Several young players declining?

TurboJ · 02-27-2025, 04:32 PM

On my monthly report I'm seeing a long list of very young players declining. I know some begin to do so normally around the age of 25, but this seems too many to be normal:

The ages of players reported to be on the decline:

25, 22, 25, 25, 26, 23, 25, 25, 23, 21, 23

FWIW I'm on my first season with the 1979 Hartford Whalers. Coaches and trainers are very good. But maybe this has something to do with the fact that these are all players from the original starting rosters...? Or a bug?

EDIT. I notice that on an AI team also there's young player decline going on. To none other than Wayne Gretzky at 19 years old (!)
His best attributes have all dropped by one during the first 50 games played.

So I guess this is not normal...

TurboJ · 02-27-2025, 05:36 PM

I'll just add this here: 1980 US Olympic team has NHL players on it. Other national teams have amateur rosters as they should.

tomkmb · 02-28-2025, 04:08 AM

I too noticed this when I first started playing Historical mode, as someone who wasn't that experienced in the mode it stood out to me.

TurboJ · 03-04-2025, 11:25 PM

Now that I've played three full seasons in the Standard Game, with 2024-2025 rosters, this phenomenon does not seem to exist. So far I've only seen players older than 25 to start declining; typically only at around 28. This seems much more realistic IMO.

tomkmb · 03-05-2025, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TurboJ

Now that I've played three full seasons in the Standard Game, with 2024-2025 rosters, this phenomenon does not seem to exist. So far I've only seen players older than 25 to start declining; typically only at around 28. This seems much more realistic IMO.

Seems to be tied to Historical

JeffR · 03-07-2025, 05:16 AM

Some historical players are set to decline early, if that's how their actual career went.

#4BobbyOrr · 03-10-2025, 01:33 AM

I've noticed in historical player declines seem to be well earlier than when they are in standard games. McDavid in the most recent historical game I played started declining at 25.

TurboJ · 03-19-2025, 08:20 AM

I think there is something funny going on with this system. It's all well and good if players reflect their historical career paths and some will decline early. But Wayne Gretzky declining at 19 years old isn't right.

02-27-2025, 04:32 PM	#1
TurboJ Minors (Single A) Join Date: Feb 2022 Posts: 56	Several young players declining? On my monthly report I'm seeing a long list of very young players declining. I know some begin to do so normally around the age of 25, but this seems too many to be normal: The ages of players reported to be on the decline: 25, 22, 25, 25, 26, 23, 25, 25, 23, 21, 23 FWIW I'm on my first season with the 1979 Hartford Whalers. Coaches and trainers are very good. But maybe this has something to do with the fact that these are all players from the original starting rosters...? Or a bug? EDIT. I notice that on an AI team also there's young player decline going on. To none other than Wayne Gretzky at 19 years old (!) His best attributes have all dropped by one during the first 50 games played. So I guess this is not normal... Last edited by TurboJ; 02-27-2025 at 05:13 PM.

02-27-2025, 05:36 PM	#2
TurboJ Minors (Single A) Join Date: Feb 2022 Posts: 56	I'll just add this here: 1980 US Olympic team has NHL players on it. Other national teams have amateur rosters as they should.

02-28-2025, 04:08 AM	#3
tomkmb All Star Starter Join Date: Jan 2021 Posts: 1,466	I too noticed this when I first started playing Historical mode, as someone who wasn't that experienced in the mode it stood out to me.

03-04-2025, 11:25 PM	#4
TurboJ Minors (Single A) Join Date: Feb 2022 Posts: 56	Now that I've played three full seasons in the Standard Game, with 2024-2025 rosters, this phenomenon does not seem to exist. So far I've only seen players older than 25 to start declining; typically only at around 28. This seems much more realistic IMO.

03-07-2025, 05:16 AM	#6
JeffR FHM Producer Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Kelowna, BC Posts: 17,244	Some historical players are set to decline early, if that's how their actual career went.

03-10-2025, 01:33 AM	#7
#4BobbyOrr Minors (Double A) Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 151	I've noticed in historical player declines seem to be well earlier than when they are in standard games. McDavid in the most recent historical game I played started declining at 25.

03-19-2025, 08:20 AM	#8
TurboJ Minors (Single A) Join Date: Feb 2022 Posts: 56	I think there is something funny going on with this system. It's all well and good if players reflect their historical career paths and some will decline early. But Wayne Gretzky declining at 19 years old isn't right.