Quote:
Originally Posted by JKrause
Okay, these may not be a FHM-specific questions but I'll ask anyway:
- When is the best time to sign the players that I just drafted?
- Should I sign them as soon as I can?
- Should I wait until they are good enough to play in the league I'm the General Manager of?
- Will they benefit from training/coaching if they aren't signed?
- What factors limit the number of players that I can sign?
- Is it based on roster size? Salary cap?
Thanks in advance. |
It's really hard to break this down, so here's the long answer:
The best time to sign is when you choose. A first round pick probably should be signed right away - everyone else? Depends if they have a current ability of 2 stars or above. Make sure they are signed before rights expire (unless you don't want them!)
In the NHL, you are limited to 50 contracts, so be aware of that. You can "bury" a contract though by say signing an 18 year old and sending him back to the Canadian Hockey League (if he's from Canada) for his 18th and 19th year old seasons.
But, it depends where you're drafting them from. Leaving a player in the CHL or NCAA to develop is fine, as is some top tier leagues like the SHL, Liiga or the National League - but if they are lower, you may want to consider signing them sooner and bringing them and putting them into your development system. That being said, if a player isn't at least 1 star (and probably, 1.5), I would leave them where they are unless they are playing on a really obscure team.
The only benefit to signing them in terms of training is you can choose what they develop more in, but they're still going to improve no matter where they are, so it's not too much of a worry.
Remember: Younger guys = Cheaper Contracts. Cheaper Contracts = Being able to keep your top guys (or sign top guys) to play. It's a constant go around and you need to have players continuing to push into your lineup. Just don't rush anyone. Sometimes letting them develop and signing them late is the right move.