Canadian Simulated Hockey

League Rules

 

Last Update: 5/17/05

Index

 

I.                    League Overivew

A.                  CSH

B.                  NAFS

C.                  IJHL

 

II.                  General League Information

A.                  Officials and Duties

                                                              i.      Commissioner

                                                            ii.      Assistant Commissioner

                                                          iii.      Board of Governors

                                                           iv.      IJHL Commissioner

B.                  Sim Process

C.                  GM Responsibilites

                                                              i.      Lines

                                                            ii.      Message board

                                                          iii.      Trade offers

                                                           iv.      Behavior

 

III.                Seasons

A.                  Exhibition

B.                  Regular Season

C.                  Playoffs

 

IV.                Rosters And Line-Ups

A.                  Pro Roster

B.                  Farm Roster

C.                  Prospects

D.                  Game-Day Line-Up

 

V.                  Team Operations

A.                  Finances

                                                              i.      Income

                                                            ii.      Expenses

B.                  Arenas

C.                  Training

 

VI.                Player Information

A.                  Aging

B.                  Retirement

C.                  Contracts

                                                              i.      Length

                                                            ii.      Salary

                                                          iii.      Release costs

D.                  Unassigned Players

E.                  Hold-Outs

F.                  Rookie Status

 

VII.              Player Movement

A.                  Trades

                                                              i.      Untradable assets

                                                            ii.      Future considerations

B.                  Promotion/Demotion From CSH/NAFS

                                                              i.      Recalls from NAFS

                                                            ii.      Demotions

                                                          iii.      Waivers

C.                  Free Agency

                                                              i.      Classifications

                                                            ii.      Presigning

                                                          iii.      Qualifying offers

                                                           iv.      Phase I

                                                             v.      Phase II

                                                           vi.      RFA compensation

 

VIII.            Prospects

A.                  Entry Draft

B.                  Prospect Promotion

C.                  Overage Prospects

 

IX.                Coaches

 

X.                  Player Rerates

A.                  CSH

B.                  NAFS

C.                  IJHL

D.                  Alternate Rerate Options

                                                              i.      Developmental

                                                            ii.      Protection

                                                          iii.      Veteran

 

XI.                Miscellaneous

A.                  All-Stars

B.                  Post-Season Awards

C.                  Hall of Fame

D.                  CSHIIHF

                                                              i.      WSHA

                                                            ii.      International Tourneys

E.                  Ottawa Senators Invitational

 

XII.              Situations Not Addressed

 

XIII.            Credits

 

Appendices

A – Performance Based Rerate Charts

B – Min/Max Increase/Decrease Charts

C – Random Rerate Ranges

D – Roster Requirements

E – Training Charts

 

 

Rules

 

 

 

I.                    League Overview

A.     CSH

Canadian Simulated Hockey was established in August 2001 by Will Kuchapski.  The league was developed by a draft of NHL players from the 2000/01 season.  Current commissioner Brian Pate assumed control of the league in March of 2002.  League operations continue year-round utilizing the Fantasy Hockey Simulator developed by Wynn Fenwick.  The following rules and procedures are subject to change at any time based on the decisions of league officials and/or GM recommendations.

B.     NAFS

North American Sim Fantasy Hockey is the minor league affiliate of CSH.  Each CSH franchise maintains a affiliate in NAFS which began operations in 2005 (2009 CSH season).

C.     IJHL

The International Junior Hockey League is CSH’s primary source of draftees.  Consisting of players 16 to 20 years old, players age 18 or older at the time of the CSH Entry Draft, and as of yet undrafted, are draft eligible.

 

II.                  General League Information

A.     League Officials/Duties

1. Commissioner

The commissioner is responsible for all day-to-day operations of CSH including sims, website maintenance, rule changes/revisions and the like.

2. Assistant Commissioner

The assistant commissioner is available for rule interpretations as well as dispute resolution should the commissioner’s team be involved.  The assistant commish may also handle selected events, such as the all-star game, in the commissioner’s absence.

3. Board of Governors

The board of governors is a group of GMs, including the assistant commissioner, who may evaluate potential rule and/or process changes for the league.

4. IJHL Commissioner

The IJHL commissioner is responsible for all aspects of the IJHL including sims, website maintenance, player creation and the like.

