NHLP2  ANDREW CHAD CHARLIE JOEL
JR MARCEL MATT RYAN
SCOTT SHAWN TYSON BRYCE
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NHLP2.com   Andrew Chad Charlie Joel
  GM Page Jr Marcel Matt Mike & Ray
  Ryan Scott Shawn Tyson

Buffalo (Joel) has 7 player games tonight, of which, 5 guys are hurt.......

Waivers Transactions Drafts Injuries Player Tracking Contact Us

Highlights for 2009/10

 

 

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Yearbook Predicts The Winner

You can read the East and West is coming still, but the NHLP Yearbook has completed their synopsis on who will win the NHLP Cup Championship.   The NHLP predicts Divisions winners from the East to be Cleveland (Tyson), Dallas (Jr), New Jersey (Jr) and Boston (Ryan) with New Jersey and Cleveland making the finals, although not winning it all for Tyson and Jr.  The West Division winners include the Cup winner Indianapolis (Matt), Runner up Atlanta (Ryan) as well as Los Angeles (Andrew) and Seattle (Matt) coming out of their Divisions.  The Yearbook is right more often then wrong, like last year predicting 5 of 8 Divisions winners and 2 of 4 cup finalists.  One thing wrong throws everything out the window, as all matchups start changing in the Semi Finals.  We are fearless however, in declaring GM Matt the 2010 NHLP Champion in Indianapolis.

 

Representing the East in the NHLP Finals

New Jersey (Jr) CTR #7
Cleveland (Tyson) CTR #13
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Representing the West in the NHLP Finals

Indianapolis (Matt) CTR #1
Atlanta (Ryan) CTR #10

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Coyotes - Less Player Games Than Fans

GM Charlie is in a tight spot in the Southwest.  Having four Predators isn't all that bad, but when they play just 4 games left each, now all of a sudden things get interesting for Chuck's Yotes.  In total Charlie is down to 28 player games, with Arnott still day to day.  He is 4 points behind Tyson, carrying injured Carter (until the playoffs) and Connolly (day to day), but who has 35 player games, minus 13 from his injured guys.  Behind Charlie are two teams coming hard, Nashville (Marcel) and Las Vegas (Joel).  These teams are one and three points back respectively and both are healthy and have 6 player games at hand.  Each point will be crucial if Charlie is to somehow catch Tyson or stay ahead of either one of Marcel or Joel.

The first Tie-Breaker is most goals:
Las Vegas (Joel) 119
Nashville (Marcel) 110
St Louis (Tyson) 100
Phoenix (Charlie) 99

We have never had the second Tie-Breaker put in effect because two tied teams had the same amount of goals, which is Most GM Points before a Coin Flip would occur.

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Tie-Breaking Rules

Goals Scored
Most GM Points on all 4 Teams
Flip a Coin

Don't you think a better first tie-breaker might be more playoff players?  Just a thought.  If it doesn't fit first, it seems a better second and definitely a better third option.  Something for us to think about for next year for we seem to have at least a tie somewhere every single season.

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OFFICIAL

No Penalty from San Jose, Chicago, Phoenix, Vancouver, Colorado, Nashville, Los Angeles, and Detroit.

No Penalty from Washington, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, New Jersey, Ottawa, Philadelphia, Montreal and Boston.

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Potential Penalty Charts for Eastern and Western Conferences.
(This chart will include games in the NHLP played right through games ending March 27th.  If a team is not at least tied for 8th place in the standings, they are a potential penalty the rest of the season.)

East Standings - Currently (meaning as of today).  As a guide only.
Games Played as of March 26th are Updated
Team Games Played Points Games Remaining Potential Points If 8th Seed Plays .500  8th Seeds Points Tonight 27th
No Penalty from Washington, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, New Jersey, Ottawa, Philadelphia, Montreal, and Boston.
Boston 73 78 1 80 0-0-1 79 Cal
 
Atlanta 74 76 1 78 1-0 78 Car
Potential Penalty from NY Rangers, Tampa Bay, Florida, Carolina, NY Islanders and Toronto and teams below the red line.

West Standings - Official
Team Games Played Points Games Remaining Potential Points If 8th Seed Plays .500  8th Seeds Points Tonight
No Penalty from San Jose, Chicago, Phoenix, Vancouver, Colorado, Nashville, Los Angeles, Detroit.
             
 
Potential Penalty from Calgary, Minnesota, Dallas, St Louis, Anaheim, Columbus, Edmonton and teams below the red line.

How do you read this chart?  The team above the red line is currently 8th.  If they were to play just .500 hockey between now and our Trading Deadline, March 28th, they would have a points total in the farthest right column.  Who says they are going to play .500?  That is why this is a guide only!!!  Teams above them need to mathematically play less then .500 hockey (if they play .500) to stay ahead of them and teams behind them need to play better than .500 hockey (if they play .500 hockey) to get to the 8th seeds potential points.  This chart is a guide only, but does clearly show how each win and loss down the stretch to our meeting is so important.  After our meeting this chart will be updated for the stretch run for the playoffs.  If this chart confuses you, just don't pay attention to it at all.

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At Issue - Integrity Loophole

It has become apparent in recent years that while at the Winter and Deadline Meetings that using the "Frozen Numbers" for the minors is not arguably the fairest way to make these transactions.  Clearly we do not know in advance what players will and won't score the week the numbers are frozen, so in that sense it is fair.  Why is it done in the first place?  It is done so GM's have time to plan out deals from the minors in advance of the meetings.  It can also sometimes create exciting bidding wars as GM's go after the players with the hottest weeks.  What is not fair?  We are in a points scoring league.  If your player scores a point, this should never be a negative in anyway.  As with the "old way" (the way we have always done it to date) if a player in the league had a frozen number of 40 and had a 5 point week, these numbers are useless to the GM in a minors deal.  Where as say GM Andrew who has Campbell out for the season at 39 points, he clearly won't get points that week but his player is just as valuable in a dump.  So in essence we are penalizing a GM for having a big week in the middle of the stretch drive.  Not exactly fair.

Solutions?  Well the BOG Rules Committee discussed and passed a new rule they believed work and was fairer.  In a way it was nothing more than a subtle tweak that seemed to solve all the problems.  This new rule stated that when dumping players, their "up-dated" numbers are used and when picking guys up, their frozen numbers are used.  Simple really.  Seemed a perfect solution as as stated, "The way things should have always been done."

Problem?  "The minors is a necessary tool that was in the league since the very first year" said GM Scott, "Only then we used the Toronto Star's Tuesday list which froze points each week after games the Sunday night.  The logic with the minors is to pick up a better player, be it a playoff guy for a non playoff, a better playoff for a playoff or a better player.  If you gained a few points, that is the way it worked.  However, this new rule is better still, but when it was found out a team could go from 30 points out of the playoffs to in first place by use this rule, everyone said....STOP THE FUCKING CAR."

Here is a quick example of how a GM could use the current rule, which is totally unacceptable and will not be allowed (so it will be fixed).  Lets say Edmonton had Booth 12 points and Cole 8 and both had zero point weeks:

Edmonton (Starting with 20 points) Drops Booth 12 and Cole 8 (20) for PlayerA 20 (+2) and Forsberg 0 (20+2).  Trade goes through

Edmonton now has 22 points (PlayerA 22 and Forsberg 0)

Edmonton now drops PlayerA 22 and Forsberg 0 (22) for PlayerB 11 (+2) and PlayerB 11 (+2) which is 22 (+4).  Trade goes through

Edmonton now has 26 points (PlayerB 13 and PlayerB 13)

Edmonton now drops PlayerB 13 and PlayerB 13 (26) for PlayerC 25 (+2) and PlayerD 1 (+1) which is 26 (+3).  Trade goes through

Edmonton now has 29 points (PlayerC 27 and PlayerD 2)

Edmonton now drops PlayerC 27 and PlayerD 2 for PlayerE 29 (+2) and Forsberg 0 which is 29 (+2).  Trade goes through

Edmonton now has 31 points (PlayerE 31 and Forsberg 0)

Edmonton could go one and on and on.  This is only using two players.  Making a 3-3 or a 6-6, you can gain much quicker.

