League overview
The Alternative league is a league consisting of 20 fantasy hockey teams which play an 82 game schedule.
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| THE BASICS | PLAYERS | TRANSACTIONS | |||
| TEAMS | SCORING | ENTRY DRAFT | FREE-AGENT DRAFT | PICKUPS | RESERVE LISTS |
| GAMES | LINEUPS | TRADES | EXEMPTION LISTS | ||
| PLAYOFFS | SALARIES AND CONTRACTS | MISC | |||
| FORMAT | ROSTER EXPANSION | CONTRACTS | SALARY INCREASES | FEES | PRIZES ETC |
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Each team in our league will consist of
26 active
players (including
3 goaltenders). Goalies consist of one NHL's teams goaltending
staff. In addition you may have a farm system of up to 20 players. These
players may be acquired by several different means and must be paid for
their services (see salaries). You may choose any combination of defensemen,
forwards and goalies..
GAMES
During the season, each team will play games against
other teams in the League, based on the league schedule. Games are scheduled
when there are 6 or more NHL games played in the same day. (Depending on
the NHL's schedule,this may be 7 or more games) These games and how well
your player's perform in them will determine the standings and whether
or not your team qualifies for post season play.
LINEUPS
For each game scheduled, you must submit a lineup consisting of 6 forwards, 4 defensemen and 1 goaltender. Failure to submit a lineup on time will result in a fine (see fees) during the regular season and a default during the playoffs. You must submit your lineup prior to 6 p.m. on weekdays and noon on weekends (noon on weekdays if there are afternoon games). If you cannot fill your lineup or have no goalies, you will have an empty spot for that game. Your lineup should also include an overtime player. This player will be a player designated from your starting lineup. Lineups should also be listed in shootout order (forwards first, then defensemen). Yes, forwards first (all forwards must be listed before Defensemen) - This is for no particular reason except it makes my life easier. In the event that you finish the game tied with your opponent, your overtime players may determine a winner. In overtime assists are worth the same as goals. Compare the total points of your overtime player with that of your opponents. The team whose overtime player has more points is awarded a goal and wins in overtime. If the game is still tied, then it will go to a shootout. Your 1,2,3 shoot out players will be compared to your opponents - most goals win (each player in the shootout can be awarded no more than 1 goal - ie - he either has scored or hasnt - 3 goals are the same as 1). If after 3 players you are still tied, then it is sudden death among the 4th, then 5th players etc - down to your final player. If the game is still tied then total goals among each teams entire lineup, followed by assists (in same order) then total assists. Teams must fill each spot in their lineup if they have a player available including goalies.
Scoring is based on the lineups you submit. Each
goal your team scores is worth 1 while each assist is worth 1/2. Total
these and then subtract 1/2 for each goal your goalies allow and you come
up with your final score. Compare this total to your opponent's and this
will result in either a win, loss, or a tie. Shootout goals do not count towards
your total. Shootout goals against will count as 1 (1/2) against your goalie
should his team lose the shootout.
No goalies will be considered 5 goals against (-2.5).
PLAYERS AND HOW TO ACQUIRE THEM
PLAYERS
You may acquire players several different ways.
Starting with the free agent draft, you may outbid other owners to come
up with a player. During the season, you may pick up a player from the
unclaimed pool or you may acquire players though trades or call one up
from your minor league system. During the off season, you may only acquire
players via a trade or through the yearly entry draft. All teams must have 3
sets of goaltenders.
This draft is held each year prior to the free agent draft. Only players who have previously been drafted and have fewer than 10 games of NHL experience who has not been a member of any other Alternative League Hockey team qualify to be drafted. The order of the draft will be in reverse order of the previous year's standings. Each draft will consist of five rounds (FOUR rounds beginning with the 2008-09 draft), with all non playoff teams selecting first. Players acquired in this draft will not be considered part of your roster, Rather they will be in your farm system and will not receive a salary until called up. You may call up a player at any time. However, once he has been called up, he cannot be sent back down. The only exception to this rule is during spring call ups. At the time of the free agent draft, your minor league roster cannot exceed 20 players. Prior to and afterwards, you may have as many minor leaguers as you wish.
