NHL22: How to make Franchise Mode Accurate due to LTIR

by Data782, NHL22 Expert. Check out YouTube Channel

If you enjoy being an Armchair GM, chances are you enjoy Franchise Mode on NHL-series games. Previously known as Dynasty Mode and Be A GM Mode, Franchise Mode allows you to make trades, sign contracts, scout prospects, and ultimately build a lineup of players that you hope will become a dynasty. If you’re like me, starting up a Franchise Mode in NHL 22 can be a bit frustrating if you want as much realism as possible since the LTIR isn’t taken into account. On Toronto, for example, things are so tight that salaries for all players such as Auston Matthews ($11.640M >> $11.355M) and John Tavares ($11M >> $10.725M) are altered so as to make the team cap compliant. The reality is, however, that the Maple Leafs are not cap compliant when everyone is healthy and the AI doesn’t know how to reconcile that. Don’t even get me started on how wild the AI changes for the Lightning were in NHL 21.

So, without LTIR being a feature in NHL 22, below is my cheat sheet to what salaries you can alter BEFORE you start up your Franchise Mode to keep the AI from changing up the league. The realism will never be perfect, but I would prefer to change one season of some players so that the team as a whole is not given a break for 5+. By doing this, we can get a real challenge as the GM of Toronto, Vegas, etc. OR, see how the AI GM deals with those contracts down the road. If you’re on PS4, you can download this roster from “Roster Sharing” instead of having to make these changes yourself! Just search for the roster named “Cap Compliant” from Data782. To see more on this, watch my video about the previous roster update here: https://youtu.be/WpnItV7iMEo.

Note: Some players who are retired but still cost against the salary such as Seabrook or Shaw are listed as 70 OVR. Other players who are more in the air such as Weber or Klefbom are still listed as their original overall in the mid-80’s. Therefore, different options will be presented for you depending on how you want to play your Franchise Mode. Whether you want them reduced in overall/salary, dropped to free agency (where they will VERY likely not be signed if below ~77 OVR) or out of the game completely (by transferring to an international team in “player movement”) will be up to you.

*Updated*

AS OF May 10, 2022 Roster Update

ANAHEIM DUCKS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary. Optional: drop RYAN KESLER to free agency/transfer to any international team to remove completely.

ARIZONA COYOTES: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

BOSTON BRUINS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

BUFFALO SABRES:

Below the salary cap. Add ~$5M to any expiring contract (ex. VICTOR OLOFSSON $3.05M >> $8M). Optional: drop JOHNNY BOYCHUCK to free agency/transfer to any international team to remove completely.

CALGARY FLAMES:

Reduce NIKITA ZADOROV from $3.75M >> $1M.

CAROLINA HURRICANES:

Reduce IAN COLE from $2.9M >> $750k.

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary. Optional: drop ANDREW SHAW to free agency/transfer to any international team.

COLORADO AVALANCHE: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

DALLAS STARS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

DETROIT RED WINGS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

EDMONTON OILERS:

OPTION 1: Reduce MIKKO KOSKINEN from 4.5M >> $750k.

OPTION 2: Transfer OSCAR KLEFBOM to an international team OR reduce his overall and drop to free agency.

FLORIDA PANTHERS:

Reduce BEN CHIAROT from $3.5M >> $1.25M.

LOS ANGELES KINGS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

MINNESOTA WILD: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

MONTREAL CANADIENS:

Transfer SHEA WEBER to an international team OR reduce his overall and drop to free agency.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

NEW JERSEY DEVILS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

NEW YORK ISLANDERS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

NEW YORK RANGERS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

OTTAWA SENATORS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS:

Reduce NATHAN BEAULIEU & CASEY DESMITH both from $1.25M >> $750k. Reduce KASPERI KAPANEN from $3.2M >> $2.5M.

