etc.) in the preseason.

[MajorMulholland]

well in real life you can understand there are other reasons a team would play a star in pre season. I.E. to not dissapoint fans, to get the guy warmed up for the season, to check if hes recovered enough from an injury blah blah blah but in the game it would make no sense to play your stars. Take a good hard look at your AHL top line, your top prospects, and your good young guys who have not yet moved up from 3rd or 4th line. Why risk injuring your stars in pre season or take up a roster spot to look at a guy you know your going to have on the roster for the regular season. an exception to this may be to try out a new guy you got via trade or free agency, see where you want to use him, PP, PK, if hes good enough for your top line etc...

[letsgopens66]

Quote: Originally Posted by MajorMulholland

well in real life you can understand there are other reasons a team would play a star in pre season. I.E. to not dissapoint fans, to get the guy warmed up for the season, to check if hes recovered enough from an injury blah blah blah but in the game it would make no sense to play your stars. Take a good hard look at your AHL top line, your top prospects, and your good young guys who have not yet moved up from 3rd or 4th line. Why risk injuring your stars in pre season or take up a roster spot to look at a guy you know your going to have on the roster for the regular season. an exception to this may be to try out a new guy you got via trade or free agency, see where you want to use him, PP, PK, if hes good enough for your top line etc...

Very true, you make some good points. No need to start Crosby, Malkin, Staal and the likes. I will probably play Martin, Michalek, Asham, and Comrie a little though since they are new to the team.

[MajorMulholland]

Ya for sure. One thing I find is that just because a player has a good OVR doesnt mean I will be able to do anything with them. I dont know, I guess I play best with certain types of players. Maybe a guy has great hands and shooting etc but is slow as sin or just really big and cant move well, I dont like those types of players I prefer guys with speed. So ill try him , realize he is not my style and trade him or send him down etc. So ya, it is very useful to try out new guys you are unfamiliar with and see if you even like them.