VHL Rulebook Update - Trading and Podcasts

[Spartan 4,531]

Hello @Members!

 

Feels good to use that ping. Welcome to my first(?) non-VHLM rule-related announcement! The @BOG have had some discussions ongoing for a few months now over various rules in the VHL Rulebook, and have made some changes that are probably better to be announced for proper awareness.

 

First, podcast related changes!

 

After reviewing the existing podcast length/guests matrix and comparing them to the standards we hold for VHL.com articles/graphics/podcasts, Media Spots, and Graphics, we've decided to tweak the chart from generally being in increments of 15 minutes to increments of 10 minutes. We'd like to see more members take advantage of podcasts, especially since they're very simple to do (record on your phone, upload to Spotify using the Spotify for Podcasters app on your phone, can even record directly on the app!) and give you more flexibility and convenience than a graphic or media spot. Here's the new matrix for podcast duration to claim weeks/members on the podcast:

 

 

Now, on to trading related changes!

 

I'm sure everyone saw the infamous S96 VAN/WAR trade that caused quite the stir and put a spotlight on conditional trades. Conditional Trades have been left relatively vague due to the various possibilities that can exist in conditions, and the ability for GMs to use specific wording to drive specific outcomes. However, we would like to make a few common instances clearer and formally codified, resulting in three new rules, and remove an existing rule that was deemed to be potentially problematic due to the wording, despite not being referenced much. Here are the changes.

 

Being added:

 

1. Conditional trades involving draft picks must specify the season of the pick being conditioned. Teams may only defer collection of a pick as long the deferment has a clear condition for execution in accordance with standard draft pick trading rules.

 

2. Teams must own the assets being traded, or conditionally traded, as of the time of the trade. Teams must also continue holding ownership of assets that may need to be transferred to another team as a result of a fulfilled condition until the condition is executed upon.

 

3. A team that signs a player in FA, after acquiring their rights prior to the FA period in a conditional trade dependent on the player's signing, has met the criteria of the condition. (Ex. Vancouver acquires the rights to King Kisslinger from Warsaw prior to S96 Free Agency in exchange for a 3rd round pick that becomes a 1st if Kisslinger signs. If Vancouver signs Kisslinger in FA instead of prior to FA, Vancouver will still owe Warsaw the 1st round pick).

 

Relatively straightforward changes here. Conditional trades must be clear with the season of the pick being traded or have a clear deferment clause with another explicitly specified pick. Additionally, teams may no longer trade picks they don't own, but may acquire in the future. Any picks being conditioned must be retained by the team until the condition is either met and executed, or not met and free to be traded again. Lastly, we've had a few situations where player rights are traded with a condition on their re-signing, only for the player to go into FA and then be signed by the team that acquired their rights. We've developed a precedent where this action still meets the spirit of the condition, so we're formalizing it.

 

Being removed:

 

4. Any draft pick that is part of a condition may be traded in a separate trade, so long as the receiving team understands that there are conditions attached to that pick. i.e. If Helsinki makes a trade with Davos, guaranteeing the higher of two S75 1st round picks held by Helsinki at the time, then makes a trade sending the "other" S75 1st round pick to Toronto. Toronto must acknowledge that they would receive the lower of the two picks, while Davos receives the higher.

 

This rule was intended to allow for two conditions to be executed simultaneously, as described in the example, where the higher of two draft picks would go to one team, allowing the lower of those two picks to go to another team. However, the language presented a loophole where teams could condition a pick, and then trade the pick away before the condition executed (ex. Moscow sends a conditional 2nd to Davos, where if Moscow wins the cup, Davos receives a 1st. However, Moscow then decides to trade their 1st away to Warsaw resulting in the inability for Davos to receive the 1st). Since conditional trades can already be made sending the higher/lower of two picks to two different teams, we felt it was unnecessary to have this wording in the rulebook where teams could potentially exploit conditions to avoid paying out the conditioned pick.

 

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Thanks for joining my rule change discussion, and happy holidays!

 

Tagging @VHL GM for awareness and @Commissioner because I probably should.

[Pifferfish 596]

I do think trading conditional picks should be allowed just need to be a clear way of denoting that a pick has a condition that you should go learn about. Like happens in the NBA all the time with picks restricted by swap rights. But yeah, in light of the fact that that clarity doesn't presently exist and requires a great deal of investigation, good change. 

[Alex 3,248]

*

[N0HBDY 1,131]

@FrankWe've made history

[Grape 739]

47 minutes ago, Spartan said:

(ex. Moscow sends a conditional 2nd to Davos, where if Moscow wins the cup, Davos receives a 1st. However, Moscow then decides to trade their 1st away to Warsaw resulting in the inability for Davos to receive the 1st).

 

 

Horrible example. Moscow doesn't win cups, so they should be safe to move that 1st anyways

[Frank 5,258]

24 minutes ago, Alex said:

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Re-sim

[Ricer13 2,824]

I like the changes. Keeps GMs honest.

[Banackock 8,140]

6 minutes ago, Ricer13 said:

I like the changes. Keeps GMs honest.

[Ahma 1,444]

The podcast rule change has been a long time coming

[Phil 5,129]

VIVA LA PODCASTS!!!

[Vice 408]

18 hours ago, Frank said:

Re-sim

That re-sim lives rent free in your head doesnt it