A huge list of changes I think would benefit the VHL with the VHLM (and potentially the VHL) expanding.

[Peace 1,562]

The league is changing, and thanks to the efforts of Beaviss and the recruitment team - supported by the stats that have surfaced displaying a huge jump in page clicks and registrations - the league is growing once again. I'm aware of analytics and how they work, but I believe it is time for the VHL to grow with the user base. It's time for the VHL to 'go with the flow', adapt and overcome what I believe will be serious blockages. 

Blockages the VHLM is already experiencing. The VHLM is simply not built to support Beaviss's vision currently and we've had to halt an advertisement and future recruitment drives until the season is over so the league can expand to support those ambitions. With it, the VHL down the road will also experience the same roadblocks unless they too adapt. One team in particular comes to mind, and that is my own. It is a clogged team (and although they have consequences for that in CAP space) with players who have left because they weren't happy being stuck with limited ice time. 

There are many changes in this, and I'd like to formerly apologise for how disorganised it seems. 

The following changes are targeting three things: Retention, growth and security. 

The league is changing... it's time for us to change with it. I'm not implying we're not, I think everyone has done a fantastic job with this league. The portal is leagues above anything anyone else is offering and the VHL has probably one of the least toxic communities around - all things considered. It's time to adapt to the growing number of individuals by allowing them to enjoy their time here on leagues that can support them, rather than clutter them on the fourth line of a team for two minutes a game. 

 

Retention is important, right? 

Each change is broken down into categories - or sections - with examples and experiences below. Some of them are exclusively VHLM, while others are both, and likewise for VHL exclusive suggestions. I hope the website likes these suggestions as I enjoyed writing them. Both on paper and then reformed as I got access to a laptop momentarily.  

SECTION I - ROSTER LIMITS

 

It's no secret that the VHL in its current format supports six forwards, four defenders and a goaltender. After that problems arise, so these limits are to help grow the VHL and are all connected one way or another. Beyond the top lines, the sim becomes less and less enjoyable for each individual experiencing the displeasure of playing so little. As a result, we lose retention when they leave because they are frustrated.

 

SEC I.a - From here-on in, each team is limited to a maximum roster size of seven forwards, five defenders and two goaltenders. 

SEC I.b - No team is allowed to pass the cap from free agency or waiver wire (VHL); they are allowed to pass the cap from internal drafting and trades while pushing for a championship. 

SEC I.c: A VHLM team is allowed to pass the cap if replacing inactive members of their team prior to the official release. An inactive player is defined as someone who has not applied TPA to their character in two weeks without notifying the general manager they need to take a leave of absence. 

SEC I.d: In the event the majority of VHLM teams have full rosters, and the lack of effort from other GMs to fill their vacancies, teams are allowed to pass the cap so newer players can still participate in the sim; however, if a team is at the roster cap and other teams not at the roster cap are actively pursuing free agents, those at the cap are unable to make roster signings. An inactive GM is defined as a GM who has not offered a new player a contract within a reasonable time on the player page, which by default (for this proposal) is twenty four hours: GMs are still expected to help and assist new players. 

SEC I.e: The VHLM can currently support - after the expansion next off season - 40 wingers, 20 centres (60 forwards), 40 defenders, 10 starting goaltenders and 10 backup goaltenders. 

SEC I.f: All teams who have a backup goaltender are expected to play their back up twice every ten games, no exception. 


SECTION II - TPE cap and restrictions: 

SEC II.a: VHLM Player TPE cap is raised from 200 to 300 TPA to support an expanding league, to make the VHLM more competitive consistently, spread the development of prospects for VHL clubs and avoid VHL teams from being clogged. It is the responsibility of a GM to make sure each team fits the roster spaces available. For VHL teams, prospects do NOT count towards the roster space available. 

SEC II.b: World Junior Tournament TPE limit is removed. Teams are selected based on the 6 forward, 4 defender and 1 goalie roster. Players are selected from the VHLM, or any free agent still able to play in the VHLM. 

