NHL 18 Franchise Mode :Expansion Edition

[regulahbread]

Year 2

2018 NHL Entry Draft
Round 1 (7) - RW Riley Sutter, Everett Silvertips, WHL, 57 OVR, HIGH Top 9
Round 1 from Pittsburgh (17) - D Ryan Merkley, Guelph Storm, OHL, 58 OVR, MED Top 6
Round 2 from Florida (35) - TRADED
Round 2 (37) - TRADED
Round 3 (68) - LW Tuukka Suominen, Frölunda Indians, SHL, 56 OVR, LOW Top 9
Round 3 from Toronto (73) - LW Tom Grahame, United States, 53 OVR, LOW Top 6
Round 4 (99) - D Yury Vorobiev, Russia, 53 OVR, LOW Top 6
Round 5 (130) - C Mattias Hedin, Vaxjö Lakers, 54 OVR, LOW Top 9
Round 6 (161) - RW Ronald Pierro-Zabotel, United States, 54 OVR, MED AHL Top 6
Round 6 from Toronto (166) - LW Pasi Niittymaki, KalPa Kuopio, Liiga, 54 OVR, MED AHL Top 6
Round 7 (192) - C Kris Holmberg, United States, 54 OVR, MED AHL Top 6

TRADE - 2 2018 2nd round picks(35 & 37) to Pittsburgh for 2018 1st round pick (17)

Re-Sign Phase
Released C Ryan Kujawinski
Re-signed LW Dmitrij Jaskin, 1 year/$1.525M
Re-signed LW Miles Wood, 2 years/$1.025M per
Released LW Ryane Clowe
Re-signed RW Kasperi Kapanen, 1 year/$800K
Re-signed RW Joseph Blandisi, 2 years/$850K per
Re-signed RW Stefan Noesen, 2 years/$700K per
Released D Dalton Prout
Re-signed D Steven Santini, 2 years/$825K per
Released D Michael Kapla
Released D Victor Loov
Released G Keith Kinkaid
Released G Ken Appleby

Free Agency
Signed G Philipp Grubauer, 2 years/$2M per
Signed C William Bitten, 3 years/$700K per
Signed C Cedric Paquette, 2 years/$1.350M per
Signed D Ryan Murphy, 2 years/$1.275M per

Lines
Taylor Hall "A" 88 OVR - Adam Henrique "C" 84 OVR - Kyle Palmieri "A" 84 OVR
Pavel Zacha 81 OVR - Nico Hischier 78 OVR - Calle Jarnkrok 79OVR
Adrian Kempe 79 OVR - Brian Boyle - 79 OVR - Dmitrij Jaskin 77 OVR
Miles Wood 76 OVR - Cedric Paquette 77 OVR - Brock McGinn 75 OVR

Michael Del Zotto 80 OVR - Damon Severson 84 OVR
Mirco Mueller 80 OVR - Ryan Murphy 79 OVR
Colby Sissons 70 OVR - Steven Santini 77 OVR

Cory Schneider 90 OVR
Philipp Grubauer 83 OVR

Trade Deadline
35-24-4, 74 points, 4th place in Metropolitan Division
TRADE - 2019 3rd round pick to Detroit for Niklas Kronwall
TRADE - RW Riley Sutter to Calgary for C Mark Jankowski
Re-signed C Adam Henrique, 4 years/$5.3M per
Re-signed LW Pavel Zacha, 5 years/$4.3M per
Re-signed D Michael Del Zotto, 2 years/$3.7M per

Post Deadline Lines
Taylor Hall "A" 88 OVR - Adam Henrique "C" 84 OVR - Kyle Palmieri "A" 84 OVR
Pavel Zacha 82 OVR - Nico Hischier 78 OVR - Calle Jarnkrok 79OVR
Adrian Kempe 79 OVR - Brian Boyle 78 OVR - Dmitrij Jaskin 77 OVR
Brock McGinn 75 OVR - Cedric Paquette 77 OVR - Miles Wood 76 OVR