B.     Sim Process/Procedure

1 - Process GM/info changes, waiver claims, coach changes

2 - Auto all team lines.  Load submitted lines.

3 - Simulate games (2 sim days per calendar day).

4 - Process trades, promotions/demotions, signings, position changes and releases.

5 - Output webpages.

6 - If roster changes occur, update salary cap status.

7 - Update/upload website.

C.     GM Responsibilities

1. Lines

All GMs are expected to submit lines at least once per week.  In situations of injury or trade, new lines are to be submitted for the next sim.

2. Message Board

GMs are expected to periodically post on the message board.  One post per week is preferred but not mandated.  Responses to league polls are expected as is a post in the Leave of Absence forum when GMs will be unavailable for an extended time.

3. Trade Offers

GMs are expected to respond to any trade offer directed to them (not league-wide e-mails) in a reasonable time frame, regardless of the offer.

4. Behavior

GMs are expected to act in a reasonable and mature manner towards each other and league officials.  Good-natured trash talking is one thing but personal insults, derogatory remarks and the like will not be tolerated.  We’re all here to fun, not berate each other.  CONSIDER THIS YOUR SOLE WARNING ON BEHAVIOR.

 

III.                Seasons (applicable to CSH and NAFS)

A.     Exhibition Season

The exhibition season will consist of 10 to 12 games.  No injuries or fatigue will carry over into the regular season.  Suspensions handed down will carry over.

B.     Regular Season

CSH regular seasons will consist of 82 games.  NAFS regular seasons will consist of 72 games.  All injuries, fatigue and suspensions will carry over into the playoffs.

C.     Playoffs

The top 8 teams from each conference will make the playoffs.  Division leaders will be seeded first to third (in order of record) regardless of their overall conference position.  Match-ups are reseeded each round, (with the higher seed receiving home ice advantage) so that the highest remaining seed will face the lowest remaining seed.

 

IV.                Team Rosters/Line-ups

A.     Pro Roster

A team’s pro roster must consist of 23 to 27 players.  A minimum of 4 centers, left wings and right wings; a minimum of 7 defensemen; and a minimum of 2 goaltenders are required.  The remaining 2 to 5 players may be any position at the GMs discretion.  During the playoffs, a team’s maximum pro roster size will be expanded to 30 players.  Please refer to appendix D for overall roster requirements.

B.     Farm Roster

A team’s farm roster must consist of 28 to 50 players.  A minimum of 5 centers, left wings and right wings; 8 defensemen; and 3 goalies are required.  The remaining 2 to 24 players may be any position at the GMs discretion.  Any player with an OV rating of 81 or greater must be on a team’s pro roster.

C.     Prospects

A team may have a maximum of 50 prospects at any one time

 

D.     Game Day Line-up

Due to sim constraints, a team’s game day line-up (lines/.lns file) must contain 18 skaters and 2 goaltenders.  Of the 18 skaters, 3 each must be centers, left wings and right wings and 6 must be defensemen.  The remaining 3 players may be of any skating (C/LW/RW/D) position.

 

V.                  Team Operations

A.     Finances

Teams are expected to remain solvent.  Any team in danger of having a negative cash balance during the season may be subject to league control until such time as the team becomes solvent.  This control may be direct or may be league approval of all moves by a GM.

1. Income

a.       Tickets/Gate Revenues

Gate revenues are a team’s primary source of day-to-day income.  Per game income is not merely (ticket price*attendance) – (salaries).  Intangible things such as merchandise sales, concessions and parking are taken into account by the sim.  A pricing structure for tickets exists and is set by the GM each season (see appendix 1).

b.       Endorsements

Teams may apply for endorsements.  An application fee is deducted up front and any awarded endorsement is paid out following the season.  An additional opportunity to sell naming rights of arenas also exists.

c.       TV Deals

Teams earn revenue for signing on with a network to televise home games.  A flat fee is paid up front and at the conclusion of the season, teams generate income based on wins, playoff games televised and Stanley Cup games televised.

d.       Farm Team

Teams may receive a nominal amount of income from their farm club based on attendance and performance.  This is still under development as of the 2009 season.

2. Expenses

a.       Salaries.