SEC II.c: VHL teams cannot call a prospect up to their club unless they have passed 250 TPE (prospects below 250 TPA are ineligible for VHL play). 

SEC II.d: The window for prospects to be called up and down is between 250 and 299 TPA, or three days worth of sims. After a player passed 300 TPA or three sim days, they are forced to play in the VHL and are no longer eligible for VHLM play. 



SECTION III - Expansion and regression. 

SEC III.a: Expansion automatically occurs if a league exceeds the threshold of players they can support. If teams can no longer support the amount of players participating in a league, the league expands. 

SEC III.b: Regression automatically occurs if twenty five percent or more of the leagues available roster spots (sorted by position and taken into an overall decision) are empty. The league isn't generating enough players to support the teams, the teams are consolidated. 

SEC III.c: Decisions to expand and consolidate are, obviously, maintained in the BoG and debated between everyone. I would like GMs to be added to these discussions as we're doing the day to day management of the teams used on the website. 


SECTION IV - The "AGM" role and replacing it with a real job available to all teams. 

SEC IV.a: If this proposal is approved, or at least parts of it, I'd love to see the 'Acting General Manager / Assistant General Manager' role officially removed from the sim and discord. In its place arrives the 'Head Coach' role, a role the AGM rank is technically filling. Assistant General Managers are there to learn about the sim, how to submit and adjust lines and tactics, how to manage a team full of real people and help the GM do their jobs. An AGM is NOT supposed to do a GMs job for them, be it offering contracts on player pages or filling in for a GM in an absence unless approved by the league. 

SEC IV.b: The 'Head Coach' role grants one capped TPE per week as an official job, and the duties of the Head Coach are to maintain communication (alongside the GM) with their team and help them develop. The VHLM is a developmental league and we need people who can influence a person great enough they want to keep coming back for some more. The Head Coach's responsibility also includes submitting lines in the absence or inability of the general manager. 

SEC IV.c: General Managers retain the right to submit their own lines, but are encouraged to seek the opinion from the head coach. This is a learning role, and GMs are expected to help someone who wants to be a GM one day to realise their potential. 

SEC IV.d: Needs to be said, but Head Coaches have no management rights whatsoever. They are unable to offer positions on player pages, however they can help their GM by introducing themselves as the head coach of a team and expressing their interest in their player while tagging their GM. It's teamwork, and while it may sound similar, Head Coaches cannot officially offer a position. There is a difference between saying 'I'd love to have you on my first line!' and "We can offer you first line minutes." 

 

SEC IV.e: If a head coach submits lines, please include that information in the topic title. Example: SSK HC LINES so the simmers know if it was a GM or Head Coach sending the lines. To avoid confusion, communicate with your GM whether or not you can send lines in prior to sending them in. 
  
 

SECTION V - Expansion Draft

SEC V.a: VHL teams can protect the following: 
A) 3 forwards, 1 defender and 1 goaltender. 
B) 4 skaters of any kind. 
C) 3 skaters and a pick. 
D) 1 skater and and two pick. 

SEC V.b: VHLM teams can protect the following:
A) 2 forwards, a defender and a goaltender. 
B) 2 skaters of any kind.
C) A skater and a pick.
D) Two picks. 

SEC V.c: No first round pick from any team is eligible to be drafted from them VIA expansion draft. 

SEC V.d: No GM player is eligible to be drafted from a team and is automatically protected by the club. In order to avoid abusing this system, the GM player counts a claim in any category despite position. For example, if your GM player is a goaltender, you can claim him as a forward and still protect two forwards, a defender and another goaltender on your roster should you wish. 

SEC V.e: Teams are authorised to trade picks to the expansion team(s) in return for leaving an unprotected player with the team. Each individual is valued separately, so a team can't say 'don't pick these guys here for a first rounder'. You'd have to go 'don't pick this guy for a first rounder'. 

