C.O.A.C.H. Official Rules and Guidelines

Last Revision:  July 1, 2008

SECTIONS

1. GM CONDUCT 7. PLAYER VITALS
  1.1 Yearly Fees   7.1 Skills
  1.2 Behavior   7.2 Values
  1.3 Responsibilities   7.3 Re-Ranking
  1.4 Submitting Changes   7.4 Positions
  1.5 Trading 8. COACH INFORMATION
  1.6 Reports   8.1 Hiring
2. LEAGUE OFFICIALS   8.2 Contracts
  2.1 Commissioner   8.3 Bonuses
  2.2 Trade Committee   8.4 Firing
3. LEAGUE INFORMATION   8.5 Categories
  3.1 Conferences & Divisions   8.6 Values
  3.2 Seasons   8.7 Retirement
  3.3 Games   8.8 Register
  3.4 Daily Process 9. PLAYER MOVEMENT
4. TEAM INFORMATION   9.1 Entry Draft
  4.1 Rosters   9.2 Trades
  4.2 Line-Ups   9.3 Signing Free-Agents
  4.3 Arenas   9.4 Waivers
5. TEAM FINANCES   9.5 Releasing Players
  5.1 Revenues   9.6 Promotions/Demotions
  5.2 Expenses 10. WAIVER
  5.3 Arena Upgrades    
  5.4 Salary Cap/Floor    
6. PLAYER INFORMATION    
  6.1 Pro Contracts    
  6.2 Entry Level Contracts    
  6.3 Salary    
  6.4 Bonuses    
  6.5 Rookie Status    
  6.6 Free-Agents    
  6.7 Aging    
  6.8 Retirement    
  6.9 League Roster    


1. GM CONDUCT

    1.1 Yearly Fees
         GM's are required to pay a yearly fee to participate in the league.  This fee
        covers any costs which are needed to run the league from year to year as
        well as providing an assurance that people are going to take an active part
        in the league.  Click here for information about the cost of the current fees.

    1.2 Behavior
        GM's are expected to act in a mature manner towards all members of the
        league at all times.  Although friendly trash talking and good-natured ribbing
        is okay, any swearing, rude comments or derogatory remarks will not be
        tolerated.

    1.3 Responsibilities
        GM's are expected to keep up an active role with their team and league.
        This includes doing things like:  making line changes when players get injured
        or suspended or changing the goalie before he becomes overly fatigued;
        signing players and/or coaches to contracts; becoming involved in the Entry
        Draft if possible; upgrading team facilities; offering feedback or voting.

        If a GM is unable to perform his/her duties for a period of time due to
        personal reasons, they should inform the Commissioner so arrangements can
        be made to watch over their team during their absence.

    1.4 Submitting Changes
        Line changes are made with the Editor that is provided.  Changes should be
        sent attached to an email with the Subject heading that includes the teams
        nickname and league number.

        Line changes must arrive to the Commissioner no later than 0800 hours on
        a scheduled game day.  Changes that are late will only be used for the
        following scheduled game and changes that are not sent as the required
        attachment will be made at the Commissioners discretion.

        The files that should be submitted can be found in your
        "c:\coach editor\coach ###\" folder (the ### indicates the league number)
        and are named:

            - ???rost.cdb
            - ???lines.cdb
            - ???linesf.cdb (only if you are controlling the farm lines)

            the ??? indicates your teams 3-letter abbreviation

    1.5 Trading
        If trade offers or inquiries about players are received it is expected that
        GM's respond in a kind and prompt manner even if they aren't interested in
        dealing or have no interest in the offer.

    1.6 Reports
        During the season GM's are welcome to submit short write-ups about their
        team, whether it be about certain players or how the team is doing or a
        remark about a trade they are making.  These remarks will be posted in the
        Breakaway email releases or on the website.

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2. LEAGUE OFFICIALS

    2.1 Commissioner
        Sean Neid is the acting Commissioner.  He presides over all the rules and is
        responsible for the day-to-day operations that involve the league which
        could include processing line changes and trades as well as scheduling for
        the Entry Draft and other league events.

    2.2 Trade Committee
        The purpose of this Committee is to review any trades that have been
        "vetoed" and to determine whether the trade is in fact fair or not.  Their
        decision will be final.

        If a member of this Committee is directly involved in a disputed trade, they
        will be excluded from the Review Process.

        Each year the Committee will include the Commissioner along with 2 current
        GM's.  GM's are welcome to apply to be on this Committee as it will be
        shuffled from year to year.

        League 001 Committee for 2007/08: Darcy, Clint.

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3. LEAGUE INFORMATION

    3.1 Conferences and Divisions
        Each league consists of 2 conferences, named McBain and Murray.  The
        McBain Conference includes the Perraton and Hubers divisions while the
        Murray Conference includes the Nigg and Turner divisions.

        Each division consists of 6 teams which adds up to a 24-team league.

        *The Conferences and Divisions are named in honor of former GM's who at
          one time were involved in the league and who left a lasting impression
          with their dedication and enthusiasm.

    3.2 Seasons

        3.2.1 Pre-Season
            Teams will each play 6 games, 3 on the road and 3 on home ice.  GM's
            should be getting a feel for their team and experimenting with different
            line combinations through the pre-season.