Pro salaries are paid at 100% of contract value and deducted from a team’s account after each game.  Farm salaries will be at 10% of contract value and deducted at the end of the season based on an average farm payroll (calculated quarterly).

b.       Coaches

Pro coaches are paid after each game.  Farm coaches will be paid in full at conclusion of the season.

B.     Arenas

Team arenas began at 18,000 capacity.  Original arenas may be expanded to a maximum capacity of 19,500 seats.  As of the 2006 season, new arenas were available for construction with a maximum capacity of 24,000.  Arenas may be expanded by a maximum of 500 seats per off-season at a cost of $5,000 per seat.  Arena construction costs are paid off over a maximum term of 10 years.  Costs of construction are a flat $5,000,000 for land acquisition, feasibility studies, architectural services, etc. and $6,750 per seat.  New arenas must be between 19,750 and 24,000 capacity.  Interest on financed arenas is based on the US Prime Rate at the time construction begins.  New arenas require one full season before they are ready to be used for play.

C.     Training

Teams may elect to sponsor training to develop players in the off-season.  Please see appendix E for details.  All costs for training are paid at the time the training is completed.  Teams may train 3 players at a cost of $1,000,000 each and those teams that missed the playoffs the previous season may train one additional player for free.

 

VI.                Player Information

A.     Aging

For all applicable purposes, players age one year at the conclusion of the playoffs.

B.     Retirement

Retirements will be determined by a program based on a combination of factors primarily age.  Regardless of the program, all players will retire at 42.  Additionally, this program may result in trade demands and/or a player deciding to try free agency in the upcoming off-season.  Players rated 80 OV or older who decide to retire may be petitioned to the Board of Governors to remain playing.  The Board’s decision will focus primarily on the player’s role with the team, the team’s overall talent level, the league depth at the position and the team’s available replacements.

C.     Contracts

1. Length

Contracts may not exceed 5 years in length.

2. Salary

a.       Veteran Maximum

The max veteran salary is $15,000,000 per year.

b.       Veteran/Undrafted FA minimum

The minimum salary for any veteran, or undrafted free agent, is $250,000 per year.

c.       Rookie Structure

Round

1 year

2 year

3 year

4 year

1st

$200,000

$300,000

$400,000

$550,000

2nd

$175,000

$250,000

$325,000

$425,000

3rd

$150,000

$200,000

$250,000

$350,000

4th

$125,000

$150,000

$180,000

$250,000

5th

$100,000

$150,000

$160,000

$200,000

3. Release costs

If a player is released, the team will pay 100% of the remaining contract for the current season plus 67% of the 2nd year, 50% of the 3rd year, 33% of the 4th and 25% of the 5th (when applicable).

D.     Unassigned Players

Unassigned players may be signed at any time during the season.  All offers will be posted on the website.  Once an offer has stood for one day without a better offer coming in, the player will sign and be added to the team’s roster.

E.      Hold-outs

RFAs who are unable to come to terms with their team will hold out.  These players remain on the roster and take up a roster space.  In order to sign an RFA, teams must continue to negotiate, there is no specific formula to automatically sign a hold-out.

F.      Rookie Status

Players under the age of 25 who have not appeared in more than 25 games in one season will be considered rookies for all applicable purposes.

 

VII.              Player Movement

A.     Trades

All trades must be posted and confirmed by both GMs in the Trades section of the CSH Message Board.  Once approved, trades are processed after the games are simmed.

1. Untradeable Assets

The following items may not be traded:  Manual rerates, training camp slots, coaches or arenas.

2. Future Considerations

Future considerations may be part of a trade but should be relatively specific to avoid controversy later on.  Things such as a certain round draft pick based on a player or team’s performance or a player between ages x and y with a rating of x to y are examples of acceptable future considerations.

B.     Promotion/Demotion between CSH and NAFS

1. Recalling Players From NAFS

a.       Emergency Players

In situations where excessive injuries or suspensions (more than 4 injuries/suspensions on one team, 3 at any one position or to a goaltender) necessitates a call-up in order for lines and the sim to properly work, no cost will be incurred by the team.

b.       Other Call-ups

Any other call-ups will result in a $100,000 cost to the team.  The purpose of this is to avoid harboring players in the minors and bringing them up to fill in for day-to-day injuries.  In the event that a trade results in the need to call players up to meet roster requirements, the fee for promoting a player will be lowered to $5,000.