SEC V.f: An expansion draft is ten picks overall. A team must select three forwards, two defenders and a goaltender at minimum. Prospects who are unsigned are ineligible, prospects below 275 TPE are ineligible. If an expansion team cannot complete their draft, they proceed with the players selected. If there were no players available to full fill the requirements, they may continue as if they had selected them.



SECTION VI - Player Career (and related).

SEC VI.a: Player career increased from eight seasons max to ten. 

SEC VI.b: Depreciation begins at season eight instead of six. 

SEC VI.c: Sims speed increased from two 'game days' to three per sim. Seasons are concluded faster and a career should last a full year (roughly). 

SEC VI.d: Recreate TPE increased from 75 to 100, new players increased from 30 to 45 to accommodate a longer stay in the VHLM. 

 

 

 

 

 

What do you guys think? 

Sorry for the novel. 

Can I claim this as TPE?

[Beaviss 4,958]

That was a read 

 

I'll add comments later

[Nykonax 1,566]

15 minutes ago, Peace said:

SEC II.a: VHLM Player TPE cap is raised from 200 to 300 TPA to support an expanding league, to make the VHLM more competitive consistently, spread the development of prospects for VHL clubs and avoid VHL teams from being clogged. It is the responsibility of a GM to make sure each team fits the roster spaces available. For VHL teams, prospects do NOT count towards the roster space available. 

No. 300 tpe is too much, especially when playing against 100 tpe players. You saw how pepper dominated in the WJC because he was playing against even 200 tpe players.

 

16 minutes ago, Peace said:

SEC II.b: World Junior Tournament TPE limit is removed. Teams are selected based on the 6 forward, 4 defender and 1 goalie roster. Players are selected from the VHLM, or any free agent still able to play in the VHLM. 

Well with the other rule the WJC tourney cap would effectively be 300. So this is useless.

 

17 minutes ago, Peace said:

SEC V.d: No GM player is eligible to be drafted from a team and is automatically protected by the club. In order to avoid abusing this system, the GM player counts a claim in any category despite position. For example, if your GM player is a goaltender, you can claim him as a forward and still protect two forwards, a defender and another goaltender on your roster should you wish. 

GM players should just be automatically protected without needing a spot, just like how they are automatically drafted to their team.

[Peace 1,562]

1 minute ago, Nykonax said:

No. 300 tpe is too much, especially when playing against 100 tpe players. You saw how pepper dominated in the WJC because he was playing against even 200 tpe players.

 

I disagree. 200 -300 TPA players in the VHL are doing just fine for their rookie seasons. Pepper was dominant because the team was. 

 

1 minute ago, Nykonax said:

Well with the other rule the WJC tourney cap would effectively be 300. So this is useless.

 

Perhaps, but those are also VHL free agents as well. When I said “can play” you’re right, 300 TPA, but that addition was specifically for free agents not signed to a VHL team and not playing in the VHLM. 

 

1 minute ago, Nykonax said:

GM players should just be automatically protected without needing a spot, just like how they are automatically drafted to their team.

 

Fully disagree, GM players are automatically selected for protection based on that fact. If not, it opens up the avenue to abuse a system. 

[Peace 1,562]

12 minutes ago, Beaviss said:

That was a read 

 

I'll add comments later

 

Thank you for reading.

[Nykonax 1,566]

2 minutes ago, Peace said:

I disagree. 200 -300 TPA players in the VHL are doing just fine for their rookie seasons. Pepper was dominant because the team was.  

But they are playing against 500+ tpe players. 300 TPE is huge compared to new people who will get steamrolled by them. Asia wasn't dominant lol. The only reason why we got to silver is cause of lucky wins and pepper

 

3 minutes ago, Peace said:

Fully disagree, GM players are automatically selected for protection based on that fact. If not, it opens up the avenue to abuse a system. 

How would you abuse the system?

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

So to start, I'd like to thank you for writing a thoughtful, well-written list of ideas. Bringing up, discussing, and being open to change is always a good thing. With that said, I am now going to disagree with basically every single idea that you just proposed.