Integrity - The minors is not for this type of activity.  Picking guys like Forsberg or goalies, hell even Andrew could get picked up, being a player-GM (although briefly).  It is a mockery and will not be allowed. 

Solution - That is what we are working on.  We feel we have some obvious tweaks to the New Rule and they will be passed along shortly.  If you have a solution, feel free to send it in.

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BOG "New Rule Needs More Thought"
The NHLP Board of Governors worked for a week going over everything they could think of and in the end the "New Rule" just needs more thought, "We have to go at it over the summer and go from there" said GM Jr.  What has been decided is because the rule is flawed, it cannot be used at the meeting, meaning the rule will be the same as it always has been and the frozen points are the numbers used in the drop and the pick up.  "We looked at many ways that would work, such as limiting the number of minor deals each team could make or each team would be allowed using the up dated numbers" said GM Andrew, "But ultimately no method was unanimously agreed upon as they all had flaws."  This left no choice but to put the new rule on hold for the Deadline and stay status quo, with the way things have been for several years.  GM Scott was not happy, "I really wish we could have agreed on something better but before that can happen, you have to find a better solution.  For one reason or another every variation had its drawbacks.  One thing we do not like is tying a GM's hands in any way."  The Rules Committee will make this priority one in the summer and implement something that works better, if something better is developed.

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Minors New Rules

As a reminder there were two new rules put in place at the last meeting.  One involved players frozen in the minors and trades made to the minors.  NHLP GM's should not be penalized for players on their teams that had a good week leading up to the meetings.  This made no sense.  Now the points that go on the board when trading are simple.  You use the currently, updated stats for players you are dropping to the minors and the frozen numbers for all players currently in the minors being picked up.  "This is the way we should have always been doing things" said GM Jr, "It just makes sense and cuts down on a lot of work for everyone."

"This really simplifies everything" says GM Scott, "It also stays true to the idea that we are a scoring league and no GM should be ever punished because his player actually had a big week.  That goes against our league's logic."

Here is just one example of how the new rule will affect the transactions to the minors.  Currently We used all numbers that were Frozen a week earlier.  We do this so GM's can prepare.  So if your player looked like this at the time of the freeze:

Sakic  30 Points
Kessel 25 Points

If you make deals to the minors, those are the numbers you'd use.  In a 2-2, you'd only have 55 points.  You'd look at all the guys in the minors and pick any two up to 55 points.

However, lets say your guys had big weeks as follows:

Sakic  30 Points + 4 Points = 34
Kessel 25 Points + 3 Points = 28

Under the currently system you could still only make a 2-2 with the Frozen numbers, 55 points.  The league punished you for having a 7 point week.  Not right!  Now you would have one sheet that shows their updated numbers plus their frozen numbers and when dropping any player, you get to use their updated numbers, even though picking up Frozen totals.

Sakic  34 Updated - 30 Points Frozen
Kessel 28 Updated - 25 Points Frozen

So now if I do a 2-2, I'd be dropping 62 points.  Now I can drop 62 for 55 and instead of an even deal, I'd be giving 7 points to the minors.

Now if my deal goes through and those two players are now in the minors, anyone picking them up would use their frozen numbers, on the right,

Sakic  34 Updated - 30 Points Frozen
Kessel 28 Updated - 25 Points Frozen

So anyone picking up Sakic, is 30 points in the minors and Kessel is 25 in the minors.

As always the Rules Committee will monitor how this goes and react to all things that occur to improve on the system.

New Rule Passed at Winter Meeting

For those GM's not in attendance there was a new rule passed at the Winter Meeting.  The rule did not occur during the meeting, even though it has came up many times over the years.  The rule involves players "Put up on the Board", heading to the minors.

The old rule would "Freeze" these players, so once a deal was put on the board, the GM could not then take them off, better his own deal, alter it in any way.  However, many times a GM would put a player up and another GM would then say, "I'd of given you so and so for that guy."  Well, under the old system, it was too late and if the deal goes through the player is heading to the minors.  Under the tweak to the new rule, a GM cannot take the deal off the board, better his own deal, alter it in any way, unless another GM makes a deal with him for one of the players he is dropping.  At this time that deal would go through and the GM who had the deal on the board could than better it, remove it or alter it.  This can only occur when a player on the board has been dealt within the league.  IMPORTANT - Just because a GM wants a guy does not mean he can just take him for a point.  The GM dropping the guy still owns the player, that is his player, and it is his decision to make a deal for him to another GM or not.

"The logic here" said GM Scott, "Was a deal is a deal.  Does it truly matter if it is to the minors or within the league.  We'll see it in action the first time a good player is being sent to the minors at the deadline to make the numbers work.  Other GM's will be jumping all over this player, but the clock is now ticking so the deals will have to be fast as this player is still on the board."

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Upcoming Waivers
 Let the yearbook know what you are thinking and we'll post it here.

Alaska (Marcel) - It would appear he could give some points tomorrow, although how can't he use the waiver?  No work on who is going, but we'll pass it along if we hear anything.
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GM Ryan - GM Ryan is out of the country until the 19th of March.  He said send him anything and everything will be looked at aggressively upon his return.
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GM Matt has stated his wife's due date is March 27th, so he'd like things done before the deadline, "Just in case'.  Send him offers.

 Potential Penalty Charts for Eastern and Western Conferences.
(This chart will include games in the NHLP played right through games ending March 27th.  If a team is not at least tied for 8th place in the standings, they are a potential penalty the rest of the season.)

East Standings - Currently (meaning as of today).  As a guide only.
Games Played as of March 12th are Updated
Team Games Played Points Games Remaining Potential Points If 8th Seed Plays .500  8th Seeds Points Tonight 13th
No Potential Penalty from Washington, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, New Jersey and teams above the red line.
Ottawa 68 79 8 95 0-7-1 80 Van
Philadelphia 66 74 9 92 3-6 80 Chi
Montreal 69 74 7 88 3-4 80 Bos
Boston 66 72 8 88 4-4 80 Mtl
 
NY Rangers 68 69 7 83 5-1-1 80  
Tampa Bay 67 68 8 84 6-2 80  
Atlanta 67 66 8 82 7-1 80  
Florida 66 64 8 82 8-0 80 SJ
Carolina 67 64 8 82 8-0 80 Pho
Potential Penalty from the NY Islanders and Toronto and teams below the red line.

West Standings - Currently (meaning as of today).  As a guide only.
Games Played as of March 12th are Updated
Team Games Played Points Games Remaining Potential Points If 8th Seed Plays .500  8th Seeds Points Tonight 13th
No Potential Penalty from San Jose, Chicago and teams above the red line.
Vancouver 67 85 8 101 0-9 85 Ott
Phoenix 67 85 9 103 0-9 85 Car
Los Angeles 67 85 7 99 0-7 85  
Colorado 67 82 7 96 1-5-1 85  
Nashville 68 79 8 95 3-5 85  
Calgary 67 77 8 93 4-4 85  
 
Detroit 67 76 8 92 4-3-1 85 Buf
St Louis 66 71 8 87 7-1 85 Clb
Dallas 67 71 8 87 7-1 85  
Minnesota 65 70 8 86 7-0-1 85  
Potential Penalty from the Anaheim, Columbus, Edmonton and teams below the red line.