SAN JOSE SHARKS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

SEATTLE KRAKEN: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

ST. LOUIS BLUES: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING:

Transfer BRENT SEABROOK to free agency/any international team.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS:

Reduce the salary (NOT the extension) of MORGAN RIELLY from $5M >> $3M.

VANCOUVER CANUCKS:

Transfer MICHAEL FERLAND to free agency/any international team.

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS:

Reduce REILLY SMITH from $5M >> $750k, MATTIAS JANMARK from $2m >> $750k, and the salary (NOT the extension) of BRAYDEN MCNABB from $2.5M >> $750k.

WASHINGTON CAPITALS:

Reduce MICHAL KEMPNY from $2.5M >> $1.5M.

WINNIPEG JETS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

When starting up your franchise mode after making these changes, the system will give you a “SALARY CAP WARNING” that asks if you want to keep the salary cap on because the system will fix team that are not compliant. Ignore this and keep the salary cap on.

There you have it! Remember that, if you are on PS4, you may download these rosters right away! If you want more guides to NHL 22 Franchise Mode that include scouting, line chemistry, and everything in-between throughout my Franchise Mode series, be sure to check out my YouTube channel which can be found here! www.youtube.com/data782

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AS OF DECEMBER 8/2021 ROSTER UPDATE:

ANAHEIM DUCKS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary. Optional: drop RYAN KESLER to
free agency/transfer to any international team to remove completely.
ARIZONA COYOTES: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.
BOSTON BRUINS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.
BUFFALO SABRES: Below the salary cap. Add a total of $4.25M to any expiring contract(s) (ex. Victor Olofsson
from $3.05M to $7.3M). Optional: drop JOHNNY BOYCHUCK to free agency/transfer to any international team to remove completely OR add the $4.25M to his contract.
CALGARY FLAMES: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.
CAROLINA HURRICANES:
Reduce IAN COLE from $2.9M to $750k.
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary. Optional: drop
ANDREW SHAW to free agency/transfer to any international team.
COLORADO AVALANCHE: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.
DALLAS STARS:
Transfer BEN BISHOP to an international team OR reduce his overall and drop to free agency.
DETROIT RED WINGS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.
EDMONTON OILERS:
OPTION 1: Reduce MIKKO KOSKINEN from 4.5M to $750k.
OPTION 2: Transfer OSCAR KLEFBOM to an international team OR reduce his overall and drop to free agency.
FLORIDA PANTHERS:
Compliant now but cannot afford Barkov/Verhaeghe extensions. Reduce GUSTAV FORSLING
from $2.667M to $1.35M.
LOS ANGELES KINGS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.
MINNESOTA WILD: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.
MONTREAL CANADIENS:
Transfer SHEA WEBER to an international team OR reduce his overall and drop to free agency.
NASHVILLE PREDATORS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

NEW JERSEY DEVILS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.
NEW YORK ISLANDERS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.
NEW YORK RANGERS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.
OTTAWA SENATORS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.
SAN JOSE SHARKS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.
SEATTLE KRAKEN: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.
ST. LOUIS BLUES: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING:
Transfer BRENT SEABROOK to free agency/any international team. Reduce the salary (NOT
the extension) of BRAYDEN POINT from $6.75M to $5.75M.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS:
Reduce the salary (NOT the extension) of MORGAN RIELLY from $5M to $2M. Reduce
DAVID KAMPF from $1.5M to $1M.
VANCOUVER CANUCKS:
Transfer MICHAEL FERLAND to free agency/any international team.
VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS:
Reduce REILLY SMITH, BRAYDEN MCNABB, and MATTIAS JANMARK all to $750k.
WASHINGTON CAPITALS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.
WINNIPEG JETS:
Transfer BRYAN LITTLE to free agency/any international team. Reduce PAUL STASTNY
from $3.75M to $2M. Reduce NATHAN BEAULIEU from $1.25M to $750k.

AS OF OCTOBER 22 ROSTER UPDATE:

ANAHEIM DUCKS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary. Optional: drop RYAN KESLER to free agency/transfer to any international team to remove completely.

