Quote:
Originally Posted by JiriHrdina
Can you expand on this?
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It was the discussion we had last year or the year before.
I can't find the thread, but we talked about ways to improve/change the UFA bidding process because it felt like a lot of guess work/luck in the current model.
Or, at least I talked about things I thought improve things and was shot down
The below is my educated position based on my experience designing games/rule systems and also just generally being a nerd and thinking about this a lot.
Ottawa's problem is a problem that shouldn't happen in UFA bidding, but is impossible to fix in the current model. He's got tons of money to throw around but because he had to spread it out it weakened his position.
Since players are done in large batches, GMs can't respond to getting outbid by increasing their bids on other players. That makes UFA time guesswork for teams that need to fill more than one roster spot.
I know the argument is that it takes skill to try and figure out what players will and won't get bids - but I disagree. A normal auction system or smaller batches would be much more skillful and reward shrewd GMs.
I understand that both of those options are much harder to manage and probably aren't worth the effort. But the current system is flawed if you are looking for a system that rewards/challenges good GMs.
I think ideally, what I'd like to see is each "player" maximizing their contract. Meaning, the value contracts shouldn't slip through the cracks because 29 teams were bidding on the top 3 players and the 30th team threw a super lowball contract toward a random player. In the NHL, the 28 teams that missed out on the #1 UFA would have still had bids going out to the other players, pushing up their value. That just doesn't happen in our system.
I purposely make the decision to not participate in UFA season because of the guesswork involved. This year I figured I'd try it out - and it was fine because I only had one roster spot to fill. I would have stayed away entirely if I had more than one hole though. It feels like a lottery, not a game.
Now, all that being said - the system is suitable for the level of effort required. I understand the large batch system is ideal and easier to manage. I also understand that it won't change without some kind of software/system to manage it better.
Please note: I'm not complaining because I lost out in UFA. It was impossible for me to win the player I was bidding on after the results had been revealed. I guessed wrong. I would have just rather not had to guess... but in the end, I'll fill the roster spot via trade.
Anyone want to buy 7M in cap space? Cheap cheap!