How do you read this chart?  The team above the red line is currently 8th.  If they were to play just .500 hockey between now and our Trading Deadline, March 28th, they would have a points total in the farthest right column.  Who says they are going to play .500?  That is why this is a guide only!!!  Teams above them need to mathematically play less then .500 hockey (if they play .500) to stay ahead of them and teams behind them need to play better than .500 hockey (if they play .500 hockey) to get to the 8th seeds potential points.  This chart is a guide only, but does clearly show how each win and loss down the stretch to our meeting is so important.  After our meeting this chart will be updated for the stretch run for the playoffs.  If this chart confuses you, just don't pay attention to it at all.

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17 Days and Counting

There are 17 days left to set your playoff teams.  That is it, that is all.  After the 28th, each team will have about less then 50 player games to play.  When you factor in the GM's that won't be there, all of a sudden things get tense in a hurry.  GM's who will not be there for certain include GM Ryan (Not travelling to the Soo on back to back weekends) and Henry (Working a 7 AM to 7 PM shift).  GM Matt has stated his wife is due the day before, so he may not be there.  That means these guys must set their teams in advance of the deadline, remembering that all non playoff teams in the NHL standings, not at least tied for 8th, as of the morning of Sunday, March 28th, are potential penalty players.  You are allowed to carry one such player without risk of penalty.  If you have a second such player, and this team goes on to fail to make the playoffs, the lower point total player, 100% of his points are deducted from your teams total before the standings are final as of the end of the season.  The good thing is you still have 17 days.  The bad thing is, there are teams likely already facing penalties no matter what they do.  The action will be hot and heavy in the coming three weeks as GM's try and move points and non playoff players.  Knowing what is in the minors will make a huge difference.  Many teams will be eating at least one non playoff player. 

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Upcoming Waivers
 Let the yearbook know what you are thinking and we'll post it here.

New Orleans (Henry) - It is a little ways off, but this is the first of 3 straight waivers for GM Henry.  Only 7 points up in the division on 4th, but does have a full 6 playoff players.  May be a great opportunity to improve upon what is here for a Cup run.


CTR By Division!
Can you win your division come playoff time?
(Here is a list of the best NHLP team per division heading into March)

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division
New Jersey Devils, GM Jr, CTR Ranking #15
GM Jr has a cushion of 17 points to work with and a nice scoring team of top seeds.  Led by Marleau (SJ) who plays on the top line and is having an awesome season.  Marleau is on pace for 2 points shy of his career best of 86 points.  Complimenting Marleau is Elias (NJ), a GM Jr favorite, who is solid with the Devils.  Smyth (LA) rounds out the big guns on top seeds.  The team does have Zetterberg (Det) who is a weapon if the Wings can get in the NHLP playoffs.  What Jr does remains to be seen but his Devils are the best in the Atlantic, making the NHLP final 4 best in the Eastern Conference.

Gulf Division
New Orleans Wolverines, GM Henry, CTR Ranking #11
The high scoring Kovalchuk (NJ) leads the way for GM Henry's 11th ranked Wolverines.  Rolston (NJ) adds more of a Devil flavor for this 4th placed team, 9 points up in the Gulf.  Roy (Buf), Fisher (Ott) and Staal (Pit) give the team plenty of East players who see lots of ice time and are all having good offensive years.  Overall the biggest weakness will be scoring if the team can remain in tack for the playoffs.  GM Henry's first year of learning may factor in the composition of this team, or lack there of.  Will his inexperience be a downfall?  Right now, until the rest of the Gulf improves, Henry's is sitting as the top team in the Gulf which could put him in the NHLP Semi-Finals.

Northeast Division
Boston Bruins, GM Ryan, CTR Ranking #6
Currently the best Eastern Conference ranked team and just slightly ahead of Halifax (Henry - 7th) in the Northeast Division.  Although Thornton (SJ) is the clear leader of this team, it has a nice Penguins mix of Gonchar, Guerin and Talbot.  Other top seeded players having a good year complete Ryan's Bruins, including Connolly (Buf) and Langenbrunner (NJ).  It would appear unless Ryan is up for a 2-2 deal that this team is likely complete.  Within the Northeast Ryan is 17 points clear of fourth.  GM Ryan has been up close in the NHLP finals and has been Cup close on more than one occasion and almost for certain this team will remain near the top of the Eastern Conference teams the rest of the way.  Of course 'near' and 'close' are not words Ryan is hoping will be said about his Bruins when it is all said and done for another NHLP season.

Southeast Division

Washington Capitals, GM Andrew, CTR Ranking #12
It doesn't appear GM Andrew's Capitals can get too far ahead of the competition in the Southeast as the CTR's 12th, 13th (Philly, Scott) and 14th (Cleveland, Tyson) rank teams battle for the tops in the Division.  Although only 8 points up on 5th in the race for a playoff spot, GM Andrew does have the best team as things sit.  The highest scoring team in the Division with a nice East-West mix of top seeded teams and decent players.   Led by Elias (NJ) but maybe more built around the Pens (Gonchar and Kunitz) and the Hawks (Campbell and Campbell).  Cases can be made this team can have some nice, potentially winning, final combinations and this gives GM Andrew a real good chance to win it all, his 5th NHLP Cup and 2nd here in Washington.

 

Western Conference

Central Division
Indianapolis Icemen, GM Matt, CTR Ranking #2
You cannot be complacent in the Central Division as 3 of the top 10 ranking CTR teams (Memphis, Jr in 5th and Green Bay, Ryan in 9th) are all hoping for big things come the playoffs.  Clearly a step above are GM Matt's Icemen, making it very clear who they are banking on in the NHL with 4 Caps.  Ovechkin, arguably the NHLP's most valuable player, is supported by Laich, Knuble and Knuble (all Capitals) while Burrows (Van) is potentially a great Western matchup, playing on the top line for the Canucks.  It will be difficult for the others in the Central to stop this team come playoff time but already the whispers of a potential '4 and out' can be heard around the league (Capitals sweeping their weaker first round opponents), giving others the opportunity to slay an Iceman.

Northwest Division
Seattle Storm, GM Matt, CTR Ranking #4
One of two GM's to have two top ranked CTR teams within their divisions (Ryan in the Northeast and Southwest).  GM Matt is a clear force in the Western Conference with the 2nd and 4th overall NHLP ranked teams.  Matt's Storm are as scary as they come this season in the NHLP.  Built around the Sharks, Matt is led by who other than Thornton.  Giving him the Shark's threat would be enough with Big Joe, but Matt also has Boyle, Pavelski and Blake, something no GM wants to match up against in the NHLP playoffs.

Pacific Division
San Fran Titan, GM Scott, CTR Ranking #1
It is one thing to be ranked #1 in the CTR, but when your division also has the 3rd best team (Los Angeles, Andrew) as well as a conference featuring the top 5 overall teams, confidence isn't what you'd expect it to be for GM Scott's Titan.  Scoring isn't an issue for the Titan, even though only running with 4 healthy players the past month, when you have three playoff players over a point per game, something only Memphis, JR can match (Crosby, Richards, Marleau).  The Titan-Three are Semin, Semin and Backstrom all of the Capitals.  Although pickings get slim at this point, if Clarkson (NJ) and Clarkson (NJ) can get a month of healthy play in, the Titan could pull off a 3-3 late as points are not an issue.  Regardless if this is the playoff team or not, they can score and if they can remain healthy, no team that plays the Titan come NHLP playoff time will be overly joyful if the Caps are still playing hockey. 

Southwest Division
Atlanta Thrashers, GM Ryan, CTR Ranking #10
GM Ryan's second top team seems miles ahead of the competition in the Southwest as the division features only Ryan in the top 22 overall ranked teams.  Heatley, Clowe and Setoguchi of the Sharks give Ryan an identity and a scary one with a Sharks playoff run starting in April.  Wolski (Col) and Goligoski (Pit) add decent secondary scoring that currently is tough for the rest of the division to catch up too.  There is plenty of room to move Vermette so Ryan should be able to add in another big name for this years run. 

