Re: GM mode - cut players

Those players in your minor league team aren't actually counting toward your roster salary. They are just extras that EA puts on your team in case you do not fill a roster, and I'm sure they're the same players for everybody. Try running another franchise and see if it's the same guys. But they are there in case you're not caring about your minors and in case if injuries. 

The first season or two you usually don't have many AHL or a Juniors unsigned pool, so that's there to give you extra just-in-case depth.