Players which have not been drafted by NHL teams
are eligible to be drafted in the first or second rounds only.
The free agent draft is held annually. Here you
bid on players not currently under contract with another team. The player
will be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Bids must be in increments
of $ 0.25.The final bid on the player will be his salary for the upcoming
season. Each owner in turn nominates a player, bidding on each player will
continue clockwise with each owner either raising the bid or dropping out.
When only one owner remains, that player is awarded to him. In the event
that an owner does not attend the free agent draft, no other owner in the
pool may draft for him. He may however send a representative to the draft.
If he does not attend he must fill his roster within 24 hours of the draft.
These player's salaries will be the average of the owners remaining pool
money. (ie. if he has $10 remaining and needs 5 players, each players salary
will be $2.00). Also, these players will be considered pickups and these
transaction fees will be charged. The draft will start promptly at the
scheduled time whether you are there or not!
Pick ups can be made at any time. In order to
pick up a player, you must first create a spot on your roster, either by
trading, releasing or by placing a player on your reserve list. After a
pickup, your roster must be full and may not exceed the limit. Failure
to do so will result in your roster moves being void and the chosen player
going back into the unclaimed pool. A player must be on an NHL team's active
roster in order to be picked up. Any pick ups made after 6 p.m. will be
considered to be a transaction of the following day. Therefore a player
picked up after 6 p.m. cannot be used in that evening's lineup. Any player dropped will not be available to be picked up for a period of 7
days. Pick ups can be made at any
time and are on a first come first served basis. For roster moves and transactions,
please check the website or our e-mail.
Another way to pick up a player is by using the
reserve lists. You may place a player on a reserve list at any time and
pick up a player to replace him. A player need not be injured to be placed
on the reserve list and he must remain on for a minimum of 7 days. When
he comes off, a roster move must be made to make room for him. Reserve
list may not exceed 5 players.
Trades may occur between owners at any time. You may trade players, draft picks or cash (pool money) Any trades involving cash is strictly for bidding money only. ie. owner A trades $2 to owner B. Owner B now has $62 to spend on salaries while owner A now has $58. Rosters must be up to date prior to the next scheduled game. Failure to do this will result in the players acquired by the offending team being suspended and any cash/draft picks acquired in the trade being forfeited. Any owner may request a vote on any trade. In this event a closed vote must take place and a majority is needed in order to overturn the trade. Please note: The ONLY reason to request a vote is if you believe owners are in collusion, NOT because you thought it was a bad trade - bad trades are part of sports folks.
The exemption list may be used in special circumstances only. To be placed on the exemption list, a player must be:
Any player placed on this list must be under
contract. (A free-agent may be signed and then immediately placed on the list if
eligible) He must be placed on this list when protected lists are submitted
seven days prior to the free agent draft. This player then becomes ineligible
for the entire season but does not receive any salary. Any player whose
contract expires while he is on this list must be re-signed at an immediate 25%
increase in order to remain on the exempt list.
Contracts will be considered expired as of the last day of the season. A maximum
of 2 players may be on your exempt list. Any player on this list may be included in trades.
GOING FOR GOLD
Currently we have two conferences with 2 divisions. Each division contains five teams. The playoff format will be as follows:
2 division winners will each receive 1st round byes. The 2nd and 3rd place teams in each division will play a best of 7 qualifying round.
The winner in the qualifying round will play a best of 7 series vs the division winner to determine division champion.
The two winning teams will then play each other for the conference championship with the two conference champions meeting in the league finals.
All series will be a best of 7 format.
In the event of a tie in the standings, the tie breaker will be as follows:
1. head to head record
2. most wins
3. plus/minus
4. most goals for
Starting at midnight, on the day rosters
are frozen, You may increase your roster size by 3 players. These can either
be players coming off your reserve list or call ups from your farm system.
Any player called up from your farm system is being used for the stretch
drive and for playoffs and can be sent back down prior to next season without
penalty.
Juniors may also be called up following the draft (you must make room on your active roster for them) and may be sent down prior to midnight october 31st. Any junior who is on the active roster after this date may not be sent back down.