(Check out all 48 teams ranked not by overall CTR, but by Divisional Standings.  Click Here)

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Keeping Up With The Jones

It is no secret the NHLP standings are "follow the leader", well kind of.  See, the leader in the NHLP is usually the 5th place team.  The lower the 5th place team, the lower points usually in the overall division.  Is this true?  Well 4 divisions have every team over 200 point, while one division, the Southeast has yet to have even one team over 200 points.  It it because the Southeast just all drafted and traded poorly or is it because when GM's make trades, they gage their position in correlation to the 5th place team to decide how many points they can give?

 Here is a list of the total points by division and the points of the 5th place team as of today:

Central    1402 (223)
Northeast 1373 (220)
Gulf           1331 (216)
Southwest 1275 (203)
Pacific      1275 (202)
Atlantic      1238 (197)
Northwest 1199 (186)
Southeast 1114 (178)

Every division fell right perfectly into place.  So it is fact, and always have been fact. 

More Playoff Players in Lower Scoring Divisions?

Now the next theory.  Does having move points in the division mean more or less playoff players?  Well here is the next part of the theory.  Divisions that trade away their high scoring non playoff players first usually end up with lower overall points per division, but more playoff players at the season's end.  Lets take a look at the current total of playoff guys per division as of today, with each division having a possible 36 playoff players and the total points for all non playoff guys in each division:

Central    1402 (223)  22 (516)
Northeast 1373 (220)  29 (217)
Gulf           1331 (216)  28 (249)
Southwest 1275 (203)  24 (351)
Pacific      1275 (202)  29 (228)
Atlantic      1238 (197)  25 (323)
Northwest 1199 (186)  23 (434)
Southeast 1114 (178)  27 (201)

The Central has 288 more points as a Division than the Southeast, but has less playoff players and 516 points of all non playoff players, or 315 more non playoff player points than the Southeast.  The bottom four have a total of 1186 points from non playoff players, the top four, more overall points yes, but 1333 non playoff points, or 147 more non playoff points than the bottom four.  We think, although close, this theory is also fact.  We also think that at 2519 non playoff points in the NHLP, a lot of movement is still upcoming.

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For the fun of it we are taking a peak at the minors.  GM Ryan asked, "What are guys thinking?", leading to the question, "What is there to think about?"  Here is the top scoring point getter from each of today's 16 playoff teams plus other teams within 5 points or 8th.

Eastern Conference
New Jersey - Rob Niedermayer - 14 Points
Buffalo - Myers - 26 Points
Washington - Chimera - 19 Points
Pittsburgh - Cooke - 19 Points
Boston - Sturm - 22 Points
NY Rangers - Prospal - 32 Points
Ottawa - Alfredsson - 31 Points
Montreal - Bergeron - 23 Points
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Philadelphia - Pronger - 31 Points
NY Islanders - Okposo - 30 Points
Atlanta - Antropov - 36 Points
Tampa Bay - Stamkos - 44 Points
Florida - Horton - 43 Points

Western Conference
Chicago - Brouwer - 22 Points
San Jose - Demars - 15 Points
Calgary - Dawes - 22 Points
Phoenix - Doan - 28 Points
Vancouver - Raymond - 31 Points
Colorado - Stewart - 28 Points
Nashville - Hornquist - 27 Points
Los Angeles - Stoll - 29 Points
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Detroit - Bertuzzi - 25 Points
Dallas - Eriksson - 43 Points

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BOG Passes New Winter Meeting/Trading Deadline Rules

The following rule will take place during the Trading Deadline this year.  After Discussions from the Rule Committee, it was decided this is for the betterment of the league.  The Rules Committee vote 3-0 on this, GM's Andrew, Jr and Scott.  "This is the way we should have always been doing things" said GM Jr, "It just makes sense and cuts down on a lot of work for everyone."

The new rule being implemented involves the Frozen Numbers and All Trades To The Minors.  Currently the league GM's use the Frozen Numbers when making transactions to the minors.  Under the new rule, each GM will now have a list of players with two columns, a "Drop" or Dropping column (Will likely be called the Updated Numbers), and a second column of "Frozen" numbers (Also likely known as Minors or Picking Up column).  All GM's will only need this one list now instead of multiple lists.  All players in the minors, being picked up, will use the numbers from the right had column, their Frozen numbers.  All players being sent down will use the left column, which is the updated numbers as of the night before.

"This really simplifies everything" says GM Scott, "It also stays true to the idea that we are a scoring league and no GM should be ever punished because his player actually had a big week.  That goes against our league's logic."

Here is just one example of how the new rule will affect the transactions to the minors.  Currently We used all numbers that were Frozen a week earlier.  We do this so GM's can prepare.  So if your player looked like this at the time of the freeze:

Sakic  30 Points
Kessel 25 Points

If you make deals to the minors, those are the numbers you'd use.  In a 2-2, you'd only have 55 points.  You'd look at all the guys in the minors and pick any two up to 55 points.

However, lets say your guys had big weeks as follows:

Sakic  30 Points + 4 Points = 34
Kessel 25 Points + 3 Points = 28

Under the currently system you could still only make a 2-2 with the Frozen numbers, 55 points.  The league punished you for having a 7 point week.  Not right!  Now you would have one sheet that shows their updated numbers plus their frozen numbers and when dropping any player, you get to use their updated numbers, even though picking up Frozen totals.

Sakic  34 Updated - 30 Points Frozen
Kessel 28 Updated - 25 Points Frozen

So now if I do a 2-2, I'd be dropping 62 points.  Now I can drop 62 for 55 and instead of an even deal, I'd be giving 7 points to the minors.

Now if my deal goes through and those two players are now in the minors, anyone picking them up would use their frozen numbers, on the right,

Sakic  34 Updated - 30 Points Frozen
Kessel 28 Updated - 25 Points Frozen

So anyone picking up Sakic, is 30 points in the minors and Kessel is 25 in the minors.

As always the Rules Committee will monitor how this goes and react to all things that occur to improve on the system.

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New Rule Passed at Winter Meeting

For those GM's not in attendance there was a new rule passed at the Winter Meeting.  The rule did not occur during the meeting, even though it has came up many times over the years.  The rule involves players "Put up on the Board", heading to the minors.

The old rule would "Freeze" these players, so once a deal was put on the board, the GM could not then take them off, better his own deal, alter it in any way.  However, many times a GM would put a player up and another GM would then say, "I'd of given you so and so for that guy."  Well, under the old system, it was too late and if the deal goes through the player is heading to the minors.  Under the tweak to the new rule, a GM cannot take the deal off the board, better his own deal, alter it in any way, unless another GM makes a deal with him for one of the players he is dropping.  At this time that deal would go through and the GM who had the deal on the board could than better it, remove it or alter it.  This can only occur when a player on the board has been dealt within the league.

