THE HOLY GRAIL - aka League Rules

GENERAL INFORMATION:

I.

The GMSHL currently is set-up as 20 team league with 2 conferences and 4 divisions.



League Forum: https://gmhockey-sim.forumotion.com/

League Portal: http://mdalziel.com/sim

Administrators:
Beedub
markofalltrad

Simmer:
beedub

Director of Sim Hockey Operations aka Colin Campbell:

markofalltrad and Beedub act as the Hockey Operations team; determining what punishment/sanctions will be assigned based, mostly, on case by case bias.


II. ROSTER REGULATIONS:

1. All teams must have at least 20 ‘dressed/active’ players with at least - one (1) listed center, one (1) left-winger, and one (1) right-winger, and at least five (5) listed defensemen, and two (2) listed goaltenders in order for the league to function. Failure to achieve these minimum standards will result in the use of lines and roster spots determined by the ‘auto-made’ line tool.

In addition to ‘auto-made’ lines, the team in question will also be responsible for any waiver moves needed to repair the roster, and potentially ‘in-sim’ fines. (Fines covered below). Any GM that is found to be unresponsive to league based PM’s from a commissioner for 21+ days without previous notice or without just cause will be removed from their respective GM position for the season.



2. A request can be submitted to league offices to change a player's listed position to that of another however the requesting team must provide evidence of the player at the requested position. Evidence considered valid would come from a reputable source such as www.tsn.ca, www.nhl.com, www.nhlpa.com, www.hockeydb.com, or www.sportsnet.ca. Sources such as: www.ilovejoesakic.com, other fantasy hockey leagues, and obscure article references are not valid.




4. A GM may have a maximum of 23 healthy players on their pro roster at one time, as long as they remain under the salary-cap. It is advised that teams keep a pro roster of at least 21-22 to accommodate for injuries. SimonT also has a roster capacity limit of 50 therefore no team may have more than 50 players under contract at any time.



5. Coaches DO affect play in the GMSHL. As such they are a tradable commodity. No team may play without a NHL and AHL coach. Any coach hired to be an NHL coach, is untouchable unless his current employer releases him. All AHL coaches are considered available to coach at the NHL level, but cannot be hired to coach another AHL team without his current team releasing him.



III. LINES AND LINE CREATION:


font='Eras Demi ITC']2. It is recognized that a team will double shift at least two defensemen on the fourth line. And further that a team may dress more than six defensemen and have the seventh simply play the 4th line shift. A team cannot dress eight ( defensemen taking into account the guidelines of the ruled stated above regarding the double shifting of more than one forward on the fourth line. A GM may, however, double shift one skater on both Powerplay units and one skater on both Penalty Kill units - though he does so at his own risk of injury. [/font]


3. It is highly recommended that a team dresses a player in their listed position. Playing a player out of position on any line usually sees that player performing poorer than usual. But hey everybody still does it.



5. GM’s can send in new lines daily, but there are deadlines for submitting your line-up for game night. If your submitting a file, you have until beedub sims the game day.it’s encouraged you use the SimonT client program, as it will provide the simmers with a back-up file in case your lines are inadvertently disrupted.



IV. RETIREES / EUROPEANS/ROOKIES:

1. Retirees: The GMSHL officially separated from ‘real-life’ as of May 1, 2014. Therefore any players that retired prior to this date are ineligible to be active in the sim. Also once the SimonT software ‘retires’ a player, he is no longer eligible for the sim.



V. BACKUP GOALTENDERS:

While various leagues have different variations of this rule, the GMSHL has determined its own way to govern this. NO goalie can play more than 72 games total in the regular season. Any goalie that hits the combined 72 game mark will be benched until the playoffs. This is to ensure all teams do not abuse the privilege of having a superstar goaltender paired with a minimalist backup goaltender. It has occurred in other leagues that GMs abuse the salary cap by paying to have a star goaltender and than paying league minimums for a poorly rated backup goalie that does not play any minutes. It is unrealistic that a goalie would start every game in an 82 game schedule and to ensure all teams share their duties this rule is in place.



VI. FINANCES / SALARY CAP:

The league salary cap is currently set at $70 million and the cap floor is set at $50 million and will fluctuate season to season. The salary. Please stay under this ceiling and above the league minimum, AT ALL TIMES. If a GM makes a trade that puts his team in violation of this limit the GM must work his roster through more trades, or line juggling to get back under the ceiling by their next game. Failure to do so will result in the team’s best player being suspended. Persistancy in not fixing cap after 10 games, could result in the suspended player being removed from your team.

