* New * The "Ins" and "Outs" of the NHL Entry Draft

Each season roughly three days prior to NHL bidding going live we host the NHL Entry Draft. The Draft is a way for current prospect players to "skip" the line and fast track their personal careers in the LGHL straight to the NHL! Since the draft is only open to our prospect players, I feel as if there is a bit of confusion surrounding the draft, what makes a player eligible? What if a player is a CHL Manager? What rights does a player have? Etc. Without further delay, I am going to break down the draft for everyone to see and understand!

#1 How Many Rounds Is The Draft?

• Currently the NHL Draft consists of four rounds, and 31 picks PER round.
• Players drafted in the first round are issued a salary of 2,000,000 and are issued a two season contract.
• Players drafted in the second round are issued a salary of 1,250,000 and are issued a two season contract.
• Players drafted in the third round are issued a salary of 1,000,000 and are issued a two season contract.
• Players drafted in the final round are issued a salary of 500,000 and are issued a two season contract.
• Players are locked to the position in which they are drafted to for the duration of their draft contract.
• If a drafted player wishes to take management at the CHL tier AFTER he or she is draft will required permission from his or her's owner to do so.

#2 What is the Difference Between the NHL Draft and NHL Bidding?

• Bidding is our "ebay" like system that allows managers to place "dollar" values on players within the assigned salary cap.
• Bidding is open to any player, and is broken into three different sessions based on a player's status and sign up date.
• The NHL Entry draft is setup to only allow players who completed the previous season on an active or training camp roster with prospect status (regardless if 48 games were surpassed) regardless of current contract, and regardless of next season's sign up status will be entered into the draft. All players drafted become property of their new NHL Organization. If the player was under contract to the CHL prior to being drafted, that contract is voided, and will not be honored.

#3 What Happens If I Am A Current CHL GM or Owner Who Gets Drafted?

• Current CHL Managers who are drafted retain their management role for this current season.
• Their draft contract is extended by one season, to ensure the NHL Organization does not lose an asset and to ensure that managers are not "less appealing" to draft.
• At the end of the current season, the manager will then have two options. Option one is play in the NHL or AHL depending on where the NHL Owner wishes to use said player. Option two will be to get permission from their NHL Owner to return to the CHL in a Management Role.

#4 What Happens If I Was Under Contract to the CHL and Get Drafted?

• Current rules state an NHL Entry Level contract holds priority over a CHL contract.
• As a simulation league, the NHL and AHL being higher tiers have priority when they draft a player.
• If a player who is drafted, ends up not making the NHL or AHL, he or she will be reassigned to the CHL Training Camp by our random assignment system.

#5 What Rights Do You Have As A Player Entering the Draft and League?

• As you spend more time in the league and as more seasons pass you will gain more freedom and "options" here on LG.
• As a brand new sign up, you do not have a say in which CHL team can and cannot bid on you. Once you sign up, you are basically saying you are willing to play for all 60 current CHL Owners.
• After bidding is completed, you get your first right. The first right allows you to dictate if you want a one or two season deal? CHL Owners are given a small amount of contracts are can be offered to their players. If a player is offered a two season deal, said player can accept or deny it.
• If a player accepts a multi-season contract, that will automatic open up his or her's second right; trade request. Trade Requests are only given to players on multiple season contracts (with the exception of drafted players IN THEIR FIRST SEASON)
• If a player gets draft, that player is locked into an automatic two season contract with the NHL Owner who drafted his or her rights. The player is also locked to the position in which he or she is drafted.
• After the two season draft contract expires, if the player has played more then 10 NHL or 10 AHL games the player is given Amateur status allow the player to enter NHL and AHL Free Agency. If the player completes more than 27 NHL games, or more than 54 AHL games, the player will be granted Veteran status, also allowing said player to enter NHL or AHL Free Agency.
• Players go undraft, and have yet to complete 48 CHL games retain CHL eligibility.
• If the player who was undrafted, is on a multiple season contract he or she returns to his CHL team for the following season. If the player is on a one season deal, the player will be eligible to return to CHL bidding by signing back up.
• If a player goes undrafted, AND completes 48 CHL games that player will be given Amateur status. Same as above, Amateur status allows the player access to NHL and AHL Free Agent Bidding.
• Amateur and Veteran players who wish to head back to the CHL can do so by signing up for the league once AHL Bidding goes live. This will ensure the player ends up in the CHL bidding session, but DOES NOT ENSURE THE PLAYER WILL REMAIN IN THE CHL for the duration of the season! Call ups are ALWAYS a possibility depending on player status.

#6 What Happens If I Retire? Forget to Sign Up? Don't Sign Up?

• Currently players who are retired are entered into the draft anyways. I am working on a fix for this.
• Players who are not signed up for the season are also entered into the draft.
• The current draft schedule compiles the draft lift from two criteria. 1) Did the player finish last season on a roster or TC? 2) Did the player complete the season with prospect status? If the answer to both those questions is yes, the player lands on the draft list.

#7 What about "Draft Dodgers"

• The reason the retirement window closes before the draft is to ensure players cannot retire, then unretire after the draft to skip the draft.
• Players who change their positions to make themselves look less appealing will be made to honor the position in which he or she played the previous season to the draft.
• Players who don't sign up are entered into the draft.
• Players who are drafted and do not report to his or her's NHL Organization are issued a standard two season ban

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The #1 thing the CHL community needs to understand is the role the CHL plays within LG. The CHL plays a major role here on LG in regards to player and Owner development. Just like in real hockey, some Owners and Managers develop quicker. This also applies to the players as well.

Often the perspective is "McDonald made that decision to benefit the NHL, because he ONLY cares about the NHL". That is a fair thought. But if you look at the bigger picture here on LG, how do we replicate the prestige the real NHL gets? Besides landing a major sponsorship that allows me to pay you dollar for dollar your LGHL salary, it becomes a difficult task. I create that prestige through the rules and system here on LG. The NHL has the MOST amount of freedom! They also have THE MOST influence on the direction the league and site goes and have a strong voice in the community when major decisions are made. The #1 issue a lot of CHL Owners have is losing players to call ups. Guess who doesn't have to worry about their players being called up? NHL Owner don't.

Those of you in the CHL, holding a management tier that want to see the CHL become more like the AHL or NHL, need to change your mindset and set your goals on being managers in the AHL or NHL. The tiers are here for a reason, and the rule sets are different for a reason. As stated above the CHL is here to develop the future of LG.

One of the CHL Managers said it best today; "Your role as a CHL manager is to develop players to be successful in the higher tiers." By doing so you are also developing yourself to be ready for the higher tiers.

Don't get me wrong either, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being content with ONLY being a CHL Owner and winning ten Memorial Cups in a row. If that is your goal, and if the CHL is all you ever wanted, we have a place for you here on LG as well.

The point I am trying to get across is LG tries to simulate professional hockey as best as it can. At times we have rule limitations for a reason that is simply explained as "just because it works in the real league, doesn't mean it works here" We also at times have programming limitations, *this is often uncommon.

If you have any questions in regards to anything I have posted above, or anything specific to this eSports echosystem we have developed here on LG, send me a PM!

Thanks for your time and continued dedication to LeagueGaming
Cheers
-Brodie