Suggestions to stimulate GM activity

[OILFAN #81]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

I disagree.

This is going to sound blunter than I mean it to - but its way easier to rebuild and not deal with the pressure of having the expectations of winning.

I had GMs offering to take over the Sharks this season, because they "needed more of a challenge", even though there teams have not won anything. To be honest, this is not something I understand. I'm not slamming those GMs that made these offers, as I think they were doing so to help the league, but the rationale puzzled me somewhat.

In 3 of the 4 years that the CPHL has been in existance, one man has one the entire thing - Cheese. So clearly the rest of us haven't figured out what it takes to win the big prize yet.

I guess my simple point is - if its so easy to build a superior team - why aren't more teams doing it?

I'm not afraid to say that I was one of the gm's who offered to take over the Sharks but was turned down. My main idea for doing so was because they are by far the team that is in the biggest mess and I wanted to see them atleast get back to respectability. I don't think too many gm's would want to take over that team or even newbie's would prolly take it on and then just quit. For me, it has nothing to do with my Atlanta team.....this is my first year in the league and i've had alot of fun putting this Atlanta team back together after Cheese had his fun with it by winning and then trading everyone away. However, basically I just wanted to help the league out so I offered to take over SJ as they are in a complete mess. Didn't have much to do that I wanted more of a challenge, atleast for me. Being Atlanta GM has been alot of fun and I don't want to switch teams......just wanted to help out SJ because they need it bad and I didn't think most people would want to be GM of the Sharks.

[Hanna Sniper]

I would hate to say it but I think one of the major reasons for drop in numbers is the agents. Unless you’re in the buddy buddy system then dealing with the agents can be more of an uphill battle then for other GM’s. It’s something that would be hard to judge by the commissioners because I doubt that they get the same flack. What has happened (and this is my perspective) is that there are teams that can sign and teams that can’t…. The ones that can sign up and coming UFA trade for them at a lower value, sign them and move then at a much higher value now that they are signed long term… then teams that can’t get UFA signed then just don’t trade for pending UFA,

What effect this has on the league is that upcoming UFA being bought at a lower price causes other low ball offers to service, I think that there are very few teams willing to pay equal value for players right now because of this. Why would a GM give equal value for a player if they can obtain an upcoming UFA for much cheaper, then get him resigned, then flip him for that much higher valued player they were trying to acquire in the 1st place.

I think dealing with and the art of negotiating contracts have taken the place of what would be trading between GM’s. Why the change at deadline? Because before there was only one upcoming UFA that could be protected by each team and a barn full of soon to be UFA assets ready to be moved around at the deadline as they was no chance of them resigning.

What to see trading flourish again, re instate the franchise player tag on one UFA and for the rest to hit the open market in the off-season. All those players will have a much better chance of changing hands as now not only the GM’s that are buddies with agents will be acquiring them and as the season goes on, one by one the UFA won’t be dwindling.

[Radically Red]

I dont think handing out more Playoff cash is the answer.. All it does is increase the disparity between the haves and have nots IMHO.. I dont mind the trading of cap its a good ideas and I think the limit is high enough at this point. Raising it does nothing really teams will hit that mark and have the same issues as we have now.

I would like to see team only being able to trade for cap this year and not be able to trade future cap.. That way teams must rebuild once the year is over and the cap is reset. As it is now I team could aquire alot of cap this year and the next and sit on the team and the stars... possibly Keeping them off the Market.

[Sylvanfan]

In response to Jiri's post.


I agree that it's more comforting to make that build for the future deal as opposed to that go for it now one.

About 8-10 games before the deadline I tried to address a couple things on my team by making deals to try and improve to position myself for a last run. I dealt off guys like Shawn Belle and Garnett Exelby for UFA's in Berard and McAmmond. Also moved out Rucchin and a pick for a lesser rated but more productive sim guy in Bonk. I also moved Rachunek and conditioned Josh Gorges in a deal for Ruslan Salei. Unfortunately it all didn't work out, I ran into a few injuries and was still 4 points out type of thing, and decided I better sell or I'll die on my own sword. Making the deals to sell off my parts, that was easy, at the worst I was getting something for stuff that I likely wasn't going to keep. In fact the toughest deal for me to make mentally was one to go and acquire Sarich giving up a decent prospect and a mid 2nd to get a right now 4-5 defenceman. Am I giving up a future top 3 guy, what else could I trade this stuff for is Sarich good enough? To me those questions create a lot more self doubt.

[Goffie]

Originally Posted by Prottotype

It's too easy to build a team like Daves... no knock on Dave... but there's a great reason why he's at the top of the league, and a good chance he's gonna go far in the playoffs.