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Here are the following NHLP teams that are currently facing possible penalties, under today's NHL Standings (Current Penalty Points):

Atlantic
3rd NY Islanders (Ryan) 45 Points
4th Hartford (Andrew) 68
6th NY Rangers (Charlie) 30

Gulf
1st Florida (Marcel) 33
3rd Dallas (Jr) 2
4th Miami (Charlie) 17

Northeast
3rd Ottawa (Ray/Mike) 11
4th Toronto (Chad) 12
5th Quebec (Matt) 74
6th Montreal (Marcel) 51

Southeast
4th Cleveland (Tyson) 7
6th Cincinnati (Matt) 37

Central
2nd Memphis (Jr) 9
3rd Hamilton (Tyson) 43
4th Detroit (Henry) 74
6th Chicago (Andrew) 35

Northwest
2nd Winnipeg (Ray/Mike) 43
4th Calgary (Jr) 69
5th Alaska (Marcel) 41

Pacific
2nd Anaheim (Charlie) 39
3rd San Jose (Henry) 47
5th Portland (Chad) 38
6th San Diego (Ray/Mike) 28

Southwest
1st Las Vegas (Joel) 41
4th Nashville (Marcel) 30
6th St Louis (Tyson) 51

 

<=== Penalties Mentioned

If you do not understand this, read the History link for this year and last year.  It is easy.  Ask if you have any questions.  Basically all it is saying is you have to make an attempt to build some form of a playoff team.  The tricky and exciting part is it changes everyday.  If Detroit gets into the playoffs, all Detroit players are no longer penalties.  If Montreal falls out, all Montreal players are now penalties.  We all play the same cat and mouse game.  It is a game of nerve, wits, skill, luck, emotions, all mixed into one.  If you hold on you can either win the lottery or pay the price.  If you give up too early, say on Philly or Detroit who are today penalties, but tomorrow could win 5 in a row and be the 3rd seed.  I only put this here as a reminder of the game we are all in.  If penalties do ever come into play at seasons end, we all had a million opportunities to change the way we played the game, so no complaints.

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New Rule Passed at Winter Meeting

For those GM's not in attendance there was a new rule passed at the Winter Meeting.  The rule did not occur during the meeting, even though it has came up many times over the years.  The rule involves players "Put up on the Board", heading to the minors.

The old rule would "Freeze" these players, so once a deal was put on the board, the GM could not then take them off, better his own deal, alter it in any way.  However, many times a GM would put a player up and another GM would then say, "I'd of given you so and so for that guy."  Well, under the old system, it was too late and if the deal goes through the player is heading to the minors.  Under the tweak to the new rule, a GM cannot take the deal off the board, better his own deal, alter it in any way unless another GM makes a deal with him for one of the players he is dropping.  At this time that deal would go through and the GM who had the deal on the board could than better it, remove it or alter it.  This can only occur then a player on the board has been dealt within the league.

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BOG Passes New Winter Meeting/Trading Deadline Rules

The following rule will take place during the Trading Deadline this year.  After Discussions from the Rule Committee, it was decided this is for the betterment of the league.  The Rules Committee vote 3-0 on this, GM's Andrew, Jr and Scott.  "This is the way we should have always been doing things" said GM Jr, "It just makes sense and cuts down on a lot of work for everyone."

The new rule being implemented involves the Frozen Numbers and All Trades To The Minors.  Currently the league GM's use the Frozen Numbers when making transactions to the minors.  Under the new rule, each GM will now have a list of players with two columns, a "Drop" or Dropping column (Will likely be called the Updated Numbers), and a second column of "Frozen" numbers (Also likely known as Minors or Picking Up column).  All GM's will only need this one list now instead of multiple lists.  All players in the minors, being picked up, will use the numbers from the right had column, their Frozen numbers.  All players being sent down will use the left column, which is the updated numbers as of the night before.

"This really simplifies everything" says GM Scott, "It also stays true to the idea that we are a scoring league and no GM should be ever punished because his player actually had a big week.  That goes against our league's logic."

Here is just one example of how the new rule will affect the transactions to the minors.  Currently We used all numbers that were Frozen a week earlier.  We do this so GM's can prepare.  So if your player looked like this at the time of the freeze:

Sakic  30 Points
Kessel 25 Points

If you make deals to the minors, those are the numbers you'd use.  In a 2-2, you'd only have 55 points.  You'd look at all the guys in the minors and pick any two up to 55 points.

However, lets say your guys had big weeks as follows:

Sakic  30 Points + 4 Points = 34
Kessel 25 Points + 3 Points = 28

Under the currently system you could still only make a 2-2 with the Frozen numbers, 55 points.  The league punished you for having a 7 point week.  Not right!  Now you would have one sheet that shows their updated numbers plus their frozen numbers and when dropping any player, you get to use their updated numbers, even though picking up Frozen totals.

Sakic  34 Updated - 30 Points Frozen
Kessel 28 Updated - 25 Points Frozen

So no if I do a 2-2, I'd be dropping 62 points.  Now I can drop 62 for 55 and instead of an even deal, I'd be giving 7 points to the minors.

Now if my deal goes through and those two players are now in the minors, anyone picking them up would use their frozen numbers, on the right,

Sakic  34 Updated - 30 Points Frozen
Kessel 28 Updated - 25 Points Frozen

So anyone picking up Sakic, is 30 points in the minors and Kessel is 25 in the minors.

As always the Rules Committee will monitor how this goes and react to all things that occur to improve on the system.

 

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Halfway Playoff Player Report


As all but four NHL teams have hit the halfway point in the season, and the four who haven't, have played 40 games, it is a good time to take a look at what the makeup of the NHLP teams are.  NHLP teams need to have at least 5 playoff players after leaving the NHLP Trading Deadline, or they may face potential penalties at the season's conclusion.  More on that rule can be found on the History page for this season.  So, here is a look at each GM's 24 players, based on today's NHL Standings, how many non playoff players and non playoff players total points.

GM (Total Points Ahead/Behind 4th) Total # of Non Playoff Players (Their Points)

Scott (-14) 0 (0)
Ryan (+110) 5 (141)
Joel (+52) 5 (163)
Chad (+15) 6 (148)
Charlie (-15) 7 (175)
Henry (+74) 7 (198)
Matt (+3) 8 (168)
Mike & Ray (+12) 9 (186)
Andrew (+35) 9 (217)
Tyson (-8) 11 (168)
Jr (+88) 12 (278)
Marcel (+35) 12 (391)

Making Sense of the Numbers


Each GM can carry 4 non playoff players, one per team, if they had to later in the season (one non playoff player per team to assure no possible penalties at season end).  What this does say is that GM's with a High (+) have general points to give and will impact the standings when they make deals.  The more points a GM has and the less non playoff players, means this GM can give points and playoff players.  For instance GM Ryan has the most points to give at +110 and he is currently only carrying 5 non playoff players (so 19 of Ryan's 24 players are currently on NHL teams in the playoffs).  GM Jr on the other hand does have +88 points to work with, but has 12 non playoff players totaling 278 total points.  GM Tyson is in a different boat, as he has 11 non playoff players, but his overall teams are out of the playoffs which spells disaster, as he needs to gain points but only has 13 playoff guys to trade away.  Tyson already has 168 points of non playoff players, so a lot of work is needed to make a NHLP playoff team with 5 playoff players on each.  GM Marcel does have decent position with +35 points to work with, but with almost 400 non playoff points and 12 non playoff players, so many deals are still going to have to be made or his teams will never make 5 playoff players each.   GM Scott doesn't currently have a non playoff player, but he doesn't have points to give as he is out of the playoffs.  This usually either means trading playoff for playoff or having to take on a non playoff player.  It is always easier from experience to be in a position to take a non playoff player than unload one late in the season, which is why last place teams need to work to make a full 6 player playoff team, knowing you can always trade for points when crunch time occurs.  There are 25 waivers left in the season, plus a Trading Deadline but teams with non playoff players just need to be conscious of what is in the minors and what they can possibly get within the league for their points.

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CONGRATULATIONS NHLP ON THREE FOUR DECADES!!!

(Thanks for the correction - it is four decades now).  As we head into 2010 the NHLP has now become a FOUR decade old league.  Starting in 1989-90 the memories run deep of the now 20 year old league.  "There is no letting up" said Muddy Capone, "As long as hockey exists there will somehow be a league.  The tradition will always live on."  Good luck to all GM's in the second half of the season as the bragging rights are on the table for the 20th crowned winner.  GM Andrew is holding out hopes of Cup #5, while Jr hopes to repeat for the first time since the '93-94 seasons when GM Normal became the first and only GM to ever win in back to back years.  GM Charlie has the longest spell without a Cup, this being his 10th season of misery, but he is hoping for and does have a shot in 2010.