 

Section 1 - Roster Limits

VHL - The salary cap and brackets are in place to place an artificial soft limit on roster sizes. Riga's large roster (and I don't believe there are any others currently in the VHL, but I have not actually checked) are the extreme exception and not the norm. I cannot remember a team, competitive or re-building, that had as many skaters as they currently do. If rosters start getting to large, then there is a problem with the salary cap and/or brackets.

 

No to any sort of soft cap or salary cap extension. At the end of the day, the VHL is a sim league and not our jobs, and some simplicity is needed in the structure of the league.

 

VHLM - The waiver cap should always be able to be adjusted based on recruitment. It was only put in place to make sure that team's don't become too strong just due to new players, specifically trade deadline re-creates. Inactive GMs (and I don't mean your 24 hour rule) should be removed. Regarding 24 hours...people are going to be off this site for over a day from time to time. Again, VHL is a sim league hobby, not a job.

 

Section 2 - TPE Limits

 

VHLM Cap to 300 - No, no no no no no. I am one of the biggest proponents of the VHLM there is. Hell, there was a serious argument at one point to completely remove the VHLM, which needed protection at that time. With that said, the goal of the VHLM is to develop and retain members for the VHL. The VHLM is and always should be the secondary league. With only 8 seasons in your career, you really shouldn't want to spend extra time in the minors, because at the end...the results don't exactly matter. Yes, it's  fun when you're there, but at the end of a player's career, no one really cares how many Founder's Cups.

 

Don't know enough about World Juniors to comment.

 

VHL call ups - again, VHL is the primary league. If a member does not want to play in the VHLM or if their VHL team needs them, then they should not be forced to play in the minors.

 

Section 3 - Expansion/Regression

 

I disagree that hard rules are needed here. This is something that comes down to the BoG and respective Blue/Green teams, and I don't believe team numbers should be changing too often.

 

Section 4 - AGMs/Head Coaches

 

I don't see the point in this. AGMs can still learn from GMs. Anyone can send in lines the GM can't. It happens all the time. If VHLM GMs want to give some of their pay to their AGM since there's more daily activity in the VHLM than the VHL, sure, whatever. In my mind, the AGM is there to learn GMing and the VHLM rules, and to also be able to send offers to players in the event the GM can't. This role is not needed in the VHL.

 

Section 5 - Expansion Draft

 

All I have is that I think your protections are about 1 skater too short on all of them. Other than that, whatever we did before worked pretty well I think.

 

Section 6 - Player Career

 

No to extended careers. One of the positives (in my opinion) of the VHL is the high turnover in players. This doesn't allow a single player or a single member to dominate the league for an extended period of time and keeps the leagues/rosters fresh. Player careers are already a little over a year long if you go the full 8 seasons. 

 

Changing the sim speed drastically changes how much TPE is earned in a season, and changes what the VHL is balanced around. You're also putting even more stress on an already stressful job. 

 

 

And damn...I want to claim this as a media spot too.

[Peace 1,562]

I appreciate your feedback guys. 

I'd like to say this isn't a thread where it's my way or the highway, I brought up this conversation to inspire some discussion. 

It's public knowledge the VHLM is expanding, along with 'a lot of changes' coming down the pipes for both leagues. 

[Eudaldkp 160]

6 hours ago, flyersfan1453 said:

So to start, I'd like to thank you for writing a thoughtful, well-written list of ideas. Bringing up, discussing, and being open to change is always a good thing. With that said, I am now going to disagree with basically every single idea that you just proposed.

 

Section 1 - Roster Limits

VHL - The salary cap and brackets are in place to place an artificial soft limit on roster sizes. Riga's large roster (and I don't believe there are any others currently in the VHL, but I have not actually checked) are the extreme exception and not the norm. I cannot remember a team, competitive or re-building, that had as many skaters as they currently do. If rosters start getting to large, then there is a problem with the salary cap and/or brackets.

