The Do's and Don'ts of Taking Forfeits

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is not meant in any way to vilify Stastny. This also does not place any blame on either team, nor does it seek out to make either team out to be in the wrong. Both teams made poor decisions/executed things poorly. This post is about keeping in contact with the opposing team before taking a forfeit.


Hello! Welcome to an informative guide about the Do's and Don'ts of late game starts and, if necessary, how to take forfeits respectfully. This post has been inspired by a situation last night.


Last night a game between the Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators was scheduled to occur at 10:00 pm EST. Nearing puck drop Panda (Ottawa's AGM) recognized he would need time to find an ECU or get his scheduled players online. He requested time to Stastny (Florida's Owner) who agreed and asked to be kept updated. At 10:07 Panda tells Stastny that he needs to find two ECUs still and that he will need more time and Stastny agrees to give more time.

Now here is the issue. At 10:11 Panda says he has them coming into the dressing room and that they are ready to play (there was a misunderstanding about who was home, leading to an extra minute of waiting). From 10:12 to 10:17 not a word is said while Stastny is waiting for the challenge. When Panda finally tells Stastny that they cannot find their club name after trying for 5 minutes Stastny then informs him that they have left their lobby at 10:15 and are calling the forfeit. Panda's reaction is of extreme confusion and frustration, and nobody gets to play.

Here is the discussion with time stamps:



Image Link: https://i.imgur.com/P6FDvgD.jpg


Meanwhile DonnyBrah, a player for Ottawa who was in the game, had been messaging Goonderk (who was not the MOC for the game). They had been talking for several minutes with Donny asking for them not to take a forfeit. Goon assured Donny that Florida would not take a FF, although he himself had no idea about the situation. Donny then proceeded to tell Panda that under no means would Florida take the forfeit, taking the time off of Panda's mind.

Here is evidence of that conversation:



Image Link: https://i.imgur.com/RuesTCN.png


Although Stastny was well within his right to call a forfeit (which he did at 10:18 according to the time stats were submitted) to call it after the 5 minutes were given (10:10) but how he handled this situation was about as poorly as a manager can do it. On top of an external situation out of his control the two compounded into a terrible looking situation that has labeled Stastny as a FFer in his first season as an owner when all of this could have been handled much better.


Here are the rules to go by if you are ever in a situation to take a Forfeit:

- DO take the initiative and message the opposing team about time limits. Stastny said in a pm to me it was his guys who had to leave by that time whether it was due to work or other events they were dedicated to. If that's the case, he needs to tell Panda that he has until X time to get the team ready.

- DO ask questions when waiting for an inordinate amount of time. When you're sitting there waiting for the challenge for over FIVE MINUTES you need to ask what's going on, if there is an issue, or if they have sent but there was a glitch that didn't get the invite to your DR. If anyone ever plans on taking a forfeit they should be active in trying to get the game started, not sitting back and watching the time go by. We sign up to play games.

- DON'T be negligent and fail to communicate with your other managers. When Goon gets a message and talks to Donny for several minutes about avoiding a forfeit that should be a sign to maybe ask your fellow manager what's going on. Even if you're not the MOC you're going to regularly get messages from opposing roster players that may not know who the MOC is or is better at communicating with you. If you can't communicate to you other managers.....

- DON'T speak on behalf of them. Him telling Donny that Florida won't take a forfeit caused a lot of confusion. If you're not the MOC and are not getting involved you should tell whomever you're talking to that you're not involved in this situation. Maybe direct them to the actual MOC if possible.




What happened last night was not only a waste of time for the managers, but for the AHL management having to do extra work gathering ECUs and the players who showed up to play the game (along with the ECUs themselves taking possible time that they had free to play). Forfeits are always going to happen, especially towards the end of the season. But managers, go about it the right way so nobody comes out pissed off for no good reason.

 

Here’s my point of view on what happened last night. Hopefully I can convince most of you to move on from this.

As you guys know, last night, I took a forfeit win for different reasons that seemed right to me and the rest of my team at the time.

The more I think about what happened, the more I’m starting to feel like it wasn’t the right call. Every one that knows me know very well that I’m not a dick, and that I would never do something like this. Last night was different. Why? I’m not really trying to get into details on what really happened, but it definitly wasn’t right. We all sign up to play hockey, have fun.

I just wanted to apologize to Panda and the rest of the Senators. Finding ECUs isn’t always easy and I made you work for nothing. If you wanna send me a PM, I’m down to reschedule the game at a time where it would work for everybody (including your guy that didn’t show up).

Anyways, I just wanted to clear some things up. Like I said I don’t wanna get into details on why this situation happened, but it did. In a way, it wasn’t right to follow the rules. I want to move on from this.

 

Reserved for incoming lou novel

 

Trade negotiations are heating up

@Serpe x 13 @Dualtz

 

Is it just me or do these images not work?

