FANTASY HOCKEY LEAGUE

LEAGUE RULES AND GUIDELINES 2007/08

1.1   The minimum number of players on the active roster is 28, with a minimum of 2 goalies. The maximum number of players on the active roster is 32. You may have unlimited players on the Inactive List, up to three players on the Rookie Squad, and up to two players on the Injured Reserved List while still maintaining a maximum of 32 players on your active roster.

1.2   Players that are Unsigned in the NHL may be put on an Inactive List until that player is signed. This will be listed on the Transaction page. When signed, the player must be put back on the active roster immediately. If the team is over the 32 player limit, a player must be dropped to the Free Agent list. The player coming off the Inactive list is not activated until that extra player is dropped. You will be able to move unsigned players to this list one week prior to the start of the NHL season.

1.3   Injured Reserved List: This list is for documented, seriously injured players only.

A)  When a player is placed on the IR list, he must stay on for a minimum of six weeks. If the owner wishes to keep him on the list, he must stay on again for a minimum of six weeks.

B)  The list has a maximum of 2 spots.

C)  If a player on the IR list is traded, he must stay on the list until his six week term is up.

D)  Any player on the IR list may be dropped to the Free Agent list at any time.

E)  The Rosters will reflect who is on the IR list with their reactivation date.

F)  When players are listed on the Injured Reserve list, the owners must be responsible for contacting the commissioner with the status of the players. When the six weeks are up, contact the commissioner the day before or the day of the expiration to say whether the player is re-activated or rolled over for another six weeks. Complete a Player Movement form to submit the transaction.

G)  Players listed on the Injured Reserve list at the end of the season will remain on the list until the start of the new season. There will be a two-week grace period after the start of our season for determination of status of IR listed players. As soon as their status is determined, the owner must act on it. If player is still injured he may stay on the IR list starting from the date his status is determined. If player is activated in the NHL, he must be activated on your team immediately.

2.1   This squad is for rookies as listed in the NHL and any player not currently playing in the NHL who has not yet passed the criteria for qualification as an NHL Rookie. This includes foreign players who may not be playing on junior teams or in one of the minor leagues.

2.2   The rookies may be moved on or off the Rookie Squad to the active Roster and back again at any time and for any length of time as long as they are still NHL rookies. The Rookie Squad has three spots on it.

2.3   When a rookie is moved from the squad to the active roster, either a rookie on the active roster must be moved to the squad or another player must be dropped to the free agent list provided you are over your maximum 32 players on your active roster.

2.4   To qualify for rookie status in both the NHL and FHL, a player cannot have played more than 25 games in any single preceding season nor in six or more games (in any major professional league) in any two preceding seasons. A player also must not have reached his 26th birthday by September 15 of the season in which he is eligible.

The League Schedule will be provided prior to the start of the season. Each team will go head to head each week resulting in gaining 2 points for a win, 1 point for a tie, and no points for a loss. Points will accumulate with running totals shown weekly on the Standings page. The schedule is created by picking random combinations for the games.

4.1   Using the Positions link on our website, you will see a page that lists the currently accepted websites and their links so you may find the position of the player you are interested in. You may choose any position that you find on the listed pages we allow you to use. (See also, Rule 8.3).

4.2   Position Changes:
A)  You may change the position of a player you have just received in a trade. When contacting the commissioner with the trade, give the positional change at that time. (You must follow Rule 4.1) Use the Free Agent Signing and Positional Change form only.

B)  You may change any two players' positions at any time during our season following Rule 4.1. To monitor the changes, the changed players will be color-coded in brown on the Rosters page of the website.

Each week will run from Friday through Thursday (unless otherwise specified on the Schedule) utilizing the ESPN website.

Rosters will be updated, on the website, when transactions are made.

7.1   An injured or suspended player as well as a healthy scratch may be substituted for during the course of the week by submitting a Substitution form. The League must substantiate all injuries, suspensions, and scratches. This is strictly a player for a player substitution. If a right winger goes down a right winger may replace him in the line(s) he is on. Only one substitute player may be used per each player being substituted. No other line up changes may take place for that player.

7.2   Substitution of players may occur any way in a lineup as long as it follows the rules of lineups (Rule 10.2). [For example: A player on the 4th line may be used to substitute for a player on any one of the first three lines, provided he is not already on one. A player may be placed from one of the first three lines to the 4th line if he is not already there, etc.]

7.3   Substitutions must be submitted (by Substitution form) before the first NHL game of that day for the involved players, or the substitution is effective the following day. (eg: You wish to pull Selanne due to injury and replace him with Stumpel. Selanne's game begins at 9pm EST and Stumpel's game begins at 8:30pm EST. You have until 8:30pm EST to make the substitution).

7.4   If a player has become injured, suspended, or is a healthy scratch, you may substitute for him if he still has NHL games left to be played that week.

7.5   Submit the Substitution form before the start of the first NHL game for the involved players. The form contains a time stamp so we will know that you have sent it in on time. Verification for subs is not done. If you received the thank you page after the submission, then the substitution has been sent.

8.1   Free agent signings are allowed at any time during the year.

8.2   Any player signed or unsigned in the NHL, AHL, IHL, or a foreign league, etc. is considered acquirable in this League. There are no restrictions on player acquisitions.

8.3   Free Agents are to be picked up by submitting a Free Agent and Positional Change form only. Free Agents are allocated on a first come, first served basis. Whoever requests the free agent first, receives that player. The email forms contain a date stamp that will be utilized for determination of new owner. When requesting free agents you MUST give the following information or the player is still available even if you sent the partial info first: Player's Name, Position, NHL team, Website. The Commissioner will respond within 24 hours of your request to verify if you were the first to contact her for that player.

