Rules

I. Keeper Rules

(a) Tier I. Rounds 5-12 - You can keep up to two players. Each year they move up 1 round. You can keep them for 3 years.

(b) Tier II. Rounds 13-23 - You can keep up to four players. Each year they move up 1 round. You can keep them for 4 years.

(c) Tier III. Rounds 24-26 - You can keep up to three players, forever, in the round they are drafted. So, if you draft a player in Round 24, next year you can keep him there, the year after you can pass. You don't HAVE to keep them forever.

(d) Total Amount of Keepers. Each team's total amount of keepers cannot exceed six (6) players. Any combination of the above combinations in Rule I.(a)-(c) is acceptable, so long as the total amount of keepers does not exceed six, per team.

(e) Optional. Keep in mind that keepers are optional, 100%. You don't have to keep anybody. If anyone is unclear on the rules, text me before the draft.

(f) Eligibility.
          (1) Drafted Players. Only drafted players can be kept, in the tier in which they are eligible to be kept.
          (2) Dropping a Potential Keeper. If they are dropped, they cannot be kept.
          (3) Traded Players. If they are traded, they can still be kept. You acquire that player with all of his keeper rights intact.
          (4) Free Agents and Waivers. Free agent additions and waiver pickups cannot be kept under any circumstances.

(g) Changing Tiers. Players cannot be moved from tier to tier to accommodate a manager's draft strategy. If a player is drafted in a specific tier, and he is kept for multiple seasons which ultimately places that player in a draft position of a different tier, that player will maintain his original tier for draft eligibility and cannot be moved to a different tier by the manager.

II. Draft Pick Trading

(a) Reciprocity. This year I implemented Draft Pick trading (2014-15). The only requirement is that if you trade a draft pick for the 2015-16 season, there must be an equal number of draft picks available.

Hypothetical Scenario: Your team is in last place. You have Sidney Crosby. A team at the top of the standings is trying to acquire him from you. The draft pick tradings plus keepers provides a basis for "sellers" and "buyers." So you want to trade Crosby and acquire a high draft pick from the other team. You CANNOT trade Crosby straight up for a 2nd round pick. The trade would have to be something like this:

Crosby and a 15th round pick for a 2nd round pick

-OR-

Crosby and a 15th round pick for X player and a 2nd round pick.

The 15th round pick is required to go back to the other side, in order to keep every team with 26 picks in 26 rounds in the next draft.

III. Trade Review

(a) Free market. No reviewing trades. I have it set for commissioner approval, but you all are the managers of your team and you will do what you see fit.

(b) Collusion. If there is any hint of collusion (it will be obvious), I will inquire to determine if I think the trade is collusive. If the league thinks it is, we will vote on the trade. But it would have to be obvious.

IV. N/A, IR, IR+

(a) N/A. Yahoo allows for an N/A slot - these slots should be used to store minor league players who are not in the NHL. In other words, you may draft a minor league prospect and place them in an N/A slot and then add a player off of waivers, without wasting a roster spot on that player. N/A slots are limited so use them wisely.

(b) IR, IR+. Additionally, an IR slot is available, as well as IR+, IR+ is a short-term IR. These were implemented to allow managers to store players they want to keep for next year without having to drop them.

V. Dues

(a) Payout. $75 fee per team and 12 teams equals a $900 pot.
          (1) League Champion. $550.
          (2) Runner-Up. $250.
          (3) Regular Season Winner. $100.