 

Just you

 

Never seen this before. Just says IMG and I can't click on it either. Maybe the file is too big or something lol

 

I'm wrong, it's not just you. Also Tris

 

I wouldn't want to play THESE SENS either.

 

10 minutes before game time the entire team should be on. If not those players should at minimum let their moc know what's up 10 minutes prior to start. If the moc doesn't have all guys accounted for 10 min prior then begin to look for ecus and contact other team Moc letting them know you may need time. If game isn't started 10 minutes past then we shouldn't treat the other team like assholes for calling a forfeit nor should the other team need to have guilt by taking a forfeit. The website is easy to use, we can see when game time are. If it's not connection issue then just call the forfeit. This way if people can't be responsible and get on early they can get blacklisted. People have shit to do in life. Stop catering to those who don't show up. It's bullshit moc have to deal with these players.

 

I don't have time to wait around 20 minutes after a scheduled game was suppose to start...rounding up 2 ecus at 10 min past is a little ridiculous

 

That's not the point. I said that Florida was well within their right to call a forfeit. It's about how they went about it that caused so much frustration.

 

I agree, my point is I realize it is just a video game but there needs to be a balance of some type of timeliness and responsibility of people showing up when they say they will and also not making it a huge deal if a ff is taken.

 

I like stastny

 

You did absolutely nothing wrong here bro. Do not feel bad. Taking a Forfiet and asking if they want to try and reschedule is the right move. You need to watch out for your team and I think you did that.

Another thing that has been long gone in leagues is pre game preparation. This reason why we all have to wait 10-15-20-25 mins is because we allow it to happen. If you give people leeway, they will take it almost every time. You really think all these teams "Can't Connect"? Listen, if you want to give lots of leeway then do it but we shouldnt force every team to give leeway.

Steps that teams should do:

Step One: A manager should contact everyone well before game time to check in

Step Two: A player should contact his MGT detailing if he is going to be late.

Step Three: MGT should have ECUs ready to roll in case a player is in trouble of going over the time limit.

Step Four: If a team is out of options, ask for a time extension or reschedule. If the other team say no then a forfiet should follow.

Honestly? There is no reason to not know who is home or away. There is no reason not to know what club they are using. There is no reason not to do know who to contact.

Steps the league can take:

Step One: Make the game hub the go to for information.

Step Two: Add Need time buttons in the game hub at :00 and :05 that says you need 5min and alerts the MOC and all players confirmed for that game.

Step Three: Make the MOC mandatory and allow multiple MOC.

Step Four: Allow NHL MGT to see their AHL players availability somewhere . Perhaps the game hub.

It's pretty obvious for me coming from what we use to do to now. When forfiets were taken very serious, hardly any game started late or even past 5 mins after game time. MGT and players use to get on 10-15 mins before game time to sort everything out with other teams. It worked much better in terms of time management.

Now I'm not saying we should go Nazi Germany here. The majority of teams will still be soft on times but I want that option of strict time-frames to come back. It will serve us all well and hopefully kicks all these slackers in the behind.

 

I hope this is not the case but it sounds like Stastny just got shit on for someone else's ignorance.

How do you not know you have 5 people signed up and have to get at least 1 ecu at 10:07 pm

Don't ask me how I know this, and no I won't throw anyone under the bus either.

 

Since it seems like people aren't getting the point of this:

A. Ottawa should have gotten their lines together sooner

B. Florida should have been clear and concise about the deadline they wanted to set and about if they were going to forfeit at all

C. The reason why this was made is because there are 10 other non-managers who just wanted to play. Both management teams need to conduct themselves properly (Ottawa getting lines together/prepared sooner, Florida trying to get the game going by being inquisitive about why they weren't getting a challenge)

 

I couldn't agree more with everything said here.

I truthfully don't even think there should be an "extra time" grace period at all. Leave it up to management and their discretion is they feel they should give the team an extra 5 minutes.

I do believe it was a good first step in shortening time to 5 minutes, but why have it at all? 10pm start should = 10pm start.

Side note, this shouldn't even be happening. Donny shouldn't be getting involved, nor should he be relaying the conversation back to Panda unless asked to do so.

 

There is plenty of time to get ready for a game. Players submit availability and know they have a game atleast 24 hours im advance with the exception being sunday games. Every team most likely has a chat and if a player doesnt respond knowing they have a game mgmt should be ready to find an ecu and just have them ready. 5-10 minutes is plenty of extra time when a player has made a commitment to show up. If a team isnt ready to go before the 10 min mark it shouldn't even be a negotiation. Take the ff and issue a strike to the player that didnt show.

In cases where a player doesnt show it shouldnt be 3 strikes for no showing it should be a warning and then gone. Its not fair to keep 11+ people waiting and have people scrambling around rushing to find an ecu. Yeah its a game and alot of young guns play but teach people accountability because if you no call no show to a job chances are youre going to be looking for a new one