Draft, Rating and League Musings

Hey Everyone

Thanks to keep this draft steadily moving ahead while I've been on this vacation roadtrip to Drumheller!  Lets try to get through the last couple!

In the next couple days I should be updating the players with the new ratings set.  Just a refresher and info for the newer GMs:  So these ratings are based on players who played last year in the NHL & AHL.  There are two things big things that will happen.

1. If your player didn't play last year (or the ratings provider didn't bother giving them a rating)
   • What will happen is that anybody on your team that is NOT listed in the excel sheet will be removed from your roster and put into your prospect list
   • Yes their contract magically disappears in this scenario.
   • Over time, you may collect a lot of junk in your list.  Please comb through and post here if you want to release players from your prospect list.
2. If you have a player on your prospect list on the excel sheet and they have a NHL contract for the 2019-20 season or beyond
   • They will be auto activated onto your roster at the NHL annual average salary + 1 year.
     • Example: My Henri Jokiharju is coming to my roster and based on capfriendly, he'll be on my team for $1,279,166 for 3 years  (2 years + 1 because BFHL is nice)
   • EVERY player on the prospect list is subject to auto activation at NHL contract.  If some bum on your list manages to get a 6mil contract and is auto activated, well you're going to suck it up or have to buy them out (50% cap penalty)
     • So if you clean up the junk, less chance of problems!

There is a Farm Player Salary Limit this Season

1. Rule applies to all players.
2. No player with an annual contract value greater than $4,227,438 will be allowed in the Farm.

RFA Reminder

Restricted Free Agents always raises a lot of questions, please refer the rule book for complete details, some summary points:

• To keep the rights of a restricted free agent, RFA's need at mininum, a Qualifying Offer (QO) when the "your own FA" signing period happens in late August (TBA).
• A QO is the mininum amount required to ensure you keep the player's rights if they don't accept the QO.
• Sometimes a roll of the dice will go your way and the player will sign at or below the expected QO
• Yes sometimes the QO is insanely huge due to previous signing antics of other GMs
• A RFA can remain on your roster unsigned until the trade January FA deadline.  If still unsigned after the trade January FA deadline then you will lose the rights to the player

Oh and make sure you watch your cap carefully.

Thanks!

Anthony