How to Start a Keeper League – Version #4

Another good one featuring large rosters and a Christmas waiver draft. It even includes stipulations for a player dying! This is from ‘FERGIE’

RULES AND REGULATIONS

CBA

1. The CBA is the set of rules by which our pool will abide by until the date of expiration (July 1, 2008).
2. Changes and exceptions to the CBA require unanimous approval.
A. All decisions taken with unanimous approval can only be undone by unanimous approval.
2. For issues not covered in the CBA, all General Managers (GMs) must be consulted, but only a majority of approval is required.
A. In the case of a dispute between two GMs on an issue not covered by the CBA, the decision is made by the other two GMs. If they can't agree, the status quo stands.

Drafting

1. A list of at most 26 protected players is handed to each GM before the draft.
A. The protected list must be sent by e-mail to the pool webmaster by midnight, July 31.
2. Draft day is determined each year at a convenient time by unanimous decision.
3. The draft order is set based on the previous year's standing, in reverse order. The same order is kept for all rounds.
4. Eligible players are drafted and/or signed by the NHL.
5. If a GM has a player on his roster that has died, announced his retirement* or signed a contract with a non-NHL team, that GM has the option of dumping that player and picking another one anytime within the time window after the draft and before the first day of the NHL season.
6. Each GM drafts until a roster of 40 players is reached.
* Retirement is defined as a clear, public statement on behalf of the player that his NHL career is over.

Waivers

1. Each GM receives two waivers after the Draft.
A. Each GM receives a waiver on Christmas Day. The order of the waiver is determined by standings (1st waiver = 4th place, 2nd waiver = 3rd place, etc.)
2. A waiver may be used at any time starting immediately after the Draft and until February 1 at midnight of the respective season.
3. Waivers may be used to draft any undrafted players (free agents), injured or not, and to drop any player on the team, injured or not.
4. Waivers may be used to pick and drop players of any position, provided that no artificial point boost is made.*
5. Waiver rights can not be traded.
6. Waivers not used by the deadline (set in item 2 above) are void.
7. To use a waiver, the GM must send an e-mail to all the other GMs and state the transaction.
8. Once a waiver is used, it can't be revoked.
9. In case of a conflict where two GMs use waivers to pick the same player, the date and time of the e-mail determines who has priority.
10. The team who drops a player can only pick the player back up after 24 hours of dropping the player.
* An artificial point boost is a situation in which a team gets bonus points by swapping players of a different category during a trade or a waiver.

Team management

1. An injured player can not be substituted with another healthy player within the same team.

Trades

1. Only players and draft picks may be traded.
A. Future drafts may be traded if they are within three years of the trade date. Drafts beyond the expiration date of the CBA are not protected by the CBA.
2. Trading can take place anytime after the last day of the season and until February 1 at midnight.
3. The trade announcement must be made by the GM that has made the last accepted offer.
4. All trades are final, as stated in the e-mail, and can not contain strings attached or additional conditions.
5. During the off-season, trades of any type may be done without approval.
6. During the regular season, a trade must be approved by at least one other GM within 48 hours. If they don't respond by this time, the trade automatically becomes valid.
7. Only trades between two GMs are acceptable.
8. Players of any type can be traded and switched but must not lead to artificial point boost.
9. Injured players (those on IR) can not be traded during the regular season.
10. If a player that is part of a trade pending approval becomes injured (on IR) the GM on the receiving end of that player has the option to cancel the trade before it is approved.
11. During the regular season, an even number of players must be traded for each trade.
12. In multi-player trades, trading GMs must state which player is replaced by which.

Point system

1. Only the top 12 offensemen, the top 2 goalies, the top 6 defensemen and the top enforcer count.
2. Offense point system:
Goal = 1pt
Assist = 1pt
PPG = 1 pt
SHG = 1 pt
GWG = 1 pt
Hat Trick = 3 pts
Shoot Out GWG = 1 pt
3. Defense point system: (same as offense except)
Goal = 2 pts
4. Goaltender point system:
Win = 3 pts
Overtime loss = 1 pt
Shutout = 2 pts
5. Enforcer point system:
+0.5 pt per penalty minute.

Trophies

1. At the end of the season, GMs who have the best players of each category on their roster are rewarded with trophies.
2. The categories are:
Best team = Stanley Cup
Best goaltender = Vezina
Best defenseman = Norris
Top point getter = Art Ross
Best rookie (i.e. never part of the QHL) = Calder
Most valuable player to the Stanley Cup winning team= Conn Smythe
Best enforcer = Lady Bing.
4. The most valuable player is defined as the one that made the most difference in points to his team.
5. Points in each category are calculated from all the points the player itself produced (does not include trades)