I totally disagree with this, if that was the case we would have a lot more successful teams in this league then what we do. To have a high calibre team and still keep a great base of prospects is a very tough task, and one that I have been trying to do myself since I got here. It would have been easy for me to sell of all my vets and not care about winning, but to get a winning team and keep a balance of a solid future is the whole point of this league; and one that nobody has yet to master. If Dave can win the cup with 4 1st round picks in this years draft and guys like Nash, Vanek, and Kovalchuk on his roster, then hats off to him cause that is what I think the rest of us are aiming to do. Win the cup. Doing so with an abundance of young players and prospects in the system would have to be the ultimate goal of any team.

[OILFAN #81]

Originally Posted by Goffie

I totally disagree with this, if that was the case we would have a lot more successful teams in this league then what we do. To have a high calibre team and still keep a great base of prospects is a very tough task, and one that I have been trying to do myself since I got here. It would have been easy for me to sell of all my vets and not care about winning, but to get a winning team and keep a balance of a solid future is the whole point of this league; and one that nobody has yet to master. If Dave can win the cup with 4 1st round picks in this years draft and guys like Nash, Vanek, and Kovalchuk on his roster, then hats off to him cause that is what I think the rest of us are aiming to do. Win the cup. Doing so with an abundance of young players and prospects in the system would have to be the ultimate goal of any team.

Agreed 100%. Dave has a great CPHL team, 4 or so 1st round picks, and has about 5 really good prospects not even on his CPHL team. I don's think it's easy winning and setting up the future as well.

[Radically Red]

Its a goal of mine as well.. I have just not been able to find that Balance that Dave has

[Mccree]

Originally Posted by Hanna Sniper

I would hate to say it but I think one of the major reasons for drop in numbers is the agents. Unless you’re in the buddy buddy system then dealing with the agents can be more of an uphill battle then for other GM’s. It’s something that would be hard to judge by the commissioners because I doubt that they get the same flack. What has happened (and this is my perspective) is that there are teams that can sign and teams that can’t…. The ones that can sign up and coming UFA trade for them at a lower value, sign them and move then at a much higher value now that they are signed long term… then teams that can’t get UFA signed then just don’t trade for pending UFA,

I think dealing with and the art of negotiating contracts have taken the place of what would be trading between GM’s. Why the change at deadline? Because before there was only one upcoming UFA that could be protected by each team and a barn full of soon to be UFA assets ready to be moved around at the deadline as they was no chance of them resigning.

What to see trading flourish again, re instate the franchise player tag on one UFA and for the rest to hit the open market in the off-season. All those players will have a much better chance of changing hands as now not only the GM’s that are buddies with agents will be acquiring them and as the season goes on, one by one the UFA won’t be dwindling.

Not to get into a war of words but are you saying that the agents play favorites?? Sure there are GM's we talk to more but to say we play favorites . And playing favorites means less trading?

We have had very little conversations about any player in the CPHL so that implies I play favorites.

I have been pondering my role as an agent for awhile now and now I know why. Or it could be that it is tax time and I am starting to lack sleep.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by Mccree

I have been pondering my role as an agent for awhile now and now I know why. Or it could be that it is tax time and I am starting to lack sleep.

If I come to you to do my taxes can you write off my home Internet account and phone as a "business expense" for being a CPHL Commish?

[OILFAN #81]

Originally Posted by Mccree

Not to get into a war of words but are you saying that the agents play favorites?? Sure there are GM's we talk to more but to say we play favorites . And playing favorites means less trading?

We have had very little conversations about any player in the CPHL so that implies I play favorites.

I have been pondering my role as an agent for awhile now and now I know why. Or it could be that it is tax time and I am starting to lack sleep.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Hotlanta loves Quan Rep!

[Mccree]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

If I come to you to do my taxes can you write off my home Internet account and phone as a "business expense" for being a CPHL Commish?

Yes have the CPHL give you a T2200 and it is good to go.

[Sylvanfan]

Well my first priority is to always try and get the most out of my team, and assess what it's doing, and where I think it can go. If it looks playoff calibre I'll try to get it there. But once the playoffs are no longer a logical option I'll look to next year and making the moves I feel are neccessarry to make me better the next year. Once I get a top level team established....than I'll worry about trying to get my balance in place.