 

No to any sort of soft cap or salary cap extension. At the end of the day, the VHL is a sim league and not our jobs, and some simplicity is needed in the structure of the league.

 

VHLM - The waiver cap should always be able to be adjusted based on recruitment. It was only put in place to make sure that team's don't become too strong just due to new players, specifically trade deadline re-creates. Inactive GMs (and I don't mean your 24 hour rule) should be removed. Regarding 24 hours...people are going to be off this site for over a day from time to time. Again, VHL is a sim league hobby, not a job.

 

Section 2 - TPE Limits

 

VHLM Cap to 300 - No, no no no no no. I am one of the biggest proponents of the VHLM there is. Hell, there was a serious argument at one point to completely remove the VHLM, which needed protection at that time. With that said, the goal of the VHLM is to develop and retain members for the VHL. The VHLM is and always should be the secondary league. With only 8 seasons in your career, you really shouldn't want to spend extra time in the minors, because at the end...the results don't exactly matter. Yes, it's  fun when you're there, but at the end of a player's career, no one really cares how many Founder's Cups.

 

Don't know enough about World Juniors to comment.

 

VHL call ups - again, VHL is the primary league. If a member does not want to play in the VHLM or if their VHL team needs them, then they should not be forced to play in the minors.

 

Section 3 - Expansion/Regression

 

I disagree that hard rules are needed here. This is something that comes down to the BoG and respective Blue/Green teams, and I don't believe team numbers should be changing too often.

 

Section 4 - AGMs/Head Coaches

 

I don't see the point in this. AGMs can still learn from GMs. Anyone can send in lines the GM can't. It happens all the time. If VHLM GMs want to give some of their pay to their AGM since there's more daily activity in the VHLM than the VHL, sure, whatever. In my mind, the AGM is there to learn GMing and the VHLM rules, and to also be able to send offers to players in the event the GM can't. This role is not needed in the VHL.

 

Section 5 - Expansion Draft

 

All I have is that I think your protections are about 1 skater too short on all of them. Other than that, whatever we did before worked pretty well I think.

 

Section 6 - Player Career

 

No to extended careers. One of the positives (in my opinion) of the VHL is the high turnover in players. This doesn't allow a single player or a single member to dominate the league for an extended period of time and keeps the leagues/rosters fresh. Player careers are already a little over a year long if you go the full 8 seasons. 

 

Changing the sim speed drastically changes how much TPE is earned in a season, and changes what the VHL is balanced around. You're also putting even more stress on an already stressful job. 

 

 

And damn...I want to claim this as a media spot too.

Except with section 4, I agree with everything here. 

 

[BOOM 8,809]

@Peace

 

Even if none of these are acted upon, kudos to you for the post, the explanations and the thought put into the ideas. I'm sure they will generate discussion. Great work. 

[Quik 4,113]

@Peace aka Martin Luther  - To answer the easiest part of this, yes, you may claim as a Media Spot.

 

As for the actual points in this article, we always welcome new idea, and love to have feedback from members, but to echo flyersfan, pretty much none of these are workable in the league.

 

Roster Limits

The way things currently are won't last forever. Teams with 3 lines and 5+ D-men are a rarity, and only possible right now because there's been a desire to incubate before expanding the league again. Recruitment in the past 2 drafts has been stronger than the league has ever seen, so while it's lead to larger rosters in the present, there was no appetite to expand again, if it was only going to lead to retraction once again. With expansion an eventuality at this point, rosters will not be 12+skaters deep forever.

 

VHLM Caps (really what that is)

The cap is to prevent new members from being beaten into the ground by players with 250 more tpe than them. The VHLM is a feeder league to the VHL, and raising the cap just to feast on lesser competition, while burning actual VHL career seasons, does not work. The WJC is mostly meant for new members, while letting re-creates also participate. The 350 cap is there to allow players who may have missed it on their first go around have a chance to actually play in it before becoming too strong for a tournament meant for "young" players.

