Hardest Rebuild in 22

[kinsmen7]

Trying to go deep with a franchise. Can't seem to stay immersed this year, as the teams that I'm trying to build just seem a bit simple.

It doesn't even necessarily have to be a rebuild. Someone who potentially has cap-issues, a non-existent prospect pool, a lack of picks and limited high end talent would be ideal. Obviously that's a lot of factors in play, but I'm just looking for something tough.

Anyway, short story long, I'm just looking for a challenge, and maybe some house rules to keep it realistic.

[Instant C1a55ic]

Quote: Originally Posted by kinsmen7

Trying to go deep with a franchise. Can't seem to stay immersed this year, as the teams that I'm trying to build just seem a bit simple. It doesn't even necessarily have to be a rebuild. Someone who potentially has cap-issues, a non-existent prospect pool, a lack of picks and limited high end talent would be ideal. Obviously that's a lot of factors in play, but I'm just looking for something tough. Anyway, short story long, I'm just looking for a challenge, and maybe some house rules to keep it realistic.

Arizona

I failed, BAD. Just getting the line chem was the hardest thing for me. The most wins i got in the 10 years was 40.

[kinsmen7]

Quote: Originally Posted by Instant C1a55ic

Arizona I failed, BAD. Just getting the line chem was the hardest thing for me. The most wins i got in the 10 years was 40.

Yeah, I've done a few test franchises with them (Including moving them to the Atlantic and relocating to Quebec), and it was fairly entertaining...I just couldn't get past the amount of 1st and 2nd round picks that they've got in the upcoming draft. Insane.

Also, the last one, I couldn't get myself to the floor. Waited too long in free agency trying to only sign players who would realistically sign, and still ended up $10 or so mil shy of the cap floor (The cap jump from $81.5-$87.5 is ridiculous...).

I'm kind of torn right now between Vancouver and Philly. Played a couple of games last night post-patch and the goaltending seems to have improved a bit, which is what I was waiting for.

[JoeRodgers1175]

I always make Arizona the Houston Aeros and that roster is a dumpster fire. The first year of my current franchise I tanked and traded any NHL player with value for picks and prospects. But with all the cap space and assets, if you hit on your picks and do well in free agency and are aggressive in the trade market, you can get good in three or four seasons.

For example, even though I was out of the race both times, I traded for Dylan Larkin and Ilya Sorokin at consecutive deadlines using spare picks and prospects and the oodles of cap space. They were on my first two Cup-winning teams.

But yeah, getting to the cap floor the first couple seasons is a haul. With no ability to trade for guys on LTIR, I had to give journeymen 1-year, $10 million deals.

It’s also tough to hire decent coaches at the start because they don’t want to deal with that roster.

In general, they’re a lot of fun because they’re a blank slate. It’s even more fun if you move them to Houston or wherever. It’s almost like an expansion team.

[mal reynolds]

Never done it but San Jose strikes me as one of the tougher rebuilds, especially if you do it somewhat realistically (ie all the big contracts on D likely being unmoveable without heavy retention)

Not exactly swimming in young talent either, though they have some

[Funkycorm]

The trick is to find a middle ground team that is on the cusp of the playoffs with a few good players and some bad contracts. You don't get top picks in the draft and are forced to decide if you tear down or sign some key pieces.

The middling teams are the hardest rebuilds. They present the more difficult choices. Bottom dwellers, though fun to rebuild, become to easy when you tank from the get go.

This middle ground approach really makes you nail your scouting the first few years and find those diamonds in the rough in the middle rounds who will be key cogs for you 4-5 years down the road.

Though I mostly just sim so it is easier to wait for those players to be NHL ready.

For me, teams like Minnesota and Columbus fit this well for me.

[Instant C1a55ic]

Quote: Originally Posted by Funkycorm

The trick is to find a middle ground team that is on the cusp of the playoffs with a few good players and some bad contracts. You don't get top picks in the draft and are forced to decide if you tear down or sign some key pieces. The middling teams are the hardest rebuilds. They present the more difficult choices. Bottom dwellers, though fun to rebuild, become to easy when you tank from the get go. This middle ground approach really makes you nail your scouting the first few years and find those diamonds in the rough in the middle rounds who will be key cogs for you 4-5 years down the road. Though I mostly just sim so it is easier to wait for those players to be NHL ready. For me, teams like Minnesota and Columbus fit this well for me.

Not sure if Buffalo was on the cusp, but I am in year 4 with them and already got 1 Cup.

I managed to snag Nate Mackinnon in free agency during year 2, literally threw money at him. Traded Krebs for draft picks and 4th line grinders. Built a top flight D through the draft, and have decent line chem for offense and defense.

[kinsmen7]

Quote: Originally Posted by Funkycorm

The trick is to find a middle ground team that is on the cusp of the playoffs with a few good players and some bad contracts. You don't get top picks in the draft and are forced to decide if you tear down or sign some key pieces. The middling teams are the hardest rebuilds. They present the more difficult choices. Bottom dwellers, though fun to rebuild, become to easy when you tank from the get go. This middle ground approach really makes you nail your scouting the first few years and find those diamonds in the rough in the middle rounds who will be key cogs for you 4-5 years down the road. Though I mostly just sim so it is easier to wait for those players to be NHL ready. For me, teams like Minnesota and Columbus fit this well for me.

I ended up settling with Anaheim. Simmed to the deadline, did a bit of buying and selling (Hampus Lindholm/Rickard Rakell), so that I could set myself off for a fun offseason. I decided to set myself a budget that's within $6 mil of the floor (Jumps to $67.5 after year 1), and added a few house rules so that I don't take advantage of the CPU (ie. Can't sign top tier free agents age 26-33 in year one). They've already got a strong prospect pool, but a lot of the young guys are a couple of years away at minimum.

Minnesota would be a fun one because of those buyouts. But the cap raising to $87.5 mil is insanity...I wish it were like NBA 2k where you can adjust the cap inflation, though that would absolutely screw up the UFA pool leaving a ton of guys unsigned...

Messed around with Columbus for a bit...Patrik Laine is outstanding to play with. A ton of young guys that were NHL-ready kinda threw me off though...felt bad sending half a dozen down to the AHL.