VII. PROSPECTS/PLAYER CREATION:


1. Every season GM’s will be allowed to create/sign up as many out of sim players as they want, being mindful of the league imposed 50 contract limit. Due to the software used, this contract limit will never fluctuate.

3. All player creation requests are to be sent to beedub, and they will then be created and entered into Simon T. There is no ‘redo’s’ or ‘undos’, when you decide to have a player added it is final

.

VIII. TRADE VETO CLAUSE:


IX. SIGNING FREE AGENTS:

1. UFA players can be bid on at any time, but once a bid is put in to a player, the window for signing said player is limited to 24 hours. Anyone can bid, and the bidding will be done in an closed fashion utilizing the portal for all bidding. Winners will be announced on the forum.

3. In order to make a bid you must have both the cap-space and the contact space to sign the player.



X. RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS:



RFA's during the RFA period prior to UFA period are open for bidding by any GM, but the GM with the players rights has the option to resign the player at a 10% discount on the highest/longest bid. Dollar amount trumps term, but in the case of an equal dollar amount, the longest term wins.

Compensation for signing an RFA is as follows:
Amount Compensation Due
$863,156 or less None
$863,156 - $1,307,812 3rd round pick
$1,307,812 - $2,615,625 2nd round pick
$2,615,623 - $3,923,437 1st and 3rd round pick

$3,923,437 - $5,231,249 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round pick
$5,231,249 - $6,539,062 Two 1st's, one 2nd, one 3rd round pick
$6,539,062 or more Two 1st's, two 2nds, two 3rd round pick



These picks MUST be your own. This means you cannot even bid should you not have the prerequisite picks for compensation. Should you want to bid on a player please create ONE THREAD inside the RFA thread using the format PLAYER NAME RFA BID, and any subsequent bids should be placed there by whomever chooses to bid. All bids are FINAL, so do not bid if you are not serious about your bid, or do not have the proper compensation for your bid amount. Once the RFA period is over on Friday Sept 25, The UFA period will begin. Any RFA player that are not signed, becomes a UFA.



XI. IMPENDING FA’S



1. All UFA contract extensions are done on the portal. A player is eligible for an extension when they have one year remaining on their current contract. The sim determines the amount required, and likelyhood of signing with you. It also determines the success or lack there of.
2. For re-signing, each GM who re-signs a player will have the option to elect a term of 1-7 years, at their discretion.
3. Each franchise will be allowed to re-sign as many players from their team as they have the cap-space available in the forthcoming season.
4. Each GM will be allowed to resign any RFA player whose assigned value is a million or less, to a term of up to 3 years. This is done to protect the integrity of each team's farm system and prospects.



5. GM’s will be eligible to receive a 50% break on any RFA signing their 2nd contract, provided the 50% is still double their previous salary (max 3 year contract).



6. Once the Free Agency period opens after the playoffs (date to be determined), the UFA system will be done on the client software, thereby rendering the bidding confidential. This will aid in preventing some over-the -top bids.



7. Any unsigned RFA’s will be subject to the RFA guidelines posted above, and if still unsigned by the start of the UFA signing period , they will lose their RFA status and become UFA’s.
XII. ENTRY DRAFT:
The entry draft will occur in every other sim season, to coincide with the Real Life Entry Draft in June of every year.
1. All entry drafts will consist of 5 rounds and will run prior to that respective year’s draft.
2. All players listed by Central Scouting Bureau (CSB) are eligible to be drafted.
3. Draft ranking is based exclusively on Final Standings as shown at end of the Regular Season.
4. If a GM is unable to make the draft, prospects will be automatically drafted based on the best player available as per the CSB rankings and NOT by what the team may need most.
XIII. WAIVERS:
1. Players who are 25 and over require waivers to be sent to the AHL. While there are no age or salary restrictions, performance restrictions are still in effect.
2. Players 24 and under, are waiver exempt, irregardless of salary. They cannot go to the minors if they exceed the overall limit.

3. Should you want to waive a player please send a PM to SpezDispenser using the following format: CAPITALS WAIVERS, so that it doesn't get overlooked. He will post the player in the waivers thread, and will update the player's status once the 48 hour waiver period is up.
4. The Waiver process takes 48 hours from posting and thus the player and his cap doesn’t get removed until the 48 hours expire.