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Winter Meeting Minor's Deals

MINOR'S DEALS - Any TRADE you make to the MINORS (guys not in the NHLP twice already), uses the FROZEN NUMBERS sent to you already, but supplied to you there.  The reason you have them already is so you can plan ahead as to the deals you will put up on the board.

REMEMBER - If you put a deal on the board to pick up a player, you must at least give even points.  If someone lower in the overall points standings (all our four teams add together, the Pecking Order) ties your point total, they get their deal over yours.  Whoever gives the most points to the minors in every deal gets the deal. 

TIME - Clock starts at 5 minutes for the for the first deal, then 4 minutes if someone goes over it, then finally 3 minutes each time someone goes over the previous deal.  Clock strikes zero - whoever has the final deal on the board wins the deal. 

PLAYER IN (FROM) THE PREVIOUS DEAL - Each GM to go over a deal must include at least one player from the minors who was in the present deal on the board.  Simple when you see it all in practice.

TO PREPARE - Makes notes in advance as to the deals you will make.  Put one up whenever you desire.  If someone goes over that deal, have a counter ready where you are giving more points.  Those who aren't thinking ahead and ready to counter, usually lose the players they are going after.

 

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What Does "Minors Frozen" Mean?

 The league has changed this rule over the years and the current rules call for the NHLP freezing all player points 7 days ahead of the Winter and Trade Deadline meetings.  What this actually means is come the meeting when deals are made for players in the minors, the points as of games ending December 20th will be the points used in the deal and not the actual points as of, in our Winter Meeting case, December 27th.  The logic here is that any player in the minors who has a good week, 4 or 5 points, will now create a demand and many GM's will bid for this player.

A new rule that is going to be presented would say that the minors will be frozen as they are now, but when making a deal to the minors, the actual points are used from the players currently in the league.  This raises some interesting possibilities as to the effects this would have on trading to the minors.  This way you are not penalized if your player (deadbeat) has a good week leading into the meeting.  So all players in the minors are frozen, but if your player had 2 points during the week, they'd count in the drop.  So starting the week, if the guy you have and the guy you want, both had the same and both gained 2 points, you'd be dropping plus two instead of an even pick.

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Tell the Yearbook that the CTR is seriously flawed.  Predicting playoff teams at this stage is a fools game!  Bloody Capone

Well you'd be correct in trying to predict playoff teams at this point in the season, but for the NHLP GM's it must be done.  However, the CTR is not predicting playoff teams, it is a ranking of the current NHLP teams based on the current NHL standings and players statistics.  If you believe the standings will change in the future, then when they do, so will the CTR.  At this very moment, consider the CTR a snap shot, under the current standings and players point totals, the CTR is accurate as hell.  Until those things change, Sorry Marcel! - Muddy Capone

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It is always good to be reminded of the NHLP rules, so everyone is always thinking way ahead.  As the season goes on it sometimes becomes more difficult to move non-playoff players with a lot of points.  That is why you always need to be thinking.  Here is a reminder of the Non Playoff player rule and if you have any questions, just ask.

Rule – Deductions for Non-Playoff Players 

At the conclusion of the regular NHLP season and to determine NHLP playoff seeding in each division, conference and the league, NHLP teams will be penalized for points of non-playoff players.  A non-playoff player will be considered a player of any NHL team, that is not on a team that is at least tied for 8th in the NHL standings (per conference) on the day of the NHLP Trade Deadline meeting and also misses the NHL playoffs (not on a 1 thru 8 seed and misses the playoffs).  All players on NHL teams at least tied for 8th and higher in the NHL standings (per conference) on the day of the NHLP Trade Deadline meeting are considered playoff players regardless of their NHL teams final position in the standings.  Each NHLP team will be allowed to keep the points of their highest non-playoff player.  Each subsequent non-playoff player's points are deducted from the NHLP teams total points in the standings and only then the top four teams in order of remaining points after the deductions are the 1-4 playoff seeds for that division.  This final point total of each NHLP team, after the deductions, will also be the points total used in determining the Semi-Finals and Finals for the purposes of seeding.

Example of actual standings from last year:

As Of After Games March 21st

(FINAL)

No Penalty For Players From   Potential Penalty For Players From
Boston Detroit   Florida St Louis
New Jersey San Jose   Buffalo Minnesota
Washington Calgary   Toronto Dallas
Philadelphia Chicago   Ottawa Anaheim
Pittsburgh Vancouver   Atlanta Los Angeles
Montreal Columbus   Tampa Bay Phoenix
NY Rangers Edmonton   NY Islanders Colorado
Carolina Nashville      
         

*Players From All These Teams Are Assured To be Penalty FREE
**These Players are penalties unless their teams make the NHL playoffs

As it would eventually turn out St. Louis and Anaheim came back and knocked out Nashville and Edmonton from the playoffs.

Any NHLP team with at least 5 player's from the yellow teams, including any players from Anaheim and St Louis had no penalties.  All this rule does is make it so a team that is really bad, say 5 Islander players, does not make the NHLP playoffs.  It isn't really hard once you get it and starting in January we start updating what teams have potential penalties so guys have a couple months to make moves accordingly.  You just aren't likely going to win the NHLP Championship anyhow unless you have a full team of playoff guys heading in.   
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Nobody But GM Scott

Looking at the first 22 Transactions this season, the Trade Tracker, the only trades amongst the GM's have all included GM Scott in all four.  There have also been 11 Injury picks and 7 Waivers to date.  GM Scott has also made the most Transactions at 6, double that of anyone else while only GM Ryan (who has Friday's Waiver) is the only GM to not make a move yet this season.
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CONTACT ALL FORM - not working

The contact all form is not working.  I'll have to try and figure out why and what is wrong.  You may receive some tests when I work at it, so just ignore than please.  The text of your message is not going through.
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From time to time you should just test your own forms on your GM pages.  I have heard back from Michael and Ray and Henry that theirs work, but I don't think Tyson has responded it is working or....

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YOU CANNOT REPLY AN EMAIL TO POSTMASTER!!!!!
If you hit reply and it is going to postmaster@nhlp2.com and you send it, no one will ever get this email...postmaster....don't reply to postmaster...I have set up the GM pages so you can just hit reply...but test it and make sure.  Test your own, only you will get it and if you don't, let me know.
I have been very busy this week, but will get to fixing that ALL FORM above.
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How Did He Know?

Las Vegas Strip GM Joel just dropped Kunitz in the last waiver and now Kunitz is gone for two weeks with a lower body injury.  This is the kind of thing which leads you to believe there is a reason why GM Joel has never gone a season within having a team in the NHLP finals!

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Devils 103 for 103

After Drury missed last nights game for GM Matt in Seattle, GM Jr's Devils became the only NHLP team to not miss a game yet this season, perfect attendance after 103 games.  On the other end of the scale, Edmonton (Scott) has missed 32 man games.  "I wish this kind of thing wouldn't make headlines" said GM Jr, "I'll likely be without Zetterberg, Marleau and Smyth now for all December."  Five GM's in the Atlantic Division can only hope!
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Four for Fours?

