Rookie Keeper - Rule proposal

Post date: Dec 02, 2009 4:49:14 AM

I've been thinking about this for a few days, trying to figure out how to better be able to build our teams with rookies.

The 2 biggest things holding back teams from carrying upcoming - but not yet achieving - players:

1. Not enough bench positions to hide both rookies and injured players.

2. Not enough keeper spots to justify keeping a risky young player.

I think the simplest solution is to increase both of these limits. Adding a few conditions, of course.

I've tried to summarize all the new and changed rules into 10 points:

Expanded Rosters + Rookie Keeper:

1. Expand rosters by 3 additional bench positions. These extra spots are equivalent to the existing bench positions.

2. Increase salary cap by an additional $900k per position (ie. 22 players @ 3.125M/player + 3 players @ 0.9M/player = 71.45M cap)

3. Allow a rookie keeper system: up to 3 extra keepers positions reserved for 'rookies', who are defined as any player with under 82 games (according to nhl.com) as of the date Sept 1. preceding the keeper deadline.

4. Change to roster rule 18b - Now up to 4 goalies may be carried, PROVIDED at least one goalie qualifies as a rookie. (ie. 2 rookie goalies may be carried on a roster)

5. If a team has is carrying 4 goalies, and no goalie currently qualifies as a rookie at the time of any draft, at least 1 goalie must be removed from the team during the draft (dropped or traded).

6. Change to keeper rule 36b - Now up to 2 goalies may be kept, PROVIDED at least one goalie qualifies as a rookie. (ie. 2 rookie goalies may be kept as rookie keepers)

7. Managers may decide not to keep the maximum number of rookie players. For each rookie keeper slot left void, the team will receive one 'compensation pick' in the upcoming draft.

8. Compensation picks will be awarded after rounds 6, 10 & 14, following the normal draft order. eg. a team keeping only one rookie would get a two extra picks: after rounds 6 and 10. There are no restrictions on how to draft using compensation picks.

9. Players must be DRAFTED by an NHL club in order to be eligible for the NoVarks draft.

10. Unsigned players may be drafted at the cap hit of $900,000 (increase to $925,000 in 2011). As these players are signed, their salaries shall be immediately adjusted according to their new NHL contract.

What do you think? Good idea? Got better ideas?

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