        3.2.2.  Regular Season
            Teams will play through an 84 games schedule with 42 of those games
            on the road and 42 on home ice.  Of the 84 games, 30 are played
            against division rivals, 30 versus conference rivals and 24 against teams
            from the opposite conference.

            This is the season that will determine which teams qualify for Playoffs
            so all these games count towards the overall standings.  Two points are
            awarded for a win, one point for a tie and zero for a loss.

        3.2.3 All-Star Event
            This event will take place after or around the 50th regular season game
            has been played.  It is a showcase for the best performing players in the
            league to that point.  There will be 4 teams, each representing a Division
            and a GM from each will be named to run the respective team.

            More details to come.

        3.2.4 Playoffs
            The top four teams from each division qualify according to the standings at
            the end of the Regular Season.  Each series below is the best-out-of-7.

               Division Semi-Finals
              - 1st place versus 4th place
              - 2nd place versus 3rd place

               Division Finals
              - the top advancing team plays the lowest advancing team

               Conference Final
              - in each conference the two division champions face each other; the higher
                standing team gets home ice advantage

               Final
              - McBain conference winner versus Murray conference winner

               3.2.4.1 Pro Team Playoff Eligibility
                Only players with a Pro Contract are eligible to play for the Pro team

               3.2.4.2 Farm Team Playoff Eligibility
                Players with an Entry Level contract are eligible as are players with a
                Pro contract who have played a minimum of 25 games (or 12 for
                goalies) during the Regular season in the Farm league.

        3.2.5 Off-Season
            During this period of time teams will re-sign players and coaches who
            have completed contracts and make improvements to their Arenas.  The
            Entry Draft will also take place.

    3.3 Games
       
        3.3.1 Schedule
            Teams will play roughly 4 times per week and only once per day when
            games are scheduled.

        3.3.2 Overtime
            If a game is tied after the regulation 60 minutes, a 10 minute overtime
            period will be played in an attempt to break the tie.

    3.4 Daily Process
        The process of events on scheduled game days is as follows, times are
       subject to change:  line and roster changes are processed shortly after
       1630 hours, at this time they are verified along with salary caps, Entry
       Level contracts, available players on the Injured/Reserve rosters.  The
       games for the day are then simulated and summaries are uploaded to
       the website as are the statistic and information pages, this is normally
       done by mid-afternoon.  At 2100 hours, any pending trades and Free-
       Agent signings are processed and the data files for the Editor are updated
       and sent to the website and GM's who were involved in any movement.

       On days when no games are scheduled during the Pre-Season, Regular
       season or Playoffs the process of events will only include any pending
       player transactions (trades, signings, or releases.)

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4. TEAM INFORMATION

    4.1 Rosters
        Each team is made up of a Pro, Farm and Practice Roster.  Teams can have
        a minimum of 40 and maximum of 62 players in total (all rosters combined.)

        4.1.1 Pro Roster
           During the Regular season and Playoffs teams must carry 24* players on
           their Pro roster.  A minimum of 4 centers, 4 left-wing, 4 right-wing, 6
           defensemen and 2 goalies is required.

            *If a team has injured or suspended players then they do not have to
              carry the required 24 players on either the Pro or Farm roster.

           Players with an Entry Level contract can only appear on the Pro Roster

           until Game 18 of the Regular season; from Game 19 through to the end
           of Playoffs they are not eligible.

        4.1.2 Farm Roster
           The requirements are the same as those on the Pro roster.

           Teams cannot assign a player who has a value of 80 or higher to this
            roster during the Pre-season, Regular season or Playoffs.
 
           During the Playoffs, players with a value higher than 69 must have
            played a minimum of 21 games in the farm league to be eligible to
            make the playoff run with their farm team.

        4.1.3 Practice Roster
            Players who are not assigned to the Pro or Farm roster are put here.

            Teams cannot assign a player who has a value of 65 or higher to this
            roster during the Regular season or Playoffs.

       4.1.4 Injured/Reserve Roster
            Players who are injured, suspended, are newly acquired or are Restricted
            Free-Agents are assigned to this roster until they can be re-assigned to
            one of the above three.

    4.2 Line-Ups

        4.2.1 Format
            A teams line-up will consist of 20 players from either the Pro roster or Farm
          roster depending on which lines are being made.  Of this 20, 4 need to be
          centers, 4 left-wing, 4 right-wing, 6 defensemen and 2 goalies.

         Using these 20 players GM's will make a line-up using the Editor for each of
         the following game situations:

           - 4 5on5 forward trios (C-Lw-Rw)
           - 3 5on5 defense pairings (D-D)
           - 2 4on4 units (C-W-D-D)
           - 2 Power play units (C-Lw-Rw-D-D)
           - 2 4on5 units (C-W-D-D)
           - 2 3on5 units (C-D-D)
           - 1 Starting Goalie and 1 Backup Goalie (only goalies can start/backup)

          On the 5on5 situations players must appear in their designated position
          while for other situations players can be assigned freely but note that
          players who play out of position may not play up to expectations.