Mirco Mueller 80 OVR - Damon Severson 84 OVR
Niklas Kronwall 80 OVR - Michael Del Zotto 80 OVR
Steven Santini 77 OVR - Ryan Murphy 79 OVR

Cory Schneider 90 OVR
Philipp Grubauer 83 OVR

End of Season
43-33-6, 92 points, 4th place in Metropolitan Division
Goals - Kyle Palmieri, 37
Assists - Adam Henrique, 53
Points - Taylor Hall, 78
Plus/Minus - Steven Santini, +16
Wins - Cory Schneider, 34
Save Percentage - Cory Schneider, .921
GAA - Cory Schneider, 2.50

2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs
Eastern Conference Quarterfinal
Game One: NJ @ FLA - Panthers 2, Devils 1
Game Two: NJ @ FLA - Panthers 3, Devils 2 (OT)
Game Three: FLA @ NJ - Devils 3, Panthers 2 (OT)
Game Four: FLA @ NJ - Devils 5, Panthers 4
Game Five: NJ @ FLA - Panthers 2, Devils 0
Game Six: FLA @ NJ - Devils 4, Panthers 3 (OT)
Game Seven: NJ @ FLA - Devils 6, Panthers 3

Eastern Conference Semifinal
Game One: NJ @ TB - Lightning 4, Devils 1
Game Two: NJ @ TB - Devils 4, Lightning 0
Game Three: TB @ NJ - Devils 4, Lightning 3
Game Four: TB @ NJ - Devils 6, Lightning 2
Game Five: NJ @ TB - Devils 1, Lightning 0 (OT)
Game Six: TB @ NJ - N/A
Game Seven: NJ @ TB -N/A

Eastern Conference Final
Game One: WSH @ NJ - Capitals 5, Devils 2
Game Two: WSH @ NJ - Devils 3, Capitals 2
Game Three: NJ @ WSH - Capitals 3, Devils 1
Game Four: NJ @ WSH - Capitals 3, Devils 2
Game Five: WSH @ NJ - Devils 3, Capitals 2 (OT)
Game Six: NJ @ WSH - Capitals 5, Devils 0
Game Seven: WSH @ NJ - N/A

End of Postseason
Goals - Adam Henrique, 9
Assists - Kyle Palmieri, 14
Points - Taylor Hall and Kyle Palmieri, 18
Plus/Minus - Kyle Palmieri, +8
Wins - Cory Schneider, 10
Save Percentage - Cory Schneider, .918
GAA- Cory Schneider, 2.41

Awards
None

 

[Nickmo82]

It's crazy the amount the cap keeps going up the deeper you get into franchise mode. It's currently at $99m in my game, about 5 years in. You have to overpay scrubs just to get to the floor as a rebuilding team.

 

[Nickmo82]

Why is it so hard for playmakers to get points? McDavid 6 years in, high franchise potential, 94 overall, 99 off. awareness, around 95 for all shot categories, 99 passing. He has not cracked 70 points in the game. 2 years ago, Oilers won the cup, he had 57 points...20 in 21 in the playoffs. -11 regular season (cup winning season) 7 games into this year he has 2 points in 7 games. Trocheck on my Panthers has yet to crack the 45 point mark and has been my 2C up until this year getting 2nd unit PP time. (We won the cup though last year woo) Crosby has yet to crack PPG. What the hell??

I'm not advocating "cheating" (doesn't matter in single player really, but still...), but I'm pretty sure that if you go into edit player via the franchise mode hub, you can change their play style and it'll boost their simmed points a little.

I drafted an elite 2-way forward that the game kept lumping on the 3rd line despite having an 84 rating on a wafer thin roster and his best season was something like 21-23-44. I changed him to a sniper and he seems to get more simmed points now. It could be unrelated though.

 

[Lays]

I'm not advocating "cheating" (doesn't matter in single player really, but still...), but I'm pretty sure that if you go into edit player via the franchise mode hub, you can change their play style and it'll boost their simmed points a little.

