theafhl

Rules

Official Rules & Procedures

This rulebook serves as the official guide for all GMs in the AFHL.

Part 1: General Info, Contacts & Responsibilities

What is the AFHL?

The Amazing Fantasy Hockey League (AFHL) is a lifetime keeper fantasy hockey league that consists of 20 franchised teams, of which 10 are located in Canada, and 10 are located in the United States. As a GM of an AFHL franchise, you get the experience of managing your own team of professional hockey players. Your goal is to get the best lineup on the ice every day, since the better your players perform in real-life games, the more value they bring to your AFHL team.

League Championship

At the end of each regular season, the top eight teams in the overall league standings qualify for the AFHL Stanley Cup playoffs, an elimination tournament consisting of three rounds which results in two teams facing off in the final round, dubbed the Stanley Cup Final.

The winner of the AFHL Stanley Cup Final is awarded a real Stanley Cup trophy.

Who’s running the AFHL?

The AFHL is owned and operated by Furino Productions Inc. Directed by Anthony Furino, the AFHL is managed from its headquarters in Bay Shore, New York. The AFHL wants GMs in this league that are committed to winning and participating at the highest level possible. Anyone interested in joining the AFHL should contact the Commissioner via the ‘Contact’ page with their qualifications and to request information on franchise availability. If there are no franchises available, then you will be placed on a waiting list.

League Responsibilities

Commissioner: Anthony Furino
Runs drafts, approves trades, updates website, interprets rules, oversees FA player signings, and runs the AFHL in general.

Deputy Commissioner(s): Steven Stryska, Matt Plachta
Performs duties of the Commissioner when the Commissioner is absent, or is an involved party in a trade or rule dispute.

Trade Review Committee: Anthony Furino, Jason Henley, Pat McKenna, Matt Plachta, Ryan Taylor, Jordan Carbone
Consists of the Commissioner and multiple GM representatives of the league.

Part 2: General Rules & Operations

Participation Level

GM participation is the lifeblood of the AFHL and it’s something that is considered mandatory on a regular basis. Even though this is a fantasy hockey league, there are people who take this organization very seriously. The Commissioner spends countless hours designing and operating this league for you, the GM. Also, there are several GMs who participate faithfully on a daily basis and some would say they live and breathe the AFHL.

As a GM in the AFHL, you are expected to participate regularly. This includes posting messages in our group chat on the Telegram app. Post a message or share your opinion about anything: one of your players, your team, an opposing team, trash talk for a new rivalry, talk up some trade bait, talk about something unrelated to hockey, a funny story, something in your personal life etc. Make the 10 second effort to post a message. It doesn’t have to be every day, but at least once a week or several times a month, every now and then.

*If you’re not showing enough participation, then you will be replaced!

Other participation activities include:

-Adding/releasing/trading players

-Setting your lineup on a daily basis

-Talking to other AFHL GMs on the Telegram app

-Posting comments on articles on the ‘Home’ page of the AFHL website

Always feel free to share any ideas, suggestions and/or comments that you may have on the league. We sometimes use these to make changes to the league and better it for everyone.

Telegram App

ALL GMs in the AFHL must have the Telegram app on their cell phone and actively use it. This is a chat software used by the AFHL for GM communications, trade talks, drafts, etc. Telegram is free for all cell phones. 

Terms of Termination (Replacing a GM)

All GMs may be given notice of termination for any of the following reasons:
1. If it becomes apparent that a GM is not participating in any league activities, (roster changes, message forums, etc.), or otherwise disrupting the league by their actions or communications they may lose their franchise and another GM will be appointed. All teams are property of the AFHL.
2. Any GM using the message forums for advertising purposes or abusive behavior.
3. Any GM may propose that another GM be removed from the league. Contact the Commissioner in private and if there are sufficient reasons to support your case then that GM could be terminated.
4. The Commissioner will determine how much notice a GM will be given before dismissal and can perform actions without warning if the need is felt.

After being terminated, the GM is entitled to a full refund of their AFHL franchise fee. Refund will be given after new GM is appointed.

Team Names, Logos, and Uniforms

All teams are required to have logos and uniforms. All franchise identities must be approved by the Commissioner. Team name changes and/or relocation proposals must be sent to the Commissioner. Not all name changes and/or relocation proposals will be accepted. Relocations will have to adhere to the existing geographical alignment that is in place. These proposals cannot be made until the off-season and only one team per city is allowed.

League Schedule/Calendar

The AFHL regular season begins in October and ends in March (typically 23 weeks/games). The AFHL Playoffs begin in March and end in April. The Commissioner’s office closes shortly after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals and re-opens in the middle of the offseason. The AFHL Entry Draft begins a month or two before the start of the regular season.

Part 3: Rosters, Scoring, & Transactions

Team Rosters

Each AFHL franchise has a pro team consisting of 25 players and a farm team consisting of 30 players for a total of 55 players.

Positions to be filled in starting lineup on the pro team:
4 Left Wingers
4 Centers
4 Right Wingers
6 Defensemen
1 Goalie
+ 6 Bench Players

Scoring

The AFHL uses Head-to-Head scoring based on Fantrax hockey statistics. Basically, your team squares off in a weekly matchup against an opposing team to see who can compile the best stats across a number of different categories. A new weekly matchup begins every Monday and consists of a set number of games based on our league’s statistical categories. Each stat category counts as one game, with the win going to the team that finishes the week with the highest total in that category (the cumulative total after each Sunday’s games). Each goal, assist, win, save etc. is added as one unit to your season or weekly totals. So, if in a given week, your team scores more goals than your opposing team, you would be credited with a victory. However, if your opponent’s team ended the week with more saves than your team, you would be charged with a loss. If the two teams end up tied in a given category, each receives credit for a tied game. This weekly win-loss total is added to a cumulative season record where each win counts for two points, each tie counts for one, and each loss counts for none. The total of these points is used to determine standings and playoff seedings.