5. Each season, immediately prior to final rosters being set, for regular season, each GM will have the opportunity to bury any waiver-eligible player in the minors ONE TIME only. From the 1^st drop of the puck in the Regular season, waiver eligible players being waived, will have to clear waivers to be placed on that team’s AHL minor league team

XIV. LEAGUE ETIQUETTE:
1. While trash-talking is encouraged, it should always be in good nature. Any personal attacks on other GM’s, will lead to expulsion from the league.
2. Please remember that this league is operated on a volunteer basis. The Commissioner, Simmer.and members of the Trade/Admin Committee. (basically everyone involved in the sim) are doing so on their own time for the fun and good spirit of the sim, so if you disagree with how something is being done, or a decision that has been made, take a positive approach and contact one of the Administrators privately, and allow the league to help resolve an issue . Sniping against the Administrative team of this league, either by private message or chatbox ranting, including openly criticizing a decision of the admin, a rule interpretation in a derisive manner, or lambasting another gmi is strictly prohibited. Failure to comply  will result in that particular GM having sanctions placed against them, which are for the 1^st offence, being placed on probation (see definition of same listed above), 2^nd offence, outright dismissal.



3. We have set-up the league and its regulations in the best interest of the league and its GM’s. We have taken every opportunity to remain transparent and make it as fair as possible for those involved. We are always open to suggestions, as long as they are suggestions and not attacks.
We hope you understand, and agree with these rules/guidelines, as they were set-up to insure the longevity and survival of the league as a whole.
Our only goal is to have this league prosper and be enjoyable for all those involved.
XV. League Processes

• The daily simming processes are simming first, all trade/roster updates occur immediately after simming.
  

2. Our league simulates two seasons in the space fo one calendar year. We only draft every other season in order to utilize real life draft prospects, as identified by sites such as CSS and ISS.

In non-draft seasons, we have put into place three incentives. One for the Apollo Cup winner, and the other two for the points loser, the last place finisher.

• Apollo Cup winner: Shall be granted one manual re-rate, where the gm will be able to select one player and be able to increase 2 separate attributes by 3 points. We have established a max rating of 85 in this instance
  
• The points loser shall be able to select 2 players, and apply an increase to 3 separate attributes of 3 points for each, again the max rating cannot exceed 85.
  

Addendum for the 2012-13 Season

1. No skater with an overall of 68 or higher may play in the minor league. If a skater rerates mid-season to 68+ they can stay in the minor leagues.
2. No goalie with an overall of 71 or higher may play in the minor league. If a goalie rerates mid-season to 71+ they can stay in the minor leagues.
3. Salary Cap has been raised to $68 million in the pro league
4. Salary Cap of $4 million has been imposed on the minor league teams
6. A player who is currently on your minor league affiliate, and is traded, is eligible to join the new team's minor league affiliate without having to clear waivers
7.Free Agents 35 and over, when signing a multi-year deal, are eligible to a 25% discount upon signing. This discount is not applied on 1 year deals.

Addendum for the 2014-2015 Season

1. No restrictions on salary or age for the purposes of waivers. Waiver procedures remain unchanged. Players aged 25 and up must clear waivers to pass down to AHL

2. A retiring player will be removed from your roster. His salary will no longer count towards your cap.

Addendum for Season starting summer 2013:

NHL Cap has been set to 71 Million

see 2012 updates as an addendum at the end

Updated at bottom to reflect Upcoming Season's new Salary Cap of 71 million.

Also don't reply in the post, please start new thread or pm Mods or Admins.

UPDATE FOR 2014/15 SEASON

1. Limit to who is eligible for waivers. Players must once again be a 69 OV or less, and goalies 72 and under to be eligible

2. Salary restriction for AHL eligibility: $3,000,000 or less is eligible to play in the minors

3. FA windown is now 24 hours. Bids are done on the client

4. Contract extensions are done via the portal

to clarify, Pro Cap for the 2014/15 season is $70 million.

Cap is set at $73 million

It has been brought to my attention a slight ambiguity in the rules. The above noted 3 million cap on AHL eligible players is for waiver eligible players of 25 and over.

Players 24 and under, who are waiver exempt, do not have a dollar restriction, per the Grail rules

ADDENDUM for 2017-2018

Pro Salary Cap is increased to $74 million
Farm Salary Cap is increased to $43 million

Restricted Free Agency

For all future RFA classes, a separate RFA bid period will occur, running prior to the Entry draft for 4 days. GM's owning that player will have the entry draft period with which to match or decline the offer sheets.

Failure to match or decline will result in an automatic decline, with the subsequent draft pick compensation being automatically awarded.

ALL RFA'S NOT SIGNED PRIOR TO, OR TENDERED AN OFFER SHEET DURING THIS PERIOD WILL AUTOMATICALLY BECOME UFA, subject to normal UFA guidelines, with no compensation paid.

Addendum for 2018-2019

Salary Cap is reduced to $73 million for pro this season, and $43 million for AHL (4.3 million)

no other changes