I drafted an elite 2-way forward that the game kept lumping on the 3rd line despite having an 84 rating on a wafer thin roster and his best season was something like 21-23-44. I changed him to a sniper and he seems to get more simmed points now. It could be unrelated though.

I wouldn't do it to "cheat" as in change players roles I already drafted but to change players like McDavid or Crosby who can't crack 70 points or PPG respectively. I know making them snipers than playmakers would change it but it'd feel weird. I guess for my next gm mode I'm going to have to do this though even though irl playmakers usually get the most points

 

[twiztidwolff]

so I've spent quite a bit of time building a roster that was balanced, have every type of player, right and left handed etc etc, ran through a season to finish 4th worst in the league, after that season I went through and signed free agents that had good to great year the previous year and traded for a few more guys, and then finished just outside the playoffs. The very next off season did the exact same thing, finished worst overall... I don't get this games systems.

 

[CelticPride]

Here's my list for some of the good and bad.

The good
1. Expansion/Relocation
2. Player potential system best it has ever been for EA's NHL.
3. New Stanley Cup Celebration. (only a slight improvement though tbh)
4. More realistic generated player potentials for the later drafts.

The bad
1. EA is clueless with player ratings, especially for top prospects.
2. 99 % of generated prospects will be under 60 overall.
3. Simulation is completely random.
4. Players retiring way too young, for instance, Duncan Keith retired at 35, even though he was still a top 4 defencemen.
5. Any player you edit, even NHL veterans, will be listed as rookies in the first year.
6. God awful contract negotiating system.
7. Unrealistic point totals for players. ex. Mcdavid at 68 points, guentzal 105. I had a line of Lafreniere, Seguin and barzal, all at 90 overall, good offensive stats, barely get 60 points a piece for multiple years.
8. Created prospects will be UFA after their ELC.
9. No Franchise history screens, seriously this is embarrassing, no page to show you what your team has done in years past, no record of anything except a half assed award screen showing you championships and award winners for last 5 years.
10. When winning the 2nd of back to back stanley cups with Islanders, Doc claimed it was the first time since 1983, even though I won it the year before.
11. Scouting...

Don't buy this game if your just into franchise mode, get NHL 2k8 instead.
EA needs to completely rebuild the franchise mode, it is a disgrace, and they charge people 60$ for it.

 

[IHaveNoCreativity]

Here's my list for some of the good and bad.

The good
1. Expansion/Relocation
2. Player potential system best it has ever been for EA's NHL.
3. New Stanley Cup Celebration. (only a slight improvement though tbh)
4. More realistic generated player potentials for the later drafts.

The bad
1. EA is clueless with player ratings, especially for top prospects.
2. 99 % of generated prospects will be under 60 overall.
3. Simulation is completely random.
4. Players retiring way too young, for instance, Duncan Keith retired at 35, even though he was still a top 4 defencemen.
5. Any player you edit, even NHL veterans, will be listed as rookies in the first year.
6. God awful contract negotiating system.
7. Unrealistic point totals for players. ex. Mcdavid at 68 points, guentzal 105. I had a line of Lafreniere, Seguin and barzal, all at 90 overall, good offensive stats, barely get 60 points a piece for multiple years.
8. Createn prospects will be RFA after their ELC.
9. No Franchise history screens, seriously this is embarrassing, no page to show you what your team has done in years past, no record of anything except a half assed award screen showing you championships and award winners for last 5 years.
10. When winning the 2nd of back to back stanley cups with Islanders, Doc claimed it was the first time since 1983, even though I won it the year before.
11. Scouting...

Don't buy this game if your just into franchise mode, get NHL 2k8 instead.
EA needs to completely rebuild the franchise mode, it is a disgrace, and they charge people 60$ for it.

Only thing.. for 8.. Players on ELC's are RFA at the end assuming they go through the draft.

