It seems like I have a good idea of what works in this game in 50 M leagues, but I generally seem to top out out a 2nd rd or Conf. finals finish. Heck, this happened in custom leagues, too.

Any thoughts? I know shooting pct, spending the majority of your budget on high D rating defenceman, avoiding too many PIM, and having at least once centre who can crush it on faceoffs are good,as well as a goalie who can play a majority of games without rest

In my opinion goalies and face offs aren't that important. Use a mixture of high point forwards and high d forwards. Guys like Bullard, Maruk, Lemieux, Helman, Duggan, and Finnigan.

Chuck wins all the cups. He maxes out to the limit. I've seen him with big Mario and maybe 5 mill Stastny in an open 50m, then cheapies and all the d rate he can get. In the bigs, he has 4 forwares who crush you.. and they are all rated high D.. then he just goes as high as he can on D rate.. 99,97,97, 96, 96, and Dough Harvey 96 ($100m opens) He will go with 2 g.t. one will be a 93% with 30/80 gp, next a 91% with 60/80, and than another 92% 33/80 and once he sees his team is going to go, he sits the high percentage goalies and runs the 91% into the ground.. and has 2 fresh 92+ for the playoffs.

Jakyll does much the same formula, but will stretch the stamina, being he will take 2 D who are 60/80 maybe Bouchard 96 an Gorman 95. In the 50m league he will use Klingberg 87 instead of Faulk for the extra 7 D points and if Kling goes down for 4, Jakyll runs with 5 D. One gets fatigued, someone like Haeman can fill the plug on pair 3 but no special team.

Myself, I am a ratios nut. I like a 26 plus 75 Center with 19% or about 135 shots. He doesn;t hog them. Those shots go to the winger. Always over 20% with 55g in 100m sim, In the 50m sim, that's Nolan with his 42. . . Robitaille 45g + 39 with Oates D 64 about 90 shots and 13 plus 69 and that takes 2.5m out of the budget over normal guys but they kill it. Another combo for eg is Janney 13 + 49 dirt cheap with someone like 45g Stoughton. .. and sometimes all that goes for naught.

When drafting I ignore stats like +/-. faceoff% and look at this: % pgp and almost all my guys are over 85%. Shot% for wingers.. 19 and 3 over 20. D rate Nada, but the team average has to be high. PIM not a huge one either. most pp not all that hot anyhow. Secord will get tossed a lot. Brian Sutter at $2,6m is awesme and Hunter 2m Nolan 2.8m usually own it. In the bigs, D rates for forwards are low if they are at 68 like with Kurri, Anderson, but I like two who kill it. Best Bossy I have used is still spensive. but 59 goals is great although D 74 seems low. I get more from him then the big 69g Bossy.. The money bossys kill me in the post season. Two stats determine goaies performance. % pgp and save pct. and the second is a very weak factor, although you will die in the 100m lieague if under 91%. G/A, Win-Loss mean zip

Phew! hope that helps you

Fifty mill leagues line up examples:

Duggan - $2.8m Maruk - Vaive 52g 3.5m
Helman - Cassels $2.4m - Stoughton 45g/Carson 55g/Bullard 51g

Dennis Hextall 17 + 57 - Big bux Mario - Mark Hunter $2.1m

Other lines have to have Duggan, Langlois, and Helman for upping the D..

Draft44g Secord or Tkachuk.. take 33g vaive as spare part.

So how come I have a losgin record in the post season, and am well over 55% in reg season? SIM hates some of us

I won the PT and went out in round one. Sucks