        4.2.2 Goaltenders
            During the Regular season goalies can only start in a maximum number of
            games total and can only start a maximum consecutively before they get
            overlay fatigued and are forced to sit out one game in order to rest.  The
            max number of games is determined by their Fatigue rating.

              Fatigue     Maximum     Max Consec.
              Rating     Starts (GS)       Starts
                 3              62                10
                 2              54                 8
                 1              42                 6

            Games a goalie starts count while games when a goalie comes into the
            game as relief or an injury replacement do not count.

            Goalies who reach the maximum are automatically benched by the Sim
            even if they have been named as the Starter for a game.

        4.2.3 Injuries
            Injuries can occur from the Pre-season right through to the end of the
            Playoffs.  Players can be out for as short a time as one day and miss no
            games or they can be out of action for a few months.

            Teams pay out 900 pucks in Medical expenses for each injured player
            on the roster each game.

        4.2.3 Suspensions
            There are two ways a player can get suspended

              - gross misconduct:  players will receive a gross misconduct penalty
                 during the course of a game if they have deemed as 'intending to
                 injure' an opposing player.  Getting this penalty comes with an auto-
                 matic 1-game suspension and in cases where a player is injured and
                 is out for a period of time, the offending player will be suspended for
                 half the games the injured player is estimated to miss.

              - accumulation of misconduct penalties:  a running total of misconduct
                 penalties is kept from game one of the Regular season through to the
                 end of the Playoffs.  When a player has received two misconduct
                 penalties he is automatically suspended for 2-games.  For every two
                 misconducts after the initial two, a game is added to the suspension
                 time.

            Teams are fined 5,000 pucks per game a player is suspended for.

    4.3 Arenas
        For first year leagues all teams begin with a Type 3 arena for the Pro team
        and a Type 4 arena for the Farm team.  Teams can add seats to their
        arenas in the Off-season as well as buy new arenas which allow for further
        expansion and revenue potential.

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5. TEAM FINANCES

    The budgets used by teams in the league are purely fictional and have no real
    value.  The "currency" used is referred to as a "Puck" and the term can be
    found in use throughout these Rules and Guidelines.

    5.1 Revenues
        Teams will earn Pucks via the gate (arena attendance) from both their Pro
        and Farm arenas, TV contracts, a Revenue Share Pool, and team bonuses.

        5.1.1 Gate (Arena Attendance)
            For each home game teams play they will collect revenue from ticket
            sales and concessions.  Attendance is based on a teams performance.

            The ticket price (which includes concessions) is fixed across the league.

          Arena            Season     Ticket Price
         pro (farm)       pre        25 (15)
                          regular    60 (34)
                          playoffs   90 (64)

         5.1.2 Merchandise
            This revenue is calculated based on 15% of the attendance for each
            home game and multiplying that number by 50 for both the Pro and
            Farm arena.  This revenue is not shared.

        5.1.3 Share Pool
            The pool is generated by taking 15% from every home games Pro Gate
            revenue during the Regular season only.  At the end of the Playoffs this
            pool will be split evenly between the 24 teams in the league.

        5.1.4 TV Sponsors Contract
            There are 4 levels to the contract; which one a team gets depends on their
            final standings at years end and their playoff run (if they should have one)
            using a weighting system:  the top standing team will get 48 points with each
            team in order receiving 2 less points than the one before it so the worst
            standing team ends up with 2 points.  Playoff weighting will use a 32-2 range
            with the champion getting 32 points with the next best team getting 2 less
            than the one before it and non-playoff teams getting zero (higher weight is
            given to teams with more games played in the round they are eliminated then
            in case of ties higher regular season standing.)  The two weights are added up
            and arranged from top to bottom to determine which level a team will fall into,
            the best 6 teams get level 4, the next best 6 level 3, and so forth.  In case of
            ties the higher weight from the playoffs will be the determining factor.

            Each contract has a bonus payout which gives teams a reliable source of
            revenue.  Contracts only run for one-season at a time.
           
            level     per game  win bonus  playoff game*  win bonus
               1         120k          60k            220k            75k
               2         240k         120k           340k           150k
               3         360k         180k           460k           225k
               4         480k         240k           580k           300k

            Sponsors will hold a mid-season review and make any adjustments at that
            time based on the teams performance based on only the following criteria:

                - level 4 team is in 19-24th place, drop to level 2
                - level 4 team is in 13-18th place, drop to level 3
                - level 3 team is in 19-24th place, drop to level 2
                - level 2 team is in 1st-6th place, raise to level 3
                - level 1 team is in 1st-6th place, raise to level 3
                - level 1 team is in 7th-12th place, raise to level 2

            All other teams will remain as is throughout the entire season.
        5.1.5 Bonuses
            When the team accomplishes goals or players on the team win honors
            their team gets a bonus.

              - GM of the Year:  750,000

              - Division Title:  250,000

              - Presidents Trophy:  350,000
              - Playoff appearance:  150,000
              - Division Champion:  500,000
              - Conference Champion:  1,000,000
              - League Champion:  2,000,000

    5.2 Expenses
        Besides other expenses noted throughout these Rules and Guidelines which
        deal with things like player movement and the firing of coaches, there are
        a number of expenses which relate to arena maintenance and upgrades.
 