So if it's midseason and I'm in 4th place looking to challenge for top spot...don't expect me to be that interested in prospects and picks. I'm more likely to look for a pending UFA who represents right now help. Might be the wrong way of thinking, but at that time on ice CPHL success is what I'm after. But 6 games to go in the season and 6 points out of the playoffs, I probably am interested in the prospect, and the pending UFA does nothing for me.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

If I come to you to do my taxes can you write off my home Internet account and phone as a "business expense" for being a CPHL Commish?

Me too.....

[Goffie]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

So if it's midseason and I'm in 4th place looking to challenge for top spot...don't expect me to be that interested in prospects and picks. I'm more likely to look for a pending UFA who represents right now help. Might be the wrong way of thinking, but at that time on ice CPHL success is what I'm after. But 6 games to go in the season and 6 points out of the playoffs, I probably am interested in the prospect, and the pending UFA does nothing for me.

I agree totally, winning comes first!! That is why I see teams like the Panthers as what every team should aim for; cause not only are they winning and the top team in the cphl they also have a great prospect base. I personally have sacrificed my prospect base to get better, cause it is not easy to win, however if I can somehow find a way to win and keep youth atthe same time then that is obviously what my goal is.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Well my first priority is to always try and get the most out of my team, and assess what it's doing, and where I think it can go. If it looks playoff calibre I'll try to get it there. But once the playoffs are no longer a logical option I'll look to next year and making the moves I feel are neccessarry to make me better the next year. Once I get a top level team established....than I'll worry about trying to get my balance in place.

So if it's midseason and I'm in 4th place looking to challenge for top spot...don't expect me to be that interested in prospects and picks. I'm more likely to look for a pending UFA who represents right now help. Might be the wrong way of thinking, but at that time on ice CPHL success is what I'm after. But 6 games to go in the season and 6 points out of the playoffs, I probably am interested in the prospect, and the pending UFA does nothing for me.

Good points, I also go after UFA type of players......For example I grabbed Sanderson (he has done quite well).

I however really like to grab prospects so, if one is offered... bang I trade away my team.....dang it.....

I also like to flip a similiar player for a similiar player in return... some times when the team is losing this can help to fix the old chemistry problems....

I also try to make my AHL team win..... not sure why but I tried to put some higher rated guys down there.....

[CMPunk]

I dunno what the big deal was about the trade deadline. I mean it's not like this league never has any trades in it. There's plenty of roster movment through out the year, so why should you expect massive deals at the deadline?

[flambers]

Originally Posted by CMPunk

I dunno what the big deal was about the trade deadline. I mean it's not like this league never has any trades in it. There's plenty of roster movment through out the year, so why should you expect massive deals at the deadline?

Good question, however I think this is the first year that I have seen without any big blockbusters....

EDIT.... this was first year with the BLOG.... I thought that was AWESOME!!!!

[Radically Red]

Its not like we have not had any big blockbusters this year. Just not at the Deadline this year..

I take this for what it is. Different year.. Different results at the deadline. Next year we could see a huge amount of deals. I am not to concerned about what happened at the deadline this year.

[Hanna Sniper]

Originally Posted by Mccree

Not to get into a war of words but are you saying that the agents play favorites?? Sure there are GM's we talk to more but to say we play favorites . And playing favorites means less trading?

No not favourites, just easier talks with some then others.... that’s really not the point I was trying to make, it's not the actual "agents" but the agents itself. It happens with everything in life, the system isn't a level playing field nor doesn’t it have to be... i know i was told that maybe i should ask more about their families and stuff to get to sign player.....

what my post was about is that art of talks with agents have taken then place of trading.... if you add the actual work and talks that happen with GM's <--> Agents as a trasnaction very much like another trade. The dwindling pool of upcoming UFA is lower the trades. It's by no means the agents (insert name here’s fault) nor the GM's that are good enough to make signing upcoming UFA work for them... I'm just saying that I think there would have been more movement without GM's being able to lock up UFA... so I say the agents are to blame but I don't mean to imply that actual people agents that are doing a league a great service.... it's just this service will take away from some area's as well, and this some trading. One isn't better then the other but if you ask me why trading is down that I would think this is what has a drag in it.

edited... ok let me try again, I'm not saying be done with agents, just the dealing with agents for upcoming UFA pool has had a huge drag on trades. pleayes will still need to be signed and agents still have a roll but I just feel that all the resigning has prevented players from being bought and sold more in the league and thus lowering the amount of trades as resigning and working with agents have replaced it. The fact that some GM's can take a bigger part in the resigning and others not successful also adds to the drag.

I didn't mean that agents are evil (although I would like to think so) just that when there's give in one there has to be a pull from another... nothing happens without affecting something else

[Mccree]

^^^

Fair enough and I feel better.