Forward/Defenseman Scoring

Goals (G)
Assists (A)
Points (P)
Hits
Powerplay Points (PPP)
Shorthanded Points (SHP)
Game-Winnings Goals (GWG)

Goaltender Scoring

Wins (W)
Saves Made (SV)
Goals Against Average (GAA)
Save Percentage (SV%)
Shutouts (SO

Injury Reserve (IR) List

GMs may assign players to their injury reserve (IR) list and call up a replacement player from the farm team. This does not open a free spot to sign a free agent (if you already have 23 players on pro team and 23 players on farm team). If a farm team replacement player gets injured while playing on the pro team, he can be sent back down to the farm, and another IR replacement player can be called up from the farm team.

Roster Transactions

Waivers

Any player aged 24 or older, as of the first game of the current regular season, will be subject to waivers for a 48 hour period before successfully being sent down to the farm team. While that player is on waivers ANY team may sign him. If a player is claimed, he MUST be placed on the pro roster of his new team and clear waivers again if he is assigned to the farm team. Once a team has claimed a player from waivers, that team will be placed in the last position on the waiver order list. If he is not claimed, he will successfully be sent to the farm roster. (This only happens when players are sent to the farm team – not when they are being called up to the pro team.) Players 23 and under on the farm team are not affected by the waiver rule and can play freely between both rosters. Any waiver claims (results) will be posted/announced once a week (every Tuesday).

When you trade for a player aged 24 or older, that player can not be sent straight to the minors without clearing waivers – unless that player was already in the minors at the time of the trade. 

Waivers are turned off during the offseason with the exception of the “Unconditional Release Waiver” which is always in effect.

Unconditional Release Waiver

Unconditional Release Waivers is when any player (regardless of age) is released by a team, that player is placed on waivers for 48 hours.

How to check for players on Waivers

View the TRANSACTIONS page on Fantrax. Specifically, click on TRANSACTIONS HISTORY and then click on the LINEUP CHANGES tab. On this page, you will see every transaction made by every team. If you see a team moved a player aged 24 or older down from the pro team to the farm team then that player is subject to waivers.

How to claim a player off Waivers

The team that wishes to sign/claim a player off waivers must email the commissioner at anthonyfurino27@gmail.com announcing that they’ve put in a claim for the player on waivers (Ex: Washington puts in a claim for Eric Fehr). The commissioner will award waiver claimed players based on the waiver order. The waiver order is determined at the beginning of the season based on the reverse point totals in the standings from the previous season. The team in last place gets first chance at players put on waivers. All players picked up off waivers are eligible to play any time after the waiver results were announced.

Trading Players

Trading players is a very important event that is taken very seriously in the AFHL. This is likely the most exciting thing about the league that the GMs can participate in. Teams may trade players, draft picks, or rights to retired players. There are a few rules and procedures pertaining to trading players that should be followed. Trades involving future considerations are not accepted in the AFHL.

When two GMs have agreed to a trade and all of the players in the deal have been determined, both GMs must simply agree to the trade on Fantrax.

New GMs must wait TWO WEEKS from the date they were hired before they can begin trading. 

If a player 24+ is traded to a new team, but was confirmed to be in the minors/farm from their original/previous team, then their new team can freely farm him. (in other words: you cannot farm an active player through trade, but you can farm a farmed player regardless of age).

Trade Approval

The Commissioner can approve the trade on Fantrax at any time. Trades may take up to 48 hours to be approved.

Trade Review

If any of the members on the Trade Review Committee thinks the trade is questionable, then the members have roughly 48 hours to consult each other (look for collusion and/or one team getting no benefit whatsoever). 

A trade may also go under review if a new GM is involved, to protect the new GM from getting taking advantage of, slow down impulsive trading, or prevent the new GM from possibly crippling the franchise. A GM is considered “new” for the first 60 days of his tenure. 

During the time of review, the Commissioner will post on the message board or group chat that the trade is currently under review. For a trade to be vetoed, more than 50% of the members on the Trade Review Committee must vote in favor of vetoing a trade. After voting, the Commissioner will post on the message board or group chat that the trade has been approved or the trade has been vetoed.

If you have questions about any transactions, please post in our group chat.

Part 4: AFHL Annual Events

The AFHL All-Star Game

The All-Star Game is an annual event that showcases the talent of the AFHL. It is held approximately half way through each regular season and features the American Conference All-Star Team versus the Canadian Conference All-Star Team. The game is scored from the NHL All-Star Game using regular AFHL scoring rules. Coaching duties are awarded to the team GM leading the conference one week before the All-Star Game. Assistant coaches are awarded to the second GM leading the conference one week before the All-Star Game. The winner of the game receives bragging rights. The host city is randomly selected along with logo and jersey designs.

The AFHL Awards Ceremony

Each year in the offseason, the AFHL holds an annual awards ceremony, recognizing the very best core of athletes in the AFHL for their regular season achievements. Lots of awards are given out including the Jack Adams Trophy (Best GM) and the Hart Trophy (Most Valuable Player).

The AFHL Rookie Entry Draft

Each year in the offseason, the AFHL holds an annual Rookie Entry Draft. The order of the draft is based on the final standings at the end of the regular season. Each team selects three players, one in each round, that is if they did not trade any draft picks in the previous season. Eligible players are players listed on the Central Scouting Registry prior to the NHL Entry draft.

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IMPORTANT DATES

FREE AGENCY:

Teams will not be allowed to sign any free agents until AFTER the Entry Draft is completed. Just like last year, we will have a one round Free Agency Draft based on the reverse standings from last year. After that one round then Free Agency will be a free for all.