Through just three waivers this season GM's have not been holding back and the simple 1-1, 2-2 moves.  A total of 24 players have been moved in the 3 waivers, an average of 4-4 per transaction.
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5 Day Break

After GM Charlie's Saturday Waiver, there is a 5 day break between waivers.  This is the longest such break the remainder of the season (except the Olympic break).  With only 5 games on the Tuesday and no days of 10 games or more the 5 day break was created.  Later this month on the 27th and 28th, we have the first of three back to back nights we'll see waivers this season, with 12 games on the Sked for Friday and 13 the following night.
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Trading Draft Picks

When you trade draft picks you can trade any of your next three years picks.  This is found on the Draft pages as well as your GM pages.  Remember though you can only move another GM up in the same round the same year as all GM's must have a pick every round of every year.  No GM can acquire two first round picks on the same team, as this would lead to very lopsided standings and not something we have ever done.  So when you give a person a pick, say a 3rd round pick next season's draft, you are actually just swapping picks within the 3rd round.  You can give as many picks in one trade as you wish, but remember, high picks are valuable come draft day.
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Fleischamann - Picked 3 Times

It is important that you ensure you check out the NHLP homepage and Transactions before you make a final Waiver pick.  GM Matt picked up Fleischmann, even though GM Chad had picked him up before 6 PM in an injury pick, making him gone twice.  It was all over the NHLP site, but apparently GM Matt did not notice, "It is kind of our fault" said an NHLP spokesperson, "We should not assume that although this was there all day long in the NHLP site, that you would know, even though Matt should have checked, we could have emailed him just the same."  Indianapolis had made a 4-4 pick so we are now waiting for an adjusted pick, likely just a replacement player for Fleischmann.
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Waiver Deadlines

Each GM has 18 hours to make a Waiver pick.  Picks officially start after 6 PM on the day of your, even though unofficially it is the entire day.  The reason for this is the person with the Waiver has to wait until 6 PM for any injury picks which have priority until 6 PM.  You have until Noon the following day after your waiver to have your waiver into the league.
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Trading The Waiver

You can trade it included with a player swap of some kind, or for another Waiver or for Draft Picks over the next three years or for a combination of the three.  You must get something for your waiver in return.  Waivers have value so if you are not using it let everyone know and work the best deal for it you can get.  Waivers have went for first round picks or as little as one 6th round pick, all depending on supply and demand on that day and that time of the season.
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Waiver - Dropping Injured Players

At meeting sit is allowed to drop anyone, penalty free.  However, mid-season though the Waivers, there is a penalty found on the Penalty Chart (Chart at the top of the injury page).

1st) Go to Player Tracking and find out what the Contract of your player is (Middle Column, CONtract).  It will be a 1,2,3,4 or 5.

2nd)  Go to the NHL.com or another site (I use the Score) but find out how many consecutive games your player has missed.  If the Injury page is updated, you can use it, down below every player's missed games are tracked. 

Lastly) Look at the Chart with your contract and Consecutive games missed.  For instance, a Contract 4, missing 7 consecutive games is a -2 in a waiver dump.

Have questions about player,  just ask.
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Charlie Adds Krejci and Arnott

GM Charlie did email GM Jr tonight before 6 PM but GM's must remember to email both of us for all Transactions.  If there is a Waiver pick, guys need to know what happens.  If you have questions about who picked what, email us both and this way you get the quickest response, because we will both know.  If we don't get an email and the guy with the Waiver picks up someone who was picked up earlier due to a miscommunication, it just adds delays and headaches and guys get pissed off.  If you follow the procedure and let us both know the entire site gets updated like clockwork.
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Multiple Injury Picks - Same Day

The NHLP rule for multiple injury picks on the same day is that the GM who is lowest in the overall GM standings picks first.  The logic back when was this GM is having an overall worse season, even though the team he is picking on may have more points than the GM behind him.  So for instance, GM Charlie picks twice today before GM Tyson, than any other GM's who have injuries from other days but decide to use them now, like GM Chad for Souray.  So you need to send in multiple choices.  If you send in one choice and that player gets taken, you will get bumped until the next day and may have to go behind another GM, for example Henry tomorrow.  Everyone who doesn't pick automatically falls behind GM's picking that day for new injury picks (Example - Chad is automatically behind Charlie and Tyson today).  If you have questions - email us.
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Trading Waivers

Remember that if you trade a Waiver in the coming years, you likely traded away your ONLY waiver.  Although the GM pages and Waiver pages show us having two Waivers next year and the year after, unless we change back to using two, you really only have one waiver next year, so trading it will mean you will not have one next year.  Just keep that in mind when trading this season.
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Apparently November the 7th is not a Thursday....but a Saturday.  The first Waiver date is actually Saturday.
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Time Tickers 00
Remember that the Time Tickers hit 00 - this means it is counting down the final 24 hours until you pick because we only use Days and not Days and Hours.  So when it says 01 - that really means you pick in 2 days, one full day and 24 more hours and when it says 00 - that really means you pick in less than 24 hours.
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NHLP is in
OfficePoolsClassic.com
nhlp0910
same password as always
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80 Point Month in Halifax (Again)?

The 80 point month is one of the rarest GM achievements, as many GM's always seem to flirt with the 80 points in a month on one team but it is not done too often.  Last season only GM Shawn in Halifax had an 83 point month when he got 83 in March.  Well, GM Henry, IN HALIFAX, has 5 days AND HE NEEDS 15 POINTS TO COMPLETE THE FEAT IN HIS FIRST EVER MONTH IN THE NHLP (sorry Caps lock on, but it deserves to be emphasized so I am leaving it like that).    Player games left this month:

Kopitar - 2
Heatley - 2
Doan - 3
Brunette - 3
Stempniak - 3
Rolston - 3

16 Player Games!
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BIG GM NIGHT - HENRY HAS 27!

In just 19 days GM Henry is doing some remarkable things.  With his four teams combining for 27 tonight on nights of 14-6-4-3, Henry becomes the highest night getting GM so far in 2009/10.  GM Matt did have a 25 point night on October 8th.  It would not come as a surprise with Henry's season if he eclipses the all-time NHLP mark for a GM in one night of 34 for he just seems to be making this GM thing look a little easy.

How Many is 14 Points in a Night?

GM Henry just hammered out a night that NHLP history rarely sees.  GM's Jr, Marcel, Andrew, Chad and Charlie have a combined 66 years in the NHLP and none of them has ever had a 14 point night!  In fact, of the 5 GM's only Marcel has ever had a 13 point night.  Of the 5 GM's, Andrew, Chad and Charlie have never had a 12 point night in 36 combined years!  GM Scott who has been in the league 20 years has only had 3 nights in that span of better than 11 points in a night.  Henry's 14 points tonight is ONLY 3 points shy of GM Chad's Portland teams entire season total so far of just 17!

"BIGGEST NIGHT IN NHLP HISTORY?"

That is RIGHT GM HENRY!!!  It is just coming a little to easy for rookie GM Henry who was shocked when he heard his 14 point night tied "The biggest Night in NHLP History" he responded in awe?  How exactly do you make it look like a great feat to a rookie GM who is just tearing up the league with his high scoring teams?  How do you let him know that a 15 point night has never been achieved in 220 GM-Man Years combining the last 20 years of NHLP GM's?  Henry's San Jose Sharks are now a part of NHLP history as they racked up 14 points from 5 players tonight being lead by Penner's 5 point night, 3 from Gagner and Spezza, 2 from Alfredsson,  and the final point from Tanguay.  Henry's 6th player is in the minors, Nylander.  NHLP All Time Biggest Nights

14 points
 Henry - San Jose Sharks - 2009-10
Shawn - Halifax Destroyers - 2008-09
Scott – Edmonton Oil – 2006-07

13 points
 Ryan - Green Bay Knights - 2008-09
Glen - San Diego Griffins - 2008-09
 Marcel – Florida Panthers – 2007-08

12 point night GMs 
Shawn – Detroit Red Wings – 2007-08
Scott – Edmonton Oil – 2006-07
Glen – Atlantic City Gamblers – 2006-07
Shawn – New Orleans Wolverines – 2005-06
Scott – Philadelphia Flyer – 2005-06
Brady – Vancouver Canucks – 2005-06
Jr. – Calgary Flames 1999-00
Ian – Boston (His 3 Sharks had 4 point nights)

Can I Drop an Injury Player Via Waiver

Injured players are penalty free to drop at Meetings, but have penalties when dropped via Waivers.  This is the Injury Chart on the Injury Page.  You would determine the players contract and their consecutive games missed as per games completed the night before your waiver.  Using this chart you can determine if there is a penalty.  So a player with a contract of "3" who has missed 5 consecutive games would be a MINUS 4 in a waiver pick.  So dropping that player in a waiver means you can only pick up to 4 points less than the total for the players you drop.  Injured players dropped in waivers have their true value (so a player with zero points is zero points and not up to 5).  You can not go negative on a player, so in this example if your player had 3, 2, 1 or 0 points and was a MINUS 4, he is considered a ZERO point player in the waiver drop and not a negative anything.

