Rule changes regarding playoffs, draft lottery, double-shifting restrictions + VHLM Draft Lottery

[McWolf 3,115]

Hello, McWolf here with what appears to be a new tradition; rule changes happening every single offseason.

 

 

1 - The state of the VHLM after the contraction to 10 teams.

The fact that two of our teams, the Minnesota Storm and the Yukon Rush, were promoted to the VHLE is interested for the community in general, but from the point of view of the VHLM individually, we are actually contracting from 12 to 10 teams. The conference alignment remains unchanged, since Minnesota was in the Eastern Conference and Yukon was in the Western Conference, so both divisions are losing a team and they are still the same size. The playoffs format won't change, we still have the 8 best teams making it to the show, with the best team from every conference earning a top 2 seed. The bigger change for us is that we go from 4 to 2 teams missing the playoffs every season. Only 2 teams missing meant only 2 teams in the lottery and that felt lame. d_a and I both failed to see the value of the lottery as a whole for the VHLM when there were 4 teams in it, but kept it around anyway, but with this contraction, it just feels like the right time to sack it.

 

This means that the S81 VHLM Draft Lottery was the last one until someone takes my place and makes it a thing again, probably. Talking of which, the lottery happened on Discord, in a live stream in front of most VHLM GMs. The results were as follows:

 

Spoiler

Mississauga Hounds: 30%

Saskatoon Wild: 25%

San Diego Marlins: 25%

Ottawa Lynx (from MEX): 20%

 

Spoiler

The San Diego Marlins won the lottery.

 

1. San Diego Marlins +2

2. Mississauga Hounds -1

3. Saskatoon Wild -1

4. Ottawa Lynx (from MEX)

 

Contractions are usually followed by dispersal drafts or things like that, but in our case, Minnesota and Yukon had so few assets returning next season that we elected to simply make all of their current players free agents starting tonight, and we'll skip their picks during the draft this Saturday. This affects all of @Lbrod1 @Ekky @Will @Thunderidge @Jellydiot @Infernal, who should all get a notification saying they were released at some point tonight. GMs are free to start offering when free agency opens.

 

 

2 - Revised double shifting

Last season, we made a new rule that prevented double shifting, which made sense to me and d_a at the time, but ended up giving way too much ice time to bots during the whole season. We are revising this rule and making it so teams can't double shift players among their top three lines and pairs - like last season - but only during the playoffs. This means that teams with less players can play them on each of their lines and use that to their advantage in waiver negotiations. However, teams with more players will still be at an advantage when the playoffs start, so we're still encouraging GMs to get as many players as they can, instead of relying on the good old 6 forwards, 4 defensemen core.

 

 

McWolf

cc: @VHLM Commissioner @VHLM GM

[Gustav 6,417]

59 minutes ago, McWolf said:

2 - Revised double shifting

Last season, we made a new rule that prevented double shifting, which made sense to me and d_a at the time, but ended up giving way too much ice time to bots during the whole season. We are revising this rule and making it so teams can't double shift players among their top three lines and pairs - like last season - but only during the playoffs. This means that teams with less players can play them on each of their lines and use that to their advantage in waiver negotiations. However, teams with more players will still be at an advantage when the playoffs start, so we're still encouraging GMs to get as many players as they can, instead of relying on the good old 6 forwards, 4 defensemen core.

 

Thank you for this. 

[McWolf 3,115]

1 hour ago, GustavMattias said:

 

Thank you for this. 

A man of culture, I see

[youloser1337 1,106]

I think that double shift rule is perfect! I think the change going into playoffs really solidifies that you should be going for waivers and not be a 1 line team.

 

The only issue I see with that rule is that it heavily relies on recruiting. If we don't get recruits how are we going to offer. Remember this past season? We had that big boom but didn't retain a lot before the draft so teams weren't as fleshed out. It took a bit to get an ad out there to finally get a steady stream of waiver eligible players going.

 

I also think this will encourage teams to sell at the deadline and stock up on picks. I just don't want to see another Houston situation where they had 0 players.

[Horcrux 322]

8 hours ago, McWolf said:

2 - Revised double shifting

Last season, we made a new rule that prevented double shifting, which made sense to me and d_a at the time, but ended up giving way too much ice time to bots during the whole season. We are revising this rule and making it so teams can't double shift players among their top three lines and pairs - like last season - but only during the playoffs. This means that teams with less players can play them on each of their lines and use that to their advantage in waiver negotiations. However, teams with more players will still be at an advantage when the playoffs start, so we're still encouraging GMs to get as many players as they can, instead of relying on the good old 6 forwards, 4 defensemen core.

This is a fantastic idea, Im glad you chose this route. well done 

[McWolf 3,115]

3 hours ago, youloser1337 said:

The only issue I see with that rule is that it heavily relies on recruiting. If we don't get recruits how are we going to offer. Remember this past season? We had that big boom but didn't retain a lot before the draft so teams weren't as fleshed out. It took a bit to get an ad out there to finally get a steady stream of waiver eligible players going.

 

We cut two teams, so on average, every team is going to have a couple more players than this past season. But yes, our roster size - and roster disparity - situation will always heavily rely on recent recruitment drives. No set of rule can change that. The only real thing I can think of quickly that would kill the disparity altogether is making an actual waiver system, where teams choose players in a given order, but it takes away from the user experience by forcing them onto a team from the moment they create. I can tell you right now, we're never switching (back) to that.

[Vice 403]

Very solid changes!