        5.2.1 General Arena Maintenance
            For each home game during Pre-season, Regular season and Playoffs there
            are expenses which cover general salaries and maintenance on a teams
            arenas.  This cost is paid after each game.
            Cost formula:  (number of seats) X (1%) X (52.5)

        5.2.2 End of Year Tax
            The tax will be paid at the completion of the playoffs, the tax rate formula:
            (number of seats) X (75%) / (100,000) X (current funds)

    5.3 Arena Upgrades
        In the Off-season teams can replace and add seats at a price of 6,500
        pucks per seat.  Due to wear and tear arenas can lose up to 10% of the
        seats after each season..

        5.3.1 Type "4" Arena
            This is the only arena available to Farm teams.  Its maximum capacity is
            10,000 seats and starts out with 5,000 seats.

        5.3.2 Type "3" Arena
            The maximum capacity is 17,500 seats.  Once a team has completed a
            season at maximum capacity they can buy the Type "2" arena.  The
            capacity begins at 14,000 seats.

        5.3.3 Type "2" Arena
            The maximum capacity is 21,500 seats and starts off with 18,000.  When
            a team has completed a season at maximum capacity they can then buy
            the Type "1" arena.

            Cost to build:  180,000,000 pucks

        5.3.4 Type "1" Arena
            The maximum capacity is 26,000 seats and starts off with 22,000 when
            first constructed.

            Cost to build:  225,000,000 pucks

    5.4 Salary Cap / Floor
        Teams are required to be under the Salary Cap and over the Floor when the
        Pre-season begins and must stay within these boundaries through to the
        end of Playoffs.

        If a team does go over they will be given 72 hours to get back under until
        extreme measures are taken.  They will pay a fine of 25% of the total they
        are over at the end of 24 and 48 hours and if after the 72 hours they are
        still over the team will lose a player whose salary is as near to the total
        amount the team is over the cap.  The teams final fine comes in the form
        of having to buyout the player they will lose.  The player that is released
        will appear on the waiver wire as would any player that is released.

        Example:  If a team is over the cap by 500,000 pucks, their fine would be
        125,000 pucks after 24 hours and again after 48 hours.   If after the 72
        hours they still have not complied, a player with a salary of 500,000, or as
        near to that number as possible, will be removed from the team; this forced
        buyout will cost the team 250,000 pucks (considering a 500,000 puck
        salary and a 1-year contract.)

        If a team is under the floor, they will have 72 hours to get back over it until
        extreme measures are taken.  They will pay a fine of 25% of the total they
        are under at the end of 24 and 48 hours and if after the 72 hours they are
        still under the league will sign a player at a salary that will put them over
        back over the floor.  The final fine will come in the form of a 20% signing
        bonus.

        Only salaries of players under a Pro contract count towards the Salary Cap.
        Salaries from Entry level contracts and coaches do not count.

        The salary cap for the 2008/09 season is:  34,000,000 pucks.
        The salary floor for the 2008/09 season is:  22,000,000 pucks.
 

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6. PLAYER INFORMATION

    6.1 Pro Contracts
        From the end of the Playoffs until one week after the Entry Draft teams
        can re-sign up to half of their players who have completed a Pro contract (in

        cases of an odd-number, round down for teams that qualified for the
        Playoffs and round up for teams that failed to qualify.) 

        Players who are not signed by the above deadline will become, in most cases,
        Restricted Free-Agents, so teams will continue to hold their rights.  In some
        cases unsigned players will become Unrestricted Free Agents and rights are
        totally lost (see section 6.6 for descriptions on Un/restricted free agents.)

        In order to re-sign a player teams must honor a qualifying salary which is
        based on the current salary compared to the average salary of players
        within the same value group and the new contracts length.  Players can
        be signed for 1-5 years.

          Qualifying Salary Table for Players Over the Average Salary:

            1 Year    2 Years    3 Years    4 Years    5 Years
            125%    120%        115%       112%      110%
 
            Example: If you have a player with a salary of 1,500,000 and you want
            to re-sign him to a 3-year deal, his salary will be 1,725,000 for that term.

          Qualifying Salary Table for Players Over Double the Average Salary:
 
            1 Year    2 Years    3 Years    4 Years    5 Years
            75%       80%        85%        90%         95%

            This salary reduction can be used on only one player, provided he is not
            the top scoring player at his position on the team.  Using this option will
            count as two signings.
 
          Qualifying Salary Table for Players Under the Average Salary:
 
            1 Year    2 Years    3 Years    4 Years    5 Years
            140%     130%       125%       120%      115%

          Qualifying Salary Table for Players Under 50% of the Average Salary:

            1 Year    2 Years    3 Years    4 Years    5 Years
            280%     260%       240%      225%       210%

        Average Salaries (Pro contracts only):
          80+ values:  1,632,809
          69-79 values:  846,952
          57-68 values: 430,975 
          < 57 values:  253,015

    6.2 Entry Level Contracts
        Most players who are drafted via the Entry Draft automatically receive this
        contract and are signed for up to 3 years, the number of years depending
        on their age and the salary depending on what round they taken in.