 

[BruinsFTW]

https://www.easports.com/nhl/news/2...&utm_medium=social&cid=40203&ts=1509489275506


New Roster update!!! Wooo

Time for me to start Franchise

 

[ThorNton Apologist]

I’m guessing the new rosters are still unusable for expansion mode?

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Here's my list for some of the good and bad.

The good
1. Expansion/Relocation
2. Player potential system best it has ever been for EA's NHL.
3. New Stanley Cup Celebration. (only a slight improvement though tbh)
4. More realistic generated player potentials for the later drafts.

The bad
1. EA is clueless with player ratings, especially for top prospects.
2. 99 % of generated prospects will be under 60 overall.
3. Simulation is completely random.
4. Players retiring way too young, for instance, Duncan Keith retired at 35, even though he was still a top 4 defencemen.
5. Any player you edit, even NHL veterans, will be listed as rookies in the first year.
6. God awful contract negotiating system.
7. Unrealistic point totals for players. ex. Mcdavid at 68 points, guentzal 105. I had a line of Lafreniere, Seguin and barzal, all at 90 overall, good offensive stats, barely get 60 points a piece for multiple years.
8. Createn prospects will be RFA after their ELC.
9. No Franchise history screens, seriously this is embarrassing, no page to show you what your team has done in years past, no record of anything except a half assed award screen showing you championships and award winners for last 5 years.
10. When winning the 2nd of back to back stanley cups with Islanders, Doc claimed it was the first time since 1983, even though I won it the year before.
11. Scouting...

Don't buy this game if your just into franchise mode, get NHL 2k8 instead.
EA needs to completely rebuild the franchise mode, it is a disgrace, and they charge people 60$ for it.

So working like real life, that should be a good thing?

 

[CelticPride]

So working like real life, that should be a good thing?

Sorry. meant to say they are UFA which is a huge problem. an Example is Brady Tkachuk, I drafted him in 2018 at 18, played in NHL right away, 3 years later at the resigning stage, he is listed as an UFA, only 21 years old. This is the case for all of those prospects we create.

 

[hardkorejackets]

I'm just now getting started on my franchise.. I usually go in phases, but I think I'm done with HUT for now. Franchise modes can usually keep me interested for a while, but I'm not sure if this year's version will. The past versions have had similar problems with the rise in Cap and subsequently some lesser NHL players demanding some crazy amounts of money that are not realistic in the NHL (which kind of drives me crazy). But, with how the overall ratings for players took a drop with this game, I have a feeling this will continue and get worse.

I will attempt the suggestion of setting your scout to automatic and not paying attention to where he goes, but we'll see.

 

[ToppsSmith]

The scouting is way better this year. With scouting I have snagged a few gems in the 6th and 7th round. Even got a medium Elite Center in the 5th. It takes some time but it’s worth it. Saved me from a few flops too.

 

[Gardner McKay]

Here are my thoughts on Franchise mode so far (I am in the 2028-2029 season):

