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 and a cash prize.
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, Matt Plachta, Ryan Taylor, Jason Henley, Pat McKenna, and 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. 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, etc. Make the two-minute 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 at least the slightest bit of participation, then you will be replaced!
Other participation activities include:
-Posting team reports/press releases on the League Message Board
-Talking to other AFHL GMs in private one-on-one chats
-Posting comments on articles posted 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 Messenger App
ALL GMs in the AFHL must have a Telegram app installed 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 on or around April 15th and re-opens on or around July 1st each year. The AFHL Entry Draft typically begins in July-August.
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, the GMs NO LONGER have to post the deal in the ‘Trade Announcements’ forum on the Yuku Message Board detailing everyone and everything involved (players and/or picks). Both GMs must simply agree to the trade on Fantrax.
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. The trade does not need to be approved on the Telegram app unless it goes under review…
Trade Review
If any of the members on the Trade Review Committee thinks the trade is questionable, then the members have roughly 48 hrs to consult each other (look for collusion and/or one team getting no benefit whatsoever). During the time of review, the Commissioner will post on the message board that the trade is currently under review. For a trade to be vetoed, at least two of the three members of the Trade Review Committee must vote in favor of vetoing a trade. After voting, the Commissioner will post on the message board that the trade has been approved or the trade has been vetoed.
If you have questions about any transactions, please post in the ‘Questions’ forum on the Yuku Message Board.
Part 4: AFHL Annual Events
The AFHL All-Star Game
The All-Star Game is an event that showcases the talent of the AFHL. It is held approximately half way through the 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.
Partner Programs
AFHL Podcasts
AFHL Events & Initiatives
2022-23 NHL Season
Most Buzzworthy Moments
Mic Drop: Game 1 of Cup Final
Every 2023 playoff overtime goal
Hill’s spectacular stick save in Game 1
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.