Expansion and Wishful Thinking

[mattyIceman 1,036]

The latest season 73 expansion had my imagination whirling...

 

I'll be dropping in a though or two on the VHL structure, and speaking only from a hypothetical point of view in this one.

 

The VHL and VHLM each have their own drafts.  Has it been this was since season one? Season two?  Season when??

 

From my own perspective, its a bit weird that a Minor League team gets to draft at all.  It isnt even an entry draft.  It's a dispersal draft.  That for me is a bit strange... but in the grand scheme of how this fine league has operated, it's worked out fine and maintained its longevity.  Its main purpose has been to integrate newcomers into the VHL systems and introduce to them long-tenured agencies that are mandated to help them earn TPE and retain players to participate.

 

What if it didnt operate this way...

 

What if there was a Juniors League (JVHL) that the newcomers and recreates played for a season up to 150 TPE, then get drafted by a VHL team when eligible.  Then the VHL team would have the freedom to call up and send down players according to max contracts and salary cap with their affiliate VHLM team.

 

Just like the NHL.

 

How about free agent inactive players get their own league as well?  Some sort of VHL Division A league?  If they chose to return to the community, they could easily reintegrate into the VHL.

 

Just like the NHL can scout outside the league in Europe.

 

How ideal would that be?  I could understand the initial index and governance complications, but realigning all the teams would sure make things interesting.  16 VHL teams, 16 VHLM teams, 6 JVHL teams and 6 Division A teams.

 

A global VHL, perhaps that's some wishful thinking there.

 

Or maybe not....

 

I'll write more soon on what swirls in my imagination.

 

Cheers folks, comment your thoughts if you like!!

[Beketov 8,642]

The VHLM originally was affiliated with the VHL teams instead of being it's own league. We didn't have the third league of course and I have discussed that since but the system we have now has worked well for a long time. Basically we think of the VHLM more as the CHL, rather than the AHL. It's not affiliated with the VHL in any way, it's just a place for new players to play until they graduate up to the VHL. The idea of having an AHL system is solid but realistically speaking we don't have so many players that drop downs are really necessary. If a player is over the VHLM cap they are likely to be able to make an impact on a VHL team and there's room for them.

 

There's also the issue of simming. What you are proposing is 4 distinct leagues, including 1 that would need be be simmed and run exclusively for inactive players. It's simply a lot of extra work for very little gain. We aren't like the NHL where players will hold their spot for 20 seasons or whatever. The turnaround is fast enough that there's always room for new guys.

[mattyIceman 1,036]

I totally get all the implications involved, and I get that the M is more regarded as a CHL and not an AHL.  I do get also that the indexes would need to be consolidated and simming would be an issue.

 

The idea of having a league for inactives would sure make for interesting VHFL banter due to its random nature!

 

I'm just spitting out what my imagination tells me!

 

Thanks for chiming in!! Cheers bud