          Length of Contract:

       Player Age  Length      Goalie Age  Length
         18-22        3          18-23        3
          23+         2            24         2
          24          1            25         1
 
          Salary:

       Round   Salary  
         1     500,000
         2     350,000
         3     200,000
         4     150,000
         5     100,000

        A player will forfeit this contract under either of the following circumstances
        and at which time they must be signed to a Pro Contract or be released.

          - plays 25 Regular season games (career) in the Pro league
          - plays 10 Regular season games (season) in the Pro league

        A team can sign these players to a Pro contract prior to the Entry Level
        contract finishing its term and may do this at anytime during the Off-season,
        Pre-season or prior to game 19 of the Regular season.  From game 19 through
        to the end of the Regular season they can be signed to a Pro Contract but at
        a 150% increase of their salary (current salary X 150%).  They are ineligible
        to be signed during Playoffs.
 
        When appearing on the Pro roster during the Regular season, these players
        are paid at a rate that is double their actual salary.
 
        From the end of the Playoffs to one week prior to the Entry Draft, teams
        will have an opportunity to sign any and all of their players to a Pro
        contract who have completed an Entry Level contract.  The salary remains
        the same as there is no qualifying salary in this situation.  Players who are
        not signed by the above deadline will become an Unrestricted Free-Agent
        or if they are still under-age then they will re-enter the Entry Draft.

    6.3 Salaries
        Player salaries are paid out on a game-to-game basis during the Regular
        season only and they are paid even if a player is benched, injured,
        suspended or assigned to the Practice roster.

    6.4 Bonuses
        Player salaries will be adjusted as they are won due to the following awards/honors
        they may have won/received:

          - Player, defenseman, goalie of the Week winners:  +15,000 pucks per win (pro)
          - Player, defenseman, goalie of the Week winners:  10,000 pucks per win (farm)
          - Player, defenseman, goalie of the Month winners:  30,000 pucks per win (pro)
          - Player, defenseman, goalie of the Month winners:  20,000 pucks per win (farm)
          - All-Star team appearance, Commissioners choice:  20,000
          - All-Star team appearance, GM's choice:  15,000
          - Heart, Conn Smythe, Norris, Vezina or Calder award winner:  100,000
          - Art Ross, Richard award winner:  65,000
          - Jennings, Selkie, Lady Byng, Alka award winner:  40,000

    6.5 Rookie Status
        At the beginning of each season forwards and defensemen under 25 years
        old and goalies under 26 years old, who haven't played more than 25 career
        games in the Pro league are classified as Rookies and are eligible for the
        Rookie of the Year award (Calder) at the end of the Regular season.

    6.6 Free-Agents
        There are two types of Free-Agent.

        6.6.1 Unrestricted
            A player who doesn't have his rights owned and is 25/26 years or older.

        6.6.2 Restricted
            A player who has his rights owned, is either 25/26 years or older and
            has a value greater than 56; or is under 25/26 years old .  Restricted
            free-agents remain with this status to the mid-point of the Regular
            season at which time they become ineligible for the remainder of that
            season and they will become either an Unrestricted Free-Agent or if
            they are still under age then re-enter the Entry Draft.
 
            Restricted free-agents do occupy a spot on a teams roster (they are
            automatically assigned to the Injury/Reserve roster) but they do not
            count against the salary cap while they remain unsigned.

    6.7 Aging
        For league purposes players will age by one year at the completion of the
        Playoffs.

    6.8 Retirement
        The initial retirement age is 36.  In the off-season players of retirement age
        who have not received a contract offer within a week of the first completed
        signings will retire.  A team has the option of retiring a player from the team
        instead of allowing the player back to free-agency, this will be done at a
        specific time in the off-season.  During the year if a player is released and he
        has reached retirement age, he will retire upon his release.

        At the age of 50 a player will be forced into retirement and teams will not
        be allowed to sign players to a contract that would take them beyond this
        age.
 
    6.9 League Roster
        New players will be added to the league roster after each season in order
        to replace retiring players and to make sure the future talent pool is well
        stocked.

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7. PLAYER VITALS

    7.1 Skills

        There are 19 "skill" categories in total but not all players are rated in each as
        some are 'specialized' for certain positions.
 
          7.1.1 Potential (PV)
            Indicates a players chances of reaching a core Overall Value without
            considering their playing performance before they reach 25 years old,
            or 26 in the case of goalies.  This category applies only to skaters under
            25 years old and goalies who are under 26 years old.  This category also
            ties into their overall ability so a player taken in Round One should perform
            better than one taken in Round Five should they have similar skills.

            Players drafted in Round One will get a 3 rating which gives them the best
            chance of gaining an overall core value prior to 25/26 years old.  Players
            taken in Round Two will either get a 2 or 3 rating.  Players drafted in Round
            Three will get a 2.  Players in Round Four will either get a 1 or 2 while those
            players in Round Five will get a 1.  All players that are drafted do have that
            chance to get a higher rating, its just that the higher picks have the better
            chance and there are never guarantees when it comes to drafting!  And in
            the instances where a player can get either a 2/3 or a 1/2 rating, that will
            be determined by the Sim sometime after the Draft is completed.
             
        7.1.2 Experience (EX)
            This category factors in previous hockey experience and the players age.
            Having players with high experience can be important factors in key game
            situations and games.
 