TIES
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In the playoffs, you may submit 2nd, 3rd, 4th ....etc. overtime players from your starting lineup. (no shootouts in the playoffs) If the game remains tied after all the overtime players have been used then the win will go to the team who has the most total goals from his starting lineup. If it is still tied, then the team who has the most assists from his starting lineup will be awarded the win. If a tie still remains then we return to the overtime players and count assists as 1/2 instead of 1 (which is the usual overtime procedure). If the game is still tied, then I quit, all the teams will disband and we will start from scratch the following season.
HOW TO KEEP YOUR PLAYERS
Salaries determine how much a player is worth from year to year. At the free agent draft, a teams total payroll may not exceed $60.00 (unless he has acquired cash via trades.) During the season, your active roster may not exceed $90 or $25 more than your total on draft day, whichever is greater.
A players salary is determined several different ways.
| 1) The amount bid on him at the free agent draft. |
| 2) The increase he receives by signing a new contract. |
| 3) Players chosen in the entry draft receive the following salaries when they are called up: |
| first round | $2.00 |
| second round | $1.50 |
| third round | $1.00 |
| forth round | $0.50 |
| fifth round | $0.25 |
The red applies to the 07-08 season - we will have one more year with 5 rounds.
Any undrafted junior will have a salary of $3
In order to keep a player from one year to the next, he must sign a contract. Naturally, the better the player, the more money he will command. In order to sign your player, you must give him a pay increase. This increase will be a percentage of his current salary and is based on how well he performs in the option year of his contract. All players taken in the free agent draft are considered to be in their option year. This performance rating is based on his statistics compiled in the pool not his NHL statistics.
To rate a players performance he first must have played 10 pool games. His pool points per game is calculated and he is ranked against other players at the same position. Goalies are ranked by GAA . Players may be signed from 1 to 5 years.
Players which rank in the last category may only be signed for 1 year. If a player plays fewer than 10 games, his salary increases by 10 % and he may only be signed for 1 year.
All contract increases must in increments of $0.25 and are rounded up. For example, If a players increase is calculated to be $1.51, it will be rounded up to be $1.75.
If a player is traded, his contract goes with him.
If you wish to drop a player under contract, you must buy him out for half his remaining salary (of his total contract). This is pool money and will come off your next seasons total.
Salary increases are as follows:
| FORWARDS RANK | DEFENSE RANK | GOALIES RANK | 1ST YEAR INCREASE. | SUBSEQUENT YEARS | MINIMUM INCREASE |
| 1 THRU 14 | 1 THRU 9 | 1 THRU 9 | 40% | 20% | $2.00 |
| 15- THRU 99 | 10 THRU 45 | 10 THRU 24 | 30% | 10% | $1.00 |
| 100 THRU 199 | 76 THRU 90 | 25 THRU 40 | 20% | 0% | $0.00 |
| OVER 200 | OVER 91 | OVER 40 | NONE | N/A | N/A |
CONTRACT EXTENSIONS
Contract
extentions will be allowed under the following conditions:
a) A player must have one year remaining on his contract after the upcoming
season.
b) His contract extension must be announced within one week prior to the draft
c) His contract may be extended either 1 or 2 years as his current rate of
increase.
d) A players contract may only be extended once prior to him becoming a Free
agent again (and re-evaluated)
e) A fee of $2 off your cap for each year of extension will be charged. The fee
will be charged for the upcoming season.
| TRADES | $3.00 |
| PICK UPS | $3.00 |
| RESERVES | $3.00 |
ENTRY FEE IS $60.00
Starting with the 2004-05 season the fine system for missed lineups will be as follows:
1 game = $1
2 games = $5 (total)
3 games = $10 (total)
each subsequent game =
$10 for each missed lineup over 3 (ie - 4 missed lineups - total fine = $20, 5
missed lineups = $30 etc)
When you miss a lineup, one will be provided for you in addition to your fine. If you have more than one set of goaltenders avaiable
the ones which give up the highest amount of goals on the night will be used.
HOW MUCH DO I GET?
PRIZES
Prizes will be announced on the webiste.
WHAT ELSE IS THERE?
MISC
Teams coming into the league must own a computer with internet access as it
has been deemed to be unfair to those without one.