8.4   Free agent pickups during the postseason will be applied to the next season.

8.5   Players that are currently in a team's lineup may be dropped to the Free Agent list in order to pick up a new player. This transaction would not go into effect until the end of the FHL week. The transaction will be official even though the new player can not be used until the start date of the next week. If a player is in the current lineup and is injured, suspended, or scratched, he may be dropped from the lineup directly to the free agent list and the new player may be used immediately.

9.1   Trades are allowed at any time during the year. There are no deadlines.

9.2   If both teams have 28 players on their rosters and 2 players from Team A are sent to Team B for one player, Team A must pick up a free agent or the transaction will not be considered complete. You must carry a minimum of 28 players at all times. Likewise, if you exceed 32 players due to a trade, you must drop players to the free agent list at the same time as the trade occurs (Rule 1.1). You may change the position of a player you have just received in a trade. When contacting the commissioner with the trade, give the positional change at that time (Rule 4.2A) (You must follow Rule 4.1) Use the Free Agent Signing and Positional Change form only.

9.3   The Commissioner must approve all trades. BOTH owners must submit a Trading form for the trade to be confirmed.

9.4   Trades are official once they are approved by the Commissioner, but the players are not active until the start of the new week. This allows players in a lineup to be traded.

10.1   In case a transaction was not completed or disallowed and you had wanted to use the new player(s) in that week's lineup, place a backup player in parentheses next to your new player or you will be a player short in your lineup. (See Rule 10.3)

You must use the Weekly Lineup form to submit your lineup to the Commissioner.

10.2   Rostered players play on one line only (1st, 2nd, 3rd) with the exception of the Special Teams line (4th). Players may play on one of the first three lines and also the fourth line. Regardless of position (L, C, R), one extra forward and one extra defenseman are added to the 4th line (see Scoresheet).

10.3   It is the owner's responsibility to put in a legal lineup in accordance with League rules. Repeated illegal lineups will result in the owner losing his franchise. Illegal games will be scored as follows.

A)  The following categories will be forfeit if players are placed in the wrong positions in the lineup, players not playing in the NHL are used, any illegal player is used, players are listed more than once (excluding fourth line) or if a blank spot is left in the lineup:
         a - penalty minutes
         b - plus/minus
         c - goaltending

B)  Goals and assists (including 4th line points) and DSO's will not count for the illegal player(s).

Therefore, an owner could win the second or third lines offensively by receiving goals and assists from his other 4 skaters, but would lose the minutes or the +/- categories.

10.4   Injured Players: Any player that is injured in a current lineup should be replaced immediately. If this is abused, a rule to force substitutions of all players will have to be instituted in the future. (This rule also applies to suspended players.)

A)  Any player who has been injured in a previous FHL week and has not played games the rest of that week cannot be placed in the next week's lineup on the 2nd, 3rd, or Goaltending lines. If he plays again in the NHL, he may be used as a substitute, following Rule 7 guidelines.

B)  Any player in a current week's lineup who has been seriously injured and is listed out for an extended period of time MUST be replaced if he is on the 2nd, 3rd, or Goaltending lines and still has games left to play.

C)  Failure to comply with either rule will cause forfeiture of that particular part of the lineup (penalty minutes, +/-, DSO's, or goaltending).

10.5   Weekly team lineups are considered public domain. The Commissioner will forward all lineups to all owners after the submission time is reached.

10.6   Two goalies are used. There is a 2 minimum limit per team and a 20 minute minimum playing time for the calculation of the GAA (See Goalie Scoring on Scoring Rules page). Goalies may be substituted for, following the guidelines of Rule 7. The substituted goalie must have at least one game left that week to be substituted for.

10.7   You may carry two goalies from the same NHL team on your roster but you may not use them in the same week.

10.8   Lineups must be made before the first scheduled NHL game for the start date for each week (verify times with the NHL not our Schedule). If an owner does not have access to a computer and therefore the Submission Forms and needs to call in his lineup, he may do so to the Commissioner or Scorekeepers, but by phoning in the lineup, he forfeits any rights to make an appeal to the Commissioner that the lineup he called in is different than the one that was used.

10.9   There will be a maximum of 3 rollovers of a team's lineup during the season (in any order). If more than 3 rollovers occur, the owner will lose his team.

10.10   Metered mail is not allowed.

11.1   Any League regulations not covered in these rules and any omissions or amendments to these rules are to be decided upon by the Commissioner.

11.2   Any owner may propose amendments and additions to the League Rules and Constitution to the Commissioner.

11.3   The Commissioner reserves the right to disallow any trades that affect the integrity of the League.

11.4   Players who leave their NHL team for such reasons as retirement or death will be released outright from their FHL team by the League office.

12.1   Every effort is made to insure the accuracy of the weekly stats.

12.2   In the event an owner feels that there is an error, the owner may make an appeal to the Official Scorekeepers using the following procedure:

A)  All appeals must specifically describe the error(s) being reported and emailed to both Scorekeepers.

B)  The Official Scorekeepers shall investigate all appeals and make a determination on the validity of such appeal. If a scoring change is warranted, they will contact the Commissioner with verification.

C)  Should the Commissioner find the appeal to be valid, corrections will be made immediately and the Commissioner will then notify all team owners of the scoring change.

D)  The Commissioner has the right to make any stats correction deemed necessary, at any time, throughout the season. If such a correction is to be made, it will be reported to all team owners.

13.1   Team owners may appoint a General Manager to represent them for any or all League functions. The Commissioner must be informed of this move and the GM approved before he may represent the team he is appointed by. It is the owner's responsibility to make sure that his GM has knowledge of all League rules.

13.2   If, in the opinion of the League Commissioner and Staff, an owner is detracting from the League, that owner will be warned. If the disruptive activity continues, the team owner will lose his franchise.