2. Demotion

Players may be demoted to the minors at any time.

3. Waivers

Players over the age of 23 who have appeared in more than 25 games in the current season will have to pass through waivers before being placed on the farm.  Players will remain on waivers for two days and waiver priority will be set in inverse order of the standings.  Teams who claim a player are placed at the bottom of the priority list for the next player.  Players claimed off waivers must remain on the claiming team’s pro roster for the remainder of the season.

C.     Free Agency

1. Classifications

a.       Unrestricted Free Agents

Players age 30 or older, and any undrafted IJHL players 21 or older), will be unrestricted free agents and may be signed without compensation to the player’s former team.

b.       Restricted Free Agents

Players under the age of 30 who are at the expiration of, at least, their second contract will be restricted free agents.  These players will require compensation if signed as outlined in section 6 of this section of the rules.

c.       Protected Players

Players under the age of 25 who are completing their first contract will be protected from free agency and will automatically resign with their current club as follows:

OV

1 year

2 year

3 year

4 year

73 or less

50% incr

50% incr

50% incr

50% incr

74 to 79

50% incr

75% incr

100% incr

100% incr

80 or more

75% of avg

75% of avg

75% of avg

75% of avg

2. Presigning

Between the trade deadline and the conclusion of the playoffs, teams may use points earned for activity to presign players prior to the upcoming off-season’s FA period.  No more than 4 points may be used on any one player and a maximum of 5 players may be presigned.  The options for presigning are outlined below.

a.       Signings

Players whose contracts will expire may be signed for 1 year per point spent with either a 30% increase or for 75% of the league average (by OV rating), whichever is greater.

b.       Extensions

Players still under contract for the following season may have their contracts extended by 1 year per point spent with either a 30% increase or for 75% of the league average (by OV rating), whichever is greater.

c.       Reduction in years

Any player making over 200% of the league average (by OV rating) may have their contract shortened by 1 year per point spent.  Players must still have 1 year remaining in the upcoming off-season after the reduction.

d.       Reduction in salary

Any player making over 200% of the league average (by OV rating) may have their salary reduced by 10% per point spent.  A maximum of 30% may be reduced off a player’s salary in one presigning period.

e.       Loyalty

Players who are 34 or older with expiring contracts and have been with the same team for 3 consecutive seasons may be presigned for either 75% of their current salary or the league average (by OV rating), whichever is greater, for 1 year per point spent.

3. Qualifying Offers

Qualifying offers must be submitted between the end of the playoffs and the start of free agency.

a.       Restricted Free Agents

RFAs must receive a qualifying offer of at least 1 year with a 10% increase to insure RFA status for the upcoming FA period.  RFAs who do not receive a qualifying offer will become Unrestricted Free Agents.

b.       Protected Players

Protected players who do not receive an automatic signing (at the team’s discretion) will be RFAs who will not require a qualifying offer of 10%.

4. Phase I

Phase I of the free agency period will begin shortly after the Entry Draft and usually consist of 4 to 6 rounds.  Teams may make offers to any of their free agents (UFA or RFA) and to up to 5 FAs from other teams.  Teams must have available roster spots for any players tendered offers.  Also, teams submitting offers to RFAs must have the required compensation available (see section 6 below) or the offer will be voided.

 

Players evaluate offers based on various factors including length, salary, bonus, the team making the offer, league averages, amount of increase, etc.  In the event a player receives multiple acceptable offers, he will resign with his previous team first.  If his previous team does not have an acceptable offer on the table, he will sign with the offer he values the highest.

 

RFAs who sign offers with new teams will have a 48 hour window during which the old team can match the offer, accept the compensation or negotiate different compensation with the new team.

5. Phase II

Phase II will consist of any unsigned players after Phase I.  Teams will submit one round of offers and players will sign for the highest guaranteed offer.  There is no negotiation or second offer submission during Phase II.

6. RFA Compensation

For the purposes of calculating compensation, any signing bonus offered is averaged in over the life of the contract.  RFA compensation is as follows.

New Salary

Compensation