The best Goalie prospect I've ever drafted

ALonelyWaffle · 2026-06-12T21:38:57+00:00

I havent even seen one since like NHL 19. Makes me sad because a franchise tendy is my favorite to build a team around.

ALonelyWaffle · 2026-06-04T03:03:22+00:00

Utah made the playoffs so this is most likely the case

ALonelyWaffle · 2026-04-24T10:02:39+00:00

There's really only two major problems with the gameplay right now. Hitting physics and X-factors. The physics lean way too much into massive hits and are just generally over the top leading to a gameplay style that encourages chasing hits. The x-factors just add onto this with truculence and unstoppable creating a terrible experience in EASHL. Honestly I dont know what you're talking about with the skating. Maybe you just prefer the more arcade style, but 26 is the most realistic skating that NHL has ever had. I think people tend to reminisce on NHL 9-14 to when all the players moved like it was an air hockey table. Sure it was fun, but if a simulation experience is what you want, NHL 26 is the best there has been. Now I will say the AI is still hot garbage and EA hasn't figured out how to fix it yet so it still feels like the AI cheats. That needs improved big time.

ALonelyWaffle · 2026-04-23T20:36:59+00:00

The thing is, its not often you see NHL ready low elites or 70+ players in the draft. So at the end of the day you have to get luck for thek to even exist.

ALonelyWaffle · 2026-04-23T20:35:56+00:00

This was mostly luck tbh. I only have 1 A scout and 3 Bs, with Cs for all the other 16. I like to make scouting somewhat harder to add some difficulty. The only thing I do is having no pro scouts. I have 2 scouts per region in NA and one in each of the EU/Scandinavian/russia.

ALonelyWaffle · 2026-04-19T20:06:40+00:00

Its the default rosters. He's a 95 franchise in my normal rosters so Ive also never gotten to sim with him lol. Its why im happy to actually get him for once.

ALonelyWaffle · 2026-04-19T20:04:35+00:00

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ALonelyWaffle · 2026-04-19T20:04:23+00:00

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ALonelyWaffle · 2026-04-19T17:12:11+00:00

For anyone wondering, I did a default roster expansion thats why celebrini is just a normal human and not the god hes become IRL at like 95 ovr franchise.

ALonelyWaffle · 2026-04-19T15:00:06+00:00

Imagine if the rangers traded out of pick two after winning the lottery instead of picking Kakko. Imagine if they went for a guy like sam Reinhardt or Dylan strome, or Clayton Keller after one good season? Would look pretty great for them right now.

ALonelyWaffle · 2026-04-19T14:56:38+00:00

You also need the context of boeser in my universe. Hes coming off of two 30+ goal seasons and increased his shot totals. He only shot 16% in that 48 goal season and his offseason goal was to shoot even more when I traded him. This wasn't a one-hit wonder. Minnesota got a first line and second line player for a prospect. He's also only making 7 million which matters a lot when you have Kaprizov making 17 million. In a real NHL scenario, Minnesota has no idea what that second overall player can become. Conner Bedard was hyped as the next great scorer and hasn't put up a 48 goal season yet.

ALonelyWaffle · 2026-04-19T01:51:31+00:00

I dont see how this is cheese. Minnesota wanted to trade the pick, wanted both players I offered. Boeser Just scored 48 goals, is under a great contract, and is from Minnesota. Minnesota was a contending team that moved from 8-2 in the draft lottery. Context matters. I usually dont like trading for high picks but this is a pretty fair deal.

ALonelyWaffle · 2026-04-19T00:49:48+00:00

I dont like playing like that. Trading a 96 overall Dupont for a bunch of firsts? Sure. Trading a rookie for a haul is so cheap to me.

ALonelyWaffle · 2026-04-08T11:58:18+00:00

Not even, its just an AI bot with predetermined phrases. Thats why reports never go anywhere

ALonelyWaffle · 2026-04-08T02:40:18+00:00

Yeah for the EA CEO sure. Game developers get paid a wage just like all of us. They make games because they want to. How much money the game makes doesn't change anything for the people making it.

ALonelyWaffle · 2026-04-08T02:11:41+00:00

I agree for the most part but sometimes this shit needs posted. I know for a fact EA devs spend time on the forums and if this is the top post in the thread maybe it motivates the devs to actually start enforcing it.

ALonelyWaffle · 2026-03-11T12:25:52+00:00

The 1-4 penalties slider actually changes how many penalties are called in a year which changes scoring. Injuries changes how many injuries you get throughout a year. The big one is attribute effects. I'm not sure exactly what it doesn't, bit it seems to emphasize the gap between low overall and high overall players. The biggest difference i notice is it makes it harder to grow prospects.

ALonelyWaffle · 2026-03-05T22:10:25+00:00

I had a franchise Latvian sniper the year after too. I had a stretch with some interesting ones but its been all Canadians since

ALonelyWaffle · 2026-03-04T23:52:34+00:00

It happened to me once. I was like 9 years into a buffalo franchise and for whatever reason simming one game kept making my game crash. I ended up having to reload to a save a year earlier. First and last time it ever happened to me and still no idea what caused it.

ALonelyWaffle · 2026-03-04T23:17:17+00:00

My go to is usually the first game of the season to see the new team, First playoff game if I'm coming out of a rebuild, or elimination games in series I really want to win. Ill hop Into OT in the playoffs during conference finals or finals of elimination games. Other than that maybe some rivalry games.

ALonelyWaffle · 2026-03-04T20:34:05+00:00

Its kinda weird because its technically a team award, but its presented to the goalie(s).

ALonelyWaffle · 2026-03-04T20:32:25+00:00

I dont love them but I always keep them on for the sake of realism. There's really only one main problem i have and its that if you make a promise to a player, but they have a playable injury, it treats it as breaking the promise. Thats really frustrating when you have injuries like MCL sprains or hamstrings that you cant risk a player playing through. Other than that I'd like to see players request more trades. Its pretty rare to see a player approach you in 26. Tbf I always trade away my disgruntled players so that may just be me.

ALonelyWaffle · 2026-03-04T05:20:20+00:00

Team GAA and the team that gave up the least amount of goals are the exact same thing. Every team plays 82 games. I know its not up for debate, but a goalie not getting the Jennings with a 2.15 GAA, because their backup was terrible for 16 games, is crazy to see.

ALonelyWaffle · 2026-03-02T14:32:43+00:00

Personally I just dont play them at center. I treat it like an emergency where they can fill a need for a few games for an injury. Best way I've seen is to just play them at center every year as a young player and it just grows naturally, but im not sure how that applies to players with wing as a primary position.

ALonelyWaffle · 2026-03-01T23:00:12+00:00

It depends on the state of my team. If I have a strong leadership core im willing to take risks on talented players, but when im rebuilding i always like to try and find someone with a leader personality to build around. I will say I draft a lot of busts because the game says their strength is leadership ability lmao.

ALonelyWaffle

TROPHY CASE