• I like that you can find gems in later rounds
• I like that prospect progression isn't guaranteed (especially true with goaltenders)
• I especially like that you can negotiate contract extensions during the season
• I HATE how contract negotiation works overall. Some players who are an 81 and Med-Elite want 10 million a year for an 8 year extension while others at the same area I can extend for 8 years and 2 million per year. There is no way a 22 year old 83 overall Med-Elite potential who scored 30 points in 82 games should be demanding 9.75 million over 3 years and then want 14 million over 8 years.
• The arena upgrades and team meeting concept are absolutely bunk. It is impossible to know what is going to motivate each player and the game gives you no context. The arena upgrades actually take away from the game being fun. So stupid.
• I hate the fact that the owner goals are ridiculous and can sometimes change multiple times
• Trading is absolutely stupid and I wish they would stop auto updating my f***ing trade block. I don't want what the game thinks that I want.
• The above leads to offers for players I don't need or want. The game constantly wants to give me overpaid vets with 1 year left on their contract + a 4th for a top prospect. Actually, I think EA just looked at the trade proposal forum on HF and decided to implement that logic as a feature.
• I do like that offer sheets are actually used in the game. The Flyers waited until I didn't have the cap room and then offersheeted my Franchise RW at 94 overall to a 3 year 13 million dollar contract a few seasons ago. Actually, all the times I have received an offer sheet were when I didn't have the cap space to match.
• I feel like the game weights Franchise players way too much. After I let my Winger go to Philly on the offersheet and took their 4 1st round picks, they went from worst in the NHL the previous season to a top 4 team. Oh, did I mention that they didn't have a player (sans the winger) above 78 and their goaltender was a 74?
• I haven't looked too deep into this but I noticed defense is more important than having good forwards or goaltending. I was fortunate enough to draft Dahlin. Between Dahlin, Skjei, McDonagh and a few key trades, my defense was rated a 99 overall. Offense was only an 85 and goaltending an 83 but we went 58-14-10 the first season, 59-9-15 the second season and 63-17-2 the following year (before I had to break up the trio). As of right now, I have a 97 rated offense and a 93 rated goaltending tandem but my defense is only an 88. We went 46-24-12 and 41-30-11. Right now my offense is up to a 98, defense an 87 and goaltending a 94 and we are 18-15-5.
  
  Overall, it is a lot more fun than years past. I just wish they would stop wasting time with pointless features like arena upgrades. They serve no purpose.

 

[IHaveNoCreativity]

Apparently you can change you arena budget to have money to upgrade everything.

 

[Gardner McKay]

Apparently you can change you arena budget to have money to upgrade everything.

After you have already started as a GM or when you are starting fresh?

 

[IHaveNoCreativity]

After you have already started as a GM or when you are starting fresh?

No idea but someone posted it in here.

 

[Gardner McKay]

Here is a new one. I tried to extend a player during the regular season. They wanted 8 years, 10.25 Million. I gave them their asking. They said no that they wanted more money. I offered 11 Million. Same response. I can't offer any more without making a move as it would put me over the cap. It still says the asking price is 8 years 10.25 million though. Wtf.

 

[Nickmo82]

Here is a new one. I tried to extend a player during the regular season. They wanted 8 years, 10.25 Million. I gave them their asking. They said no that they wanted more money. I offered 11 Million. Same response. I can't offer any more without making a move as it would put me over the cap. It still says the asking price is 8 years 10.25 million though. Wtf.

It might be that they don't want an extension. I've had that before and the guy signed fine and dandy in the offseason.

 

[M88K]

I’m guessing the new rosters are still unusable for expansion mode?

They are usable now and have been for a couple weeks at least

 

[IHaveNoCreativity]

They are usable now and have been for a couple weeks at least

32 team right ?

 

[PatrikBerglund]

92-92-96

90-90-89

89-87-86

84-82-84

91-89

90-88

85-83

91
87

My current team, being demolished in 4 straight games in the playoffs.

This game is so unrealistic.

 

[Gardner McKay]

92-92-96

90-90-89

89-87-86

84-82-84

91-89

90-88

85-83

91
87

My current team, being demolished in 4 straight games in the playoffs.

This game is so unrealistic.

I've figured out that goaltending all but doesn't matter. My team went 67 - 13 - 2 with my top goalie being a 77 and the other one as a 73. Offense was rated as a 100 and defense was a 99.

Defensive rating is the most important thing in this game for sim success in Franchise mode I believe.

 

[PatrikBerglund]

I've figured out that goaltending all but doesn't matter. My team went 67 - 13 - 2 with my top goalie being a 77 and the other one as a 73. Offense was rated as a 100 and defense was a 99.

Defensive rating is the most important thing in this game for sim success in Franchise mode I believe.

Really, I'll have to try that strategy, tx.

 

[ThorNton Apologist]

They are usable now and have been for a couple weeks at least

Really? There is someone in the roster thread saying the new CHL rosters do not apply to expansion mode. I’ll give it a try