ARIZONA COYOTES: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

BOSTON BRUINS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

BUFFALO SABRES: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

CALGARY FLAMES: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

CAROLINA HURRICANES:

Reduce IAN COLE from $2.9M >> $1.5M.

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary. Optional: drop ANDREW SHAW to free agency/transfer to any international team.

COLORADO AVALANCHE: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

DALLAS STARS:

OPTION 1: Reduce JOE PAVELSKI from $7M >> $3M

OPTION 2: Reduce ALEXANDER RADULOV from $6.25M >> $2.25M

OPTION 3: Transfer BEN BISHOP to an international team OR reduce his overall and drop to free agency.

DETROIT RED WINGS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

EDMONTON OILERS:

OPTION 1: Reduce MIKKO KOSKINEN to league minimum ($4.5M >> $550k)

OPTION 2: Transfer OSCAR KLEFBOM to an international team OR reduce his overall and drop to free agency.

FLORIDA PANTHERS:

Compliant now but cannot afford Barkov/Verhaeghe extensions. Reduce GUSTAV FORSLING from $2.667M >> $1.35M.

LOS ANGELES KINGS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

MINNESOTA WILD: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

MONTREAL CANADIENS:

Transfer SHEA WEBER to an international team OR reduce his overall and drop to free agency. Recommended that 86 OVR is also reduced. If you would like to play with Weber at full health, you will have to reduce the salary of PAUL BYRON from $3.4M >> $550k. Note that the team’s defense will be depleted in 2022-23 with almost no cap space and only two defensemen under contract.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

NEW JERSEY DEVILS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

NEW YORK ISLANDERS:

Transfer JOHNNY BOYCHUK to free agency/any international team.

NEW YORK RANGERS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

OTTAWA SENATORS:

Below the cap. Increase salary of any player on a one-year contract by ~$1.5M. Ex. Chris Tierney from $3.5M >> $5M.

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS:

Reduce JUSTIN BRAUN from $1.80M >> $550k or Reduce SEAN COUTURIER's current deal from $4.33M >> $3.08M

SAN JOSE SHARKS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

SEATTLE KRAKEN: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

ST. LOUIS BLUES: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING:

Transfer BRENT SEABROOK to free agency/any international team. Note that, should Tampa acquire more players now that Nikita Kucherov is back on the LTIR, it is recommended that the salary of ONDREJ PALAT be reduced from $5.180M to whatever amount is required (seeing as his contract is the most expensive out of all expiring deals). Ex. $5.180M >> $2.180M if a $3M salary is added.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS:

Option 1: Reduce MORGAN REILLY from $5M >> $3M

Option 2: Reduce Kase & Engvall from $1.5M >> $750K

VANCOUVER CANUCKS:

Transfer MICHAEL FERLAND to free agency/any international team.

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS:

Reduce REILLY SMITH from $5M >> $3M. Reduce BRAYDEN MCNABB from $2.5M >> $550k.

WASHINGTON CAPITALS: Cap compliant. No changes necessary.

WINNIPEG JETS:

OPTION 1: Transfer BRYAN LITTLE to free agency/any international team.

OPTION 2: Reduce PAUL STASTNY from $3.75M >> $1.5M. Reduce NATHAN BEAULIEU from $1.25M >> $550k.

When starting up your franchise mode after making these changes, the system will give you a “SALARY CAP WARNING” that asks if you want to keep the salary cap on because the system will fix team that are not compliant. Ignore this and keep the salary cap on.

There you have it! If you want more guides to NHL 22 Franchise Mode that include scouting, line chemistry, and everything in-between throughout my Franchise Mode series, be sure to check out my YouTube channel which can be found here! www.youtube.com/data782

If you have any other Franchise Mode questions, feel free to reach out to me and the couple hundreds other members in my Discord server: https://discord.gg/rRDYpTx

Data782