Why Recreate at the Trade Deadline?

[CowboyinAmerica 2,705]

I mean, you try finding a relevant image for sim hockey league recreation.

 

Why I May Wait to Recreate

 

There’s a VHL rule change that I’m not sure received the shine that it should have. It’s the addition of Rule 12.1-2, and it was put into place at the Season 71 Trade Deadline: Adjusted Starting TPE. Basically, this rule says that if you don’t create a player at the Trade Deadline, you get an extra 6 TPE per week afterwards. It was put in to make sure players who created later don’t fall too far behind.

 

And personally, I think the rule works well. Well enough, in fact, that I’m not quite sure why so many players, particularly recreates, are actually focused in on the Trade Deadline at all. I know with my next player, I may very well intend on not creating at the trade deadline at all. And here’s why.

 

1. Don’t Lose Too Much TPE: I know the doubters are going to say “6 TPE per week?!? Why settle when you can max out?!?!” Well, let’s look at it this way. The Trade Deadline this year is next Monday, August 17. The playoffs begin August 28, about 1.5 weeks later. At absolute most, the playoffs will take 18 days (3+5+5+5), making it four weeks between the Trade Deadline and the first week of the offseason. So if you’re capping out, you’re missing out on 24 TPE. That’s hypothetically a single attribute from 90 to 93 when you’re at top level – not exactly a major shift at high TPE levels where one would be expected to compete for awards. And it’s a lot better than missing out on 48 TPE, which it would have been without that 6 TPE a week addition.

 

But why did I say the first week of the offseason? Because…

 

2. Pick Your Own Team: I’m honestly surprised that the new meta isn’t to recreate directly after the VHLM Draft. Especially in a 12-team VHLM, the chances of being drafted on a team that you really want isn’t that high, given the randomness that goes into it all. From a league standpoint, that’s a good thing – you want your players to be spread out for parity and fun for all. From a 100% selfish player-centric standpoint, I’d rather have the ball entirely in my court. For a solid TPE earner recreating at the Trade Deadline, that team you're drafted to would be your one shot at a full VHLM season, so you better hope for the best. By signing directly after the VHLM Draft, I may be forgoing 24 TPE, but I'd have a full season on a team I’d want to be on.

 

But that'd just be one season of benefit, because…

 

3. More Time to Maximize in VHLM: This season’s stats are a bit inflated because of the expansion teams, but take a look at recent rookies. In S72, only two rookies topped 40 points. In S71, that number was five. In S70, that number was zero (and only two over 30). It’s pretty well established that your rookie year is going to suck, because all but the extreme earners start the season hovering around the VHL minimum.

 

So why not take an extra year in the VHLM? Yes, your pro career will only be seven seasons instead of eight, but if I’m getting two full VHLM years as a trade off, I’m OK with that. Especially with a raised VHLM cap of 250 TPE, I think it makes a lot more sense to try and get as close as possible to that number in your pre-draft season, then come back for a single post-draft season where you blast by it and get as much TPE as you can before being a VHL rookie. It sets you up for more success once you enter the main league, and offers more potential VHLM success as well. And yes, by creating later, it artificially keeps your TPE down a bit, likely below 250 TPE levels by the cut off even with full cap updates, so you’re more easily able to do this. (And from a league perspective, here’s your top-flight players who would be available in the VHLM Draft.)

 

I know I'm partially just brainstorming here, but I think it's something fun to consider. It seems a bit counterintuitive, purposefully not maximizing your TPE by creating at a later time. But I think it’s something I may try with my next player. I’ve had success in my VHL career zigging when other people zag, and I think this might be a zag that’s worth examining.

[CowboyinAmerica 2,705]

+Extra 6 for S73 Theme Week

[Banackock 7,633]

Hell yeah!