PATENTED KYA RANT INCOMING. TLDR AT THE END OF THREAD.
Firstly I believe the picks appear out of whack because the parameters had not been clearly set.
While it was stated every player would be a free agent I think the idea of how long of a term you would be getting the free agent signed into a contract for was interpreted differently by the forum.
If it was stated the player you selected would come with a predetermined contract duration you would have had quite a bit more consensus on the selection order.
Some probably figured it would be a one year deal, while others thought it would be a long term contract - as it often is the case when a big fish hits the market, or draft in this circumstance.
Furthermore you have different viewpoints in terms of what your window is to win. Some may assemble a team that intends to win immediately while others are looking to build a stable, long term core that will (at least in theory) be competitive for many years after the initial maturity phase passes.
The end goal is the same; while the way to go about doing is not just a matter of which player is better, it is also about which player better fits your own formula for success as well.
For myself I went with the following parameters and assumptions:
- Assumed contract length would be in the 5-6 year range.
- Assumption was that I would be picking for whatever team was up at the board. I think this is why some are in total dismay in regards to so many centers being picked early on.
- I was drafting based on it being the first time up at the podium for the team, not a continuation of who was picked previously. I think there was some confusion about that.
Parameters for building a successful team, based off of the above assumptions:
- I drafted based on long term success with a wider window frame. I did not adopt a win now at all costs mentality. Had the draft gone deeper in rounds I would have assembled all the teams with positional needs in mind. Seeing it was only one pick per team, drafting based on positional need was a non factor.
- Based on a 5-6 year contract range I targeted young players who would be most likely to maintain their current abilities while having the possibility to improve their already high performance capabilities. This is why I targeted players in their early to mid 20's. The idea was to reduce the chance of regression during the long term window.
- Durability was taken into consideration. In the event of players being comparable I would select the player who showed a history of durability combined with their perceived toughness/grit in being able to avoid injury.
- The players marketability was also a factor. After all the end goal for management and ownership is to generate income. Of course that is primarily done by winning, but a marketable guy on your team means more asses in the seats and you can sell a lot more marked up merchandise.
- Ability to succeed under pressure was a factor I put a lot of weight into. The guy I selected had to be ready to lead the troops into war come playoff time. I could care less if you scored 40+ goals in the regular season. If you disappear during a rugged playoff series when it matters most what good are you as a 1st round selection?
- I drafted players with less skill at times during the draft because I believe the playoffs is another beast entirely. Some guys, no matter how skilled in the regular season may never get to that next level needed to win in the playoffs.
In closing I targeted players who would be as good, or in the very least be unlikely to suffer major regression during a five year term. I also selected those who could be marketed, could succeed in the playoffs, and had a tract record of overall good health.
TLDR: Selected based on 5+ year contract, durability, marketability and ability to win during the playoffs.
This post was edited by Killingyouall on Jun 12 2020 05:19pm