They didn't belong to a VHL team. There, solved. You can't play 9 VHL Seasons. Only 8. And you are eligible to play in the VHL based on when you create your player. I also DOUBT they were at 175 before Game1. In regards to "DELAYING" your adding of points, you delayed it for an entire off-season.
Here's a for example on how you can legally work the rules. I didn't earn TPE to get over 500 this year because I knew it would help in salary. The salary brackets are cut at the end of the season. So, when S36 ended, I stayed at 499 to stay in a lower salary bracket. Similarly, you could decline points (even if awarded to you) that would put you over 175 before the season.