EHM The Blue Line

Hi!

I have a goalie problem, I'm playing as Canadiens & did a fantasy draft. Both of my goalies have performed quite badly. Elliott has been ok, if you consider 90% sv% ok for his unbelievable stats. I'm starting to think that my top scout blatantly lied to me about Pavelec, calling him a "very good player". He has been absolutely god-awful. His sv% was 88.1% in 36 games in my first season. I tried to use him in playoffs, which resulted him getting 65 min ice-time, with sv% 76,5%, conceding 8 goals, with a rating 5.5. I still managed to get to the conference finals, but not with his help. His first game this season resulted in 6 conceded goals, 80% sv% & rating of 5. How is he so awful? I thought this guy could be a good goalie for me for a long time, now, I'd rather put Eddie Läck in than this abomination of a goaltender. Scout report still claims that he can clock 91.80 sv%, which, again, I think is a blatant lie. Is there anyway to get these guys to perform? I just watched Michael Garnett get 10 rating in the same game, where Pavelec was dodging the puck for me. In the playoffs, Mark Owoya was a brick wall for Lightning with completely horrible stats. How do I proceed with this? Opponents horrible goalies play way over what they stats would suggest, while my guys underachieve all the time.

I have to out shoot my opponents by large margin in order to be competitive. Crosby, Kovaltchuk, M.Koivu, Huselius, Horton & co. need so many more scoring chances against Garnet's & Owoya's of the world, that it almost makes no sense whatsoever. This seems to be the only real problem I have, but it is quite a big one. It is so weird, Elliott's goal tending stat are so awesome (worst stat being reflexes with 17, others are 19 or 20) that you'd assume, wrongly, that this guy could carry a team. Pavelec also has nice stats (mostly 18-19), but it doesn't matter at all. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

1. Last time the UUDB was updated..Pavelec was still inexperienced and coming off a not great year with Atlanta. I have no idea if the UUDB you are using is even the most recent/last one that they released. Plus I have never used it....all I can say is Pavelec was not known for being a great goalie....and still is not.
2. Brian Elliot--One decent year about 4 years ago, and then another one last year..with previous "I am a sieve" years and in the middle "I am a sieve" years. And his good year last year in St Louis can be as much attributed to the team and system as it can be to him. Same for this year.

So...really not all that surprised your goalie tandem is not that strong. In fact sounds about right.

Young goalies struggle in EHM as some attributes are hidden...they get better as they get older. I had a 21 year old with all green technical attributes, and his average ratings were 6.75 first half of season, and 7.0 2nd half. Save percentage not unlike Pavelec. Gradually the numbers went up and when he was 24 he won his fist of 8 Vezina trophies in a row.

With goalies...you need to develop well. Pavelec is not a stud, neither is Elliott and they are likely rated that way. Neither is horrendous, but it depends on many things other than their visible attributes how they do.

Hidden Attributes can totally make a good stat goalie not so good. Also if your tactics are totally offensive...the chances the other teams are getting against you are likely a whole lot higher quality than you would want to give up...and in a higher proportion. So the save percent on average goalies like you have drops...and so does their average rating...and so does their performance.

For advice on goalie development have a look in the development of prospects thread. Tons of stuff I am sure. But my feeling is for ANY PLAYER under the age of 24---MINORS UNTIL I KNOW THEY CAN ACHIEVE AN AVERAGE RATING of 7.0 in a starting role. That role could be back up goalie, 5-6 dman, 7 dman, or 9=12 forward. It could be top level. But they should at least be getting an average rating of 8.0 in minors for a good period of time before I consider calling them up. And that rating needs to be in a top level position, not as 3-4 line, 5-6dman or backup (Or even shared starts) goalie.

I still don't understand why their stats are so good then. If they are not good goalies, should their stats reflect that? Elliott's stats are amazing, that's why I drafted him, as a backup. My top scout recommended picking Pavelec quite early on. I'm thinking of trying another database anyway, I don't know if it's normal, but there are, IMHO, too many guys who have 20 in most stats. I've played Football Manager series a lot more and like the fact that not every single top player has 20 in finishing, like so many guys in this database. I still can't get over the fact that my scouts recommend this guy (my scouts stats where 19 & 20), without any other feedback, you just look at the stats & think it's a good deal. This thing with Elliott reminds me of a "beginners trap" in some games, you think it's good, it looks good, but it's not.

Think I'll try a different DB to see if there is a better attribute spread, there are too many Kovaltshuk's & Crossby's in the game IMHO.

Even top scouts can be wrong. And again hidden attributes and other weak attributes in mental areas can destroy good tech ones and vice versa.

And your team may give up a ton of quality chances causing tough shots for even good goalies.

Age of Pavelec will contribute.
Stamina of Elliott will contribute.

Never used UUDB so for too many top rated guys maybe they are just so dang good all the goalies look bad. What is the league goals per game average. Compare that to real life.

Can't help u any further than saying your goalies are not the good in real life so why would they be in EHM?