How Do I Pick Up?

The day after your player misses the correct amount of games you are eligible to pick up for your player.  This is your option as you may decide to keep your player as GM Charlie will Hossa even though Hossa will become an injury pickup at some point.  When you can pick up, you have to 6 PM that day to have an email into the league with the player or players you are picking up.  GM's pick in order or total points on all your four teams, so sometimes you may have to send in a second choice if more than one GM is picking on the same day.  You can only pick up players not in the league twice and who have less points than the player you are dropping, unless your player has under 5 points to which you can pick up to 5 points.

How Many Games Does a Player Have to Miss?

Each NHLP player has a contract depending on the round they were selected in and other factors during mid-season pickups.  The contract of a player is beside their name on the Player Tracking Page in the "CON" column.  On the injury page it shows how many consecutive games this player must miss before he can be picked up.  In short it is as follows:

Contract 5 - 9 Games (1st Rounders)
4 - 10 Games (2nd)
3 - 11 Games (3rd)
2 - 12 Games (4th)
1 - 13 Games (5th & 6th Rounds)

Injury Rule

The NHLP has an Injury Rule for players who are injured.  A player is classified as Injured if he isn't playing for any reason.  This might be he is in the minors, suspended, healthy scratch, unsigned or even dead!  As long as the player misses the required amount of consecutive games you he will become an injury pickup.  The intent of the Injury rule is to penalize the GM's team but not destroy any hope they have by making them have to keep the player until the Winter Meeting, Trading Deadline or a Waiver Pick.

Injury Page is Updated

GM's are notified when they can pick up for players, but it is good to use the Injury page to see when your players are getting close to pick up.

How Do Waivers Work?

A Waiver is an uncontested pick of any available players from the minors (any players not in the NHLP twice).  You may make from a 1-1 to a full 6-6 but you must not pick up more points than you drop.  Points are frozen for that day, so after all games the night before.  So if I dropped two players totaling 25 points, I would pick up 2 players and their points would have to be 25 or less, not including any they get the night you pick them up which act like bonus points.  There is more involving injured players and so other rules such as having waivers on back to back nights and such, but we'll go over those here over the next few weeks.

 Waivers By Month

November - 10 Waiver Nights
December 12
January 14
February 6
March 6

Waiver Highlights

Henry has 7 waivers while Charlie has 5.

Scott, Joel, Chad and Matt only have 3 each.

Scott has the day before the March 3rd NHL Trading Deadline while GM Henry has the day after.

After the last Waiver in March there are 32 days left on the NHL Schedule.

Halifax First to 30 Points

Everyone knew GM Henry would have some scoring and so far, that is exactly the case.  Henry's Halifax Destroyers are the first NHLP team to 30 points, with 24 just this week.  There were 17 NHLP teams this week not to score 10 points, including the lowly Atlantic City Gamblers (Michael and Ray) who only had 3 points.  Heatley and Kopitar have been a great 1-2 for the Destroyers as they sit atop the very high scoring North East Division where 3 teams have over 27 points. 

Southeast is Tight

Early going in the NHLP races but the Southeast is really tight with all 6 teams within 6 points from first to last.  Rookie GM Tyson leads the way with Ovechkin's 10 points in Cleveland while GM Joel is sixth in Carolina.  While 6 points might separate the teams in the Division the NHLP Yearbook will be coming out with the first NHLP CTR Rankings (Cup Threat Rankings) after the first NHL team hits 10 games played.  We'll see then if the Southeast is this tight in quality.

Original Saying So Long

Yearbook East - Nineteen seasons after joining the NHLP, GM Glen is saying goodbye - again! Last season Glen was one of only two original members from the inaugural season of 1989-90 still in the NHLP, although Glen had stepped away for eight seasons in the middle of it all. After playing out his 11th NHLP season Glen has decided again to step away from the league. "It has been a great ride, bumpy as hell, but great" said the GM who disappointingly leaves after never winning a Championship. Glen came close in 2006-07, making the NHLP finals in Ottawa with both Niedermayer and Pronger but their three points weren’t enough as GM Chad’s Getzlaf and Heatley scored five for the Cup win. GM Glen was part of what many consider the biggest NHLP upset of all time when in 2007-08 his three man San Diego Griffins stunned GM Andrew’s Los Angeles team of six players, including Alfredsson, Spezza and Selanne. It was the first time in league history a 6 man team lost to a 3 man team, 12-9 in round one of that years playoffs. In the early years Glen was best known for the "Parties at the Dish", as his Little Rapids home would be known as. "Things like Bell Center Ice didn’t exist then" said original member GM Scott, "Glen had the old style huge Satellite Dish, like the ones NASA uses and was able to pick up hockey games other than Hockey Night in Canada. This was cutting edge stuff at the time." The NHLP had many meetings at "The Dish" over the first several season. It was at The Dish where GM Lee, sitting with a full team of Olympic players proposed those points counting in the NHLP standings, a moment that lives on in league history. GM Glen and GM Clark had some ugly battles as well, with GM Glen stating "Clark pulls more deals off the table then a waitress." It was Glen’s quick wit that will be his NHLP calling card, something that the league will not be able to replace. Glen was never at a loss for words and very out-spoken when he wanted to be. Muddy Capone said "Glen might not have always been wearing his own shoes, but no GM will ever fit someone else’s the way Glen fit the NHLP. Sadly for us all, today the NHLP lost some of it’s very sole."

The Dog - Barked Out

Yearbook East - GM Vinnie, Vinny, Vin, Viny or just Vin Dog has finally ended the speculation of his retirement, leaving the NHLP after 6 full seasons at the helm. Vin Dog went to the NHLP finals in both his first two season, narrowly losing to GM Scott in 2003, Vin’s rookie season, in a hard fought 7 game series. Although Vinnie leaves without winning the Cup he did leave a legacy. A fun guy to be around Vin was never a big trading GM, often near the bottom of the league in Transactions. "I found the league was just to time consuming" said Vinnie, "But I will miss the boys." Vinnie was often in the middle of some of the better heated battles with GM Jr. The pair seemed to have a love hate relationship and neither would ever back down when the going got rough. "Vinnie is a warrior, someone you want in your battle" said GM Scott, "I am going to really miss his poker play." The NHLP will miss Vinnie and wishes him the best in all his travels.

Shawn’s Last Transaction - Retirement

Yearbook East - If there was one thing GM Shawn loved to do - that would be to make deals! After just 5 years in the NHLP GM Shawn made his last Transaction be known and he steps aside. Muddy Capone states, "He never slept, always up late scheming and thinking, working the next deal. The Shawn’s of the world are not replaced." The league has never been hit with three GM’s leaving in the same year and the shoes will be hard to fill. Shawn loved to deal and he was setting himself up good for the years to come after a few years of giving everything he had away year after year. "Shawn would make any side bet you could think of" said GM Scott, "I am going to miss that part very much." The NHLP loses a very aggressive GM in Shawn and his transaction numbers will make a serious dent in the NHLP numbers. The NHLP wishes Shawn all the best and will always hold a spot for his return if the itch ever comes back to compete for the NHLP Championship, something he sadly leaves without winning.

 

Last Season 2008/09