        7.1.3 Aggression (AG)
            This skill is good for players that grind it out in the corners as they won't
            shy away from giving/receiving hits; ties into the Discipline category.
 
        7.1.4 Quickness (QU)
            Determines how fast a player skates or in the case of goalies how fast
            their reaction time is.
 
        7.1.5 Power (PO)
            An important skill for centers as it could mean the difference between
            winning/losing a face off; ties in with Shooting and Face-off skills;
            applies to forwards and defensemen only.
 
        7.1.6 Pads (PD)
            Determines how well a goalie controls rebounds and/or how low shots on
            net are handled; applies only to goalies.
 
        7.1.7 Fatigue (FA)
            Determines how long a players shift might be; also determines the number
            of games a goalie can start and play in consecutively during the Regular
            season.
 
        7.1.8 Skating (SK)
            Determines how well a player makes turns, side-steps checks or stays
            upright after taking a hit; in the case of goalies, how mobile they are
            and how well they move from post to post.
 
        7.1.9 Passing (PA)
            A higher value here will mean the better a pass is made to a line-mate;
            in the case of goalies how well they can dump the puck to the corner or
            out of the zone.
 
        7.1.10 Puck Handling (PU)
            Tells how well a player can handle the puck or ability to deke opposing
            players; in the case of goalies this ties into the Pads and Passing skills.
 
        7.1.11 Checking  (CH)
            Checking applies to skaters only; the better the value the better the
            player is able to make a check be it a body or stick check.
 
        7.1.12 Glove  (GL)
            Determines how good the goalie is on shots directed at his glove hand
            side; ties in with Quickness; applies only to goalies.
 
        7.1.13 Shooting  (SH)
            Determines how well the player can make a shot, involving accuracy and
            tying into Power when it comes to the intensity.
 
        7.1.14 Blocker (BL)
            Determines how good a goalie is on shots directed at his blocker hand
            side; ties in with Quickness; applies only to goalies.
 
        7.1.15 Face Offs (FO)
            Face offs apply only to players with a forward position; helps determine
            their ability in a face off situation; ties in with Power.
 
        7.1.16 Offensive Awareness (OA)
            The higher the value the more capable the player should be in generating
            goals by getting or passing to open ice/players for a goal scoring
            opportunity; applies only to forwards and defensemen.
 
        7.1.17 Defensive Awareness (DA)
            The higher the value the more responsible a player should be in covering
            opposing players and getting back in support in the defensive zone;
            applies only to forwards and defensemen.
 
        7.1.18 Discipline (DI)
            A disciplined player will have a high value and should do a better job of
            keeping his cool and staying out of the penalty box.
 
        7.1.19 Fighting (FI)
            Players with a high value will be more willing to fight; it does not
            necessarily indicate they will fight at the drop of every and any insult
            though; a serious fighter will have a higher value in this category along
            with a low Discipline rating.
 
    7.2 Values
        In each of the skill categories players will have a rating of 0-3.  A 3 value
        is normally the best rating to have except maybe in Aggression where you
        don't exactly want a team full of highly aggressive players as it could lead
        to big PIM's should they also have low Discipline values.
 
        A players Overall Value (V) is calculated by adding the skills beginning with
        Aggression and ending with Blocker and multiplying that total and factoring
        in the other skills except for Discipline and Fighting which have no effect on
        a players overall value.  "Elite" level players are considered those with a value
        of 80+; "core" players from 57-79 and "depth" below 57.
 
        On some rosters a Trade Value (TV) will be noted; this is simply a suggestion
        of a players value in a trade, it's not meant to be the ultimate indicator of a
        players worth as age, contract status and performance factor into any trade
        as much as the overall value which is what the trade value is solely based
        upon.
 
    7.3 Re-Ranking
        Players are re-rated after each season based only on their Regular season
        performance for either the Pro or Farm team.  Pro performance carries much
        more weight and therefore potential for players to gain a higher overall
        value. 
 
        Skaters under 25 years old and goalies under 26 years old will also get their
        Prospect value factored into the equation; the higher in the draft they were
        taken, the higher chance they will eventually attain an established overall
        value.
 
    7.4 Positions
        The 5 basic positions are:  center, leftwing, rightwing, defense and goalie.
        Some players in the league are multi-positional meaning they might be
        listed as CL for example which means they can play either center or leftwing
        and be adept at either and play them in 5on5 situations.
 

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8. COACH INFORMATION

 
    8.1 Hiring
        Teams will receive an availability list when they have fired their current
        coach or when they choose not to re-sign him when a contract has expired.
        This list will consist of approximately 8-10 coaches with their salary demand
        and the length of contract noted, as well as their current team should they
        have one as coaches from the Farm league will occasionally add their name
        to these lists if a Pro team is doing the hiring.  If it is a Pro team that is
        hiring, that organizations Farm coach will be included on the list.
 
        Availability lists can be had without having to first fire the coach but there
        could be consequences.  First, this list will cost the team 10,000 pucks to
        buy.  Second, if word should get out that a team is looking to hire a new
        coach while the current one is still in place this could have a negative
        effect upon your players, and in turn the teams overall performance for a
        period of time.  Teams will have a one-week window once they receive the
        list to hire a new coach and if they don't so within this time frame they will
        not be allowed to use the list or to fire their current coach or to request
        another list for a 4-week time period.  A team can only buy this list twice
        in a given season (a season in this case begins and ends with the Entry
        Draft.)
 