 

Also, there will never be a limit on what a team can do with a drafted asset. Last season, I gave all of my players the option to come up, or return to the VHLM. Some chose to stay, some chose to come up. If that's what the member/team think is best, then they won't be forced to stay in a feeder league, just because it helps a VHLM GM - in fact, the whole point of the VHLM is to encourage players to get their most enjoyment and graduate, so forcing someone to stay down runs counter to the entire purpose of the league.

 

Expansion/Retraction

This is a talk mostly for BOG, but the idea is to always build, not tear down. Retracting two franchises from the VHL was a massive black-eye for a league that was in a lot of turmoil at the time. With future expansion, the goal is to have a league healthy enough to sustain, and continue to grow, rather than constantly yo-yoing number of teams. We are reaching that point, and things are looking extremely bright for the league's future, but retraction is something we look to avoid.

 

AGM Role

I'll concede that, in the VHLM, where there is a lot more day-to-day transactions/interactions, an AGM serves a decent purpose. In the VHL, there is less of a need for it. Personally, and @Beketov is in a similar boat, we don't agree with the idea of paid AGMs in the VHL, though that can of worms has now been opened. For over a decade, that role was a mentorship, which allowed newer members to gain experience, and be groomed for a future GM role. I don't believe anything has changed on that front, other than there being more members in the league now.

 

The idea of a Head Coach has come up, in different capacities, before. What you propose, however, removes a lot of control from a GM, adding a fairly unnecessary position to the league. If a GM can't submit lines, they can ask anyone on their team (or even someone not on their team if they trust them) to submit lines for them. When it comes to making sure back-ups play the minimum number of games, GMs should know that, but their players can remind them as well. There's nothing a paid HC would do that can't already be done.

 

Expansion Draft

Another discussion that will happen in the BOG when the time comes. I will say that your protections lists would provide champions within the first 2 seasons of expansion. Teams have been rebuilt fairly quickly with less assets than you're proposing an expansion franchise start with, and while the goal is to have a successful franchise, it's not to hand an expansion team a champion caliber roster off the bat.

 

Player Careers

I am the biggest proponent of extending careers. I've been pushing it for over a year, since coming back. But it needs to come at a cost, and pushing it an extra 2 seasons, while also pushing depreciation back by 2 seasons is the exact opposite of a cost. I'm at nearly 500 TPE, while in my rookie season. By the time I hit my 6th season, I should have around 1200-1300 TPE, 1350-1400 by season 7, and ~1550-1600 by the time I start my 8th. Rookies coming into the league with 200, or even 300 TPE would not be able to hold a candle to players with that type of TPA. The only way longer careers would work is if depreciation stayed the same as it is now, and you have to buy extra seasons, thus sacrificing chances at fighting depreciation.

 

As for extra starting TPE/carry-over, what we have now works fine, and there is no reason to extend VHLM careers.

 

 

I hope you aren't discouraged by the feedback, and look forward to more from you in the future, even if I need an intermission to use the restroom and get some snacks in the middle of reading it

[Peace 1,562]

@Eudaldkp 

I appreciate your feedback and your support on the Head Coach idea! 


@BOOM™

Thank you for the kind words. 


@Quik

I wrote these suggestions knowing that Beaviss is targeting to grow the league by 100-150 members VIA passive and active YouTube ads (mainly from TacTixHD so I've heard). If the league can anticipate to support a potentially exponential growth then I fully admit that the majority of these suggestions are void. I appreciate the time you took to reply to my suggestions. 




I take constructive criticism very well, and as a growing author it's a key intangible to writing better and producing better written content. I may not be published yet but as I grow my abilities as a writer and expand my vocabulary anything is possible. Thinking critically of a written reply rather than being critical of those replies is how authors develop a sense of appreciation for feedback. I'm not at all disheartened or discouraged and I will continue to press for a better VHL. 

I'm glad this is producing at least a small discussion.