Hi, I'm tending to agree on WFU03 on this one. I think the system as it is now takes to much away from the pleasure of playing. The example of getting your newly bought star injured before the playoff finale illustrates it. I believe it takes alot more away from the game than the satisfaction added from more realism, and my guess is alot of gamers - experiencing injuries like that - would agree. Now, since obviously this could destroy a full season, people might give up on the game. I guess, this is not something you would want to happen - including from a business point of view.
You are asking for a change to the staff system to possibly mend this. One thing you could do is split the role of doctor into 2. Adding a physio - responsible for conditioning - which level would decide what the doctors do now. When a injury happens, the level of your physio will influence it's seriousness (as the doctor does today). The level of your doctor however, would - as suggested - decide how fast a player heals. As an extra you might add that a player can play hurt - with an added risk of re-injury. However, again the level of your physio and/or doctor could help reduce the risk.
Most importantly though you should reduce the chances of getting injuries. Someone mentioned that scrimmages should have a reduced risk. I agree, but perhaps it could be taken further. Why not make it a strategic decision mixed in with the level of effort. For instance you could increase the risk of getting injuries when people play "crunch time". Reduce it when people play "take it easy" or scrimmages.
To sum things up:
- chance of getting an injury should be reduced
- chance of getting an injury depends on effort level
- level of doctor should influence speed of healing
- split doctor into physio and doctor, with physio adapting current doctors role
- make it possible to play hurt (added extra risk of re-injury)
Anyway, back to Pens vs Flyers... :-)