        There is a 75,000 puck compensation fee should a Pro team hire a coach
        from another Farm team.  This fee is paid directly to the other team.
        *beginning in 2009, compensation will be a 4th round draft pick
 
    8.2 Contracts
        Coaches for Pro teams can be signed for 1-3 years while Farm coaches are
        simply signed on a year-to-year basis.  Salaries are based on their ratings so
        a higher rated coach will usually want more money than a lower rated one
        and Farm coaches will normally earn less than a Pro coach.
 
        When re-hiring a coach a team must pay a qualifying salary in order to
        retain them.
 
          1 Year    2 Years    3 Years     Farm Coach
          120%     115%       110%       115%
 
           Example:  A teams coach has completed his contract which paid him
           400,000 pucks/year; the qualifying salary should the team want to sign
           him to a new 2-year deal would be 460,000/year.
 
    8.3 Bonuses
        Coaches salaries will be adjusted at the end of the Playoffs due to the
        following awards/accomplishments they have earned, Farm bonuses are
        half of the amount of those that are listed:
 
          - All-Star team appearance:  15,000
          - Division title:  15,000
          - Presidents trophy:  20,000
          - Division championship:  25,000
          - Conference championship: 50,000
          - League championship:  100,000
 
    8.4 Firing
        To fire a coach a team must buy him out of his contract at a cost of 50%
        of the years remaining on it.  This buyout obviously does not occur if you
        decide not to re-hire after a contract has ended.
 
        Teams cannot hire or fire coaches during the Playoffs.
 
    8.5 Categories
        Coaches are rated in 4 different categories.
 
        8.5.1 Offense (OFF)
            Could help generate more shots/scoring chances.
 
        8.5.2 Defense (DEF)
            Could help decrease shots against/scoring chances against.
 
        8.5.3 Goaltending (GOA)
            Could help the goalies on the team play above their actual value; also
            determines when a goalie might get pulled in a game in favor of an
            extra attacker or for mercy.
 
        8.5.4 Motivation (MOT)
            Could prevent the frequency of 'off-nights'; helps team morale.
 
        8.5.5 Tactics (TAC)
            Ties into all of the above categories.
 
    8.6 Values
        Each coach is given a rating of 1-3 in each category with 3 being the best.
 
        Coaches values will be re-evaluated after each Regular season has been
        completed.
 
    8.7 Retirement
        The retirement age is 65 but a team can retain them beyond this age
        provided they keep them under contract.  Once they are fired or not re-
        signed after a contract expires and they are of retirement age they will
        retire immediately.  At the end of the Regular season all un-hired coaches
        who are of retirement age will retire.
 
        At the age of 75 a coach will be forced into retirement and teams will not
        be allowed to sign players to a contract that would take them beyond this
        age.

    8.8 Register

        The pool of coaches will be updated yearly to keep the pool well stocked
        and to replace any retiring coaches.
 
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9. PLAYER MOVEMENT

 
    9.1 Entry Draft
 
        9.1.1 When?
            This draft will be held at some point during the Off-season and teams will
            be given at least two weeks notice in order to prepare.
 
            If its not possible to hold a live draft, it will be conducted via a "wish list"
            submission method via email.
 
        9.1.2 Rounds
            There are 5 rounds in total and the order for the first round will be
            partially determined by a lottery, while rounds 2-5 will be in inverse
            order of the Regular season standings.
 
            There is a small chance that players taken in Rounds One and/or Two
            might be re-rated prior to the beginning of the season.  The Sim will
            determine if this happens or not and to how many players it happens to
            so teams will be contacted after the Draft if their players have been
            re-rated.  This makes picks in Rounds One-Two a bit more valuable to
            hang on to.
 
        9.1.3  Lottery
            The 8 teams that failed to qualify for the Playoffs are the only teams
            involved.  The drawing is weighted to give the worst standing team the
            greatest chance to win with a 25% chance.  The other 7 teams have an
            18, 16, 14, 11, 8, 5 and 3% chance to win respectively.
 
            The winner of the lottery can move up the first round draft order by up
            to 3 positions while teams can only fall back by 1.
 
            The Sim will conduct this lottery and the results will be announced by
            the Commissioner in advance of the Entry Draft.

        9.1.4 Players
            A pool of skaters under the age of 25 and goalies under the age of 26
            are available to be drafted.
 
    9.2 Trades
        A team can trade players, draft picks (within the next two drafts), future
        considerations and pucks.  The cost to make a trade is 3,500 pucks per
        player and pick involved in the deal.  This cost will be shared evenly by the
        two teams (it can be paid in full by one of the teams and should be noted
        along with trade verification if this is the case.)  If a team is trading pucks,
        there is an additional 10% tax based on the amount of pucks being traded.
 
        Teams cannot trade pucks straight across for players or picks.
 
        When a team trades away a player they cannot get that player back on
        their team within one calendar year through any means.
 
        A team can make a trade through most parts of the Off-season, Pre-
        season and Regular season.  The Commissioner will make mention of when
        it is legal to trade.
 
        The trade deadline occurs after every team has played its 64th game and
        remains in place until the off-season, generally a week before the entry draft.
 
        9.2.1 Approval Process
            Teams send in their details of the deal to the Commissioner; all details
            relating to future considerations or undisclosed picks must be noted.
            Once the deal is verified it will be put through and the league files will
            be updated so teams can make necessary roster/line changes.  If a deal
            is not verified right away due to it being lop-sided, it will be put up for
            Review.
 
        9.2.2 Trade Review
            If a deal is not verified it will be put on review for 24 hours in which time
            the Commissioner and Trade Committee will make a final ruling on the
            proposed deal.
 
        9.2.3 Future Considerations
            If a team trades futures they must honor them before the next Pre-
            season begins unless a trade is being made in the Off-season in which
            case they have until prior to the following Pre-season to honor them.
            If there are any conflicts it will be up to the Trade Committee to settle
            them.
 
    9.3 Signing Free-Agents
        A team can sign free-agents during most parts of the Off-season, Pre-
        season and Regular season.  There is a 5% signing bonus for each signing
        made, the bonus is based on the salary the player is being signed for.
 
        9.3.1 Signing Process
            The contract offer that is made to a Free-Agent should be sent to the
            Commissioner.  The offer should include salary terms (to the nearest
            1,000 pucks) and number of years (1-5.)  This offer will then be posted
            publicly for 24 hours in which time other teams can express their interest
            in wanting a chance to sign the player.  If at the end of 24 hours no
            further interest has been made the player will report to his new team;
            but if another team(s) has expressed interest, these teams plus the
            original team will make one offer that must be higher than the first offer.
            The player will then report to the team that makes the highest offer
            (salary); if there is a tie the teams involved in the tie will be asked to make
            another offer (to the nearest 10,000 pucks.)  Winning offers must be
            honored, a team cannot back away from it.
 
            In the case of winning offers being made to Restricted Free-Agents see
            Section 9.3.3 for further information regarding matching/compensation.
 
            During the Off-season the initial 24 hour window is set to one week, then
            to 48 hours in the week leading up to the start of the Pre-season schedule.
 
        9.3.2 Minimum Offers
            Depending on a players value a minimum salary offer must be made:
 
            Value    Salary   
            80+      500,000  (2009 value: 1,000,000)
            69-79   350,000  (2009 value: 750,000)
            57-68   250,000  (2009 value: 400,000)
            < 57     150,000  (2009 value: 250,000)
 
        9.3.3 Restricted Free-Agents
            When "winning" offers are made to Restricted Free-Agents that offer can
            be matched by the team that owns his rights or they can opt for
            Compensation as outlined and they have 24 hours to make a choice.
 
            Compensation Table:  Skaters under age 25; Goalies under age 26
 
              Value    Compensation           
              80+       2 1st round picks + salary
              69-79    1st & 3rd round pick
              57-68    1st round pick
              < 57      2nd round pick
 
            Compensation Table:  Skaters aged 25-35, Goalies aged 26-35

              Value    Compensation          
              80+      1st and 2nd round picks + salary
              69-79   2nd & 4th round pick
              57-68   3rd round pick
 
            Compensation Table:  Skaters and goalies aged 36+
 
              Value    Compensation     
              80+      2nd round pick + salary
              69-79   3rd round pick
              57-68   4th round pick
 
            Where multiple picks are listed in the above tables, the higher pick must
            be delivered at the next Entry Draft while the lower round can be
            deferred to the following Entry Draft.
 
            Where + salary is listed, that means besides the pick(s) as compensation
            the players new salary is also included.

            If a team offers a contract to a player they did not initially re-sign, they
            can only offer a maximum 1-year deal.
 
    9.4 Waivers
        There are two ways a player can be placed on Waivers and there is a 15,000
        puck compensation fee to claim a player off waivers, this fee is paid to the
        players former team.  Teams claiming players off waivers must honor the salary
        and contract the player has.
 
        9.4.1 Release
            When a player is released he appears on Waivers for 72 hours.  Once this
            time period has elapsed and no inquiries have been made the player will
            enter the Free-Agent pool provided he fits the criteria of a Free-Agent
            type.  If there is just one inquiry he will report to that team and if there
            are multiple inquiries the player will report to the team that has the
            highest priority.  Priority is given in inverse order of the standings at the
            end of the 72 hours; during the Off-season the previous seasons final
            standings in inverse order will be used to determine priority.
 
        9.4.2 Demotion
            When players are re-assigned from the Pro roster to Farm or Practice
            roster during the Regular season or Playoffs they might be required to
            clear waivers.  Players exempt from having to clear waivers are:  skaters
            under the age of 25 and goalies under 26.  Players are placed on the
            Waivers for only 24 hours and the same procedure is used as in Section
            9.4.1.
 
            Players claimed by this means must be assigned to the Pro roster.
 
    9.5 Releasing Players
        A team can release a player at just about any point during the year except
        during times when rosters have been frozen by the Commissioner.  There is
        a twofold penalty to release a player: 1) the