OFFICIAL AHL RULEBOOK

Rule Zero

Wherever a General Manager fails to manage their team, the Commissioner
will manage the team in a manner that they see fit and in the best
interest of the team and league. This may not be what the General Manager
would do for their team, so it is in the best interest of each General
Manager to participate fully in order retain full autonomy over their
team.

Rules Index

A. GM Responsibilities & Duties

1.  Every GM is expected to respond to all trade inquiries as soon as possible.
2.  Every GM is required to respond to All-Star balloting/award voting, and
    to participate in the entry draft and free agent periods.
3.  Every GM/Coach is required to send roster moves and lines as often as
    necessary to ensure that their team performs to the best of its abilities.
4.  Every GM must inform the league of any significant absences preventing
    them from perform their expected duties.
5.  Every GM is expected to manage their team professionally and in particular
    to promote the current and long term well-being of their team.
6.  When sending e-mail concerning the AHL, the subject line must start with
    "AHL:(subject)".
7.  Failure to perform expected GM duties may result in termination of AHL
    participation privilege through removal from the league at commissioner's
    discretion.
8.  A GM can only own one team. If a GM is caught trying to own more, they
    will be removed from the league.
9.  All GMs are to act in a somewhat professional manner. If a GM is warned
    several times or becomes a problem. They may have money or draft picks removed.
    In extreme cases, problem GMs will face removal from the league.

B. League Play

B.1 General

1.  The league is using SimonT Hockey Simulator v3 to simulate the games. A
    thorough knowledge of STHS is not necessary to participate in the AHL,
    however, it is helpful.
2.  Games are simulated on a nearly daily schedule by the Commissioner. Results,
    stats and other related documents are posted on the web site or forum. Important
    and urgent updates are posted on Discord or e-mailed to the league members.
4.  There will be two seasons per calendar year with one entry draft per year,
    during our summer off-season. Draft order will be determined by the standings
    over the previous two seasons.
3.  GMs are responsible for conducting the roster movements of the team. This
    involves negotiating trades, moving players between the pro team and farm
    team, conducting drafts, and voting for the All-Star Game and Awards, and for
    sending in lines and goalie rotations to the Commissioner.

B.2 Schedule

1.  The Regular Season consists of 82 games for Pro and 82 games for Farm.
2.  An All-Star Game is held each season after approximately 60 games.
3.  The trade deadline occurs after 80% of the regular season is complete.

B.3 Injuries and Suspensions

1.  GM/Coaches are responsible for sending in new line-ups to accommodate any
    injuries and suspensions. If no update is submitted before game time, the
    commissioner will run the auto-roster and auto-lines function.

C. Playoffs

1.  The top eight teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs.
2.  The top two seeds in the conference are granted to the division leaders, and the
    last six based on regular season standings.
3.  Every playoff series is a best of seven games.
4.  First round matchups are done like this:
    Series 1    8th seed vs 1st seed
    Series 2    7th seed vs 2nd seed
    Series 3    6th seed vs 3rd seed
    Series 4    5th seed vs 4th seed
5.  Subsequent rounds pit the highest remaining seed against the lowest remaining
    seed.

D. Salary Cap

1.  Pro Salary Cap is currently set at $75M max and $35M min.
2.  All trades and FA signings must fit within the cap or they will not be processed.
3.  Farm cap is set at $2M (10% of $20M)
4.  If a team goes over the salary cap, players will be suspended until the team is
    within the cap. Suspensions will start with highest paid player until the team is under
    the cap.
5.  Particularly egregious salary cap issues will be dealt with by the Commissioner as
    they see fit. Including buying out contracts, calling up/sending down players and
    signing free agents to fix recurring roster errors.

E. Finances

1.  If a team ends the season bankrupt (bank account is negative) at the end of any season,
    they will be placed on probation the following season.
2.  Any team on probation will need to comply with probation restrictions and strive to
    finish the next season solvent (bank account is positive).
3.  If a team has two (2) consecutive bankrupt seasons the GM will be fired.

F. Rosters, Lines and Goalies

F.1 Rosters

1.  Pro roster max is set to 25, must include at least 2 goalies and 6 dmen.
2.  Farm rosters can not include players 74 ov and over.
3.  Farm rosters also can not have any players with a contract over $2M per season.
    OV and $ limit is to avoid teams stashing talent and bad contracts away.
4.  The minimum number of skaters on a farm team has been removed.
5.  Teams must carry at least 5 goalies between pro and farm rosters at all times except
    the off-season. This is to avoid roster errors caused by goalie injuries or suspensions.
6.  Players with unusable ratings do not count towards meeting roster requirements.

F.2 Lines

1.  Lineups should be sent to the Commissioner at least once every 10 games, or
    whenever the team has suffered an injury as this clears the lines file in STHS.
2.  If a lineup received by the Commissioner fails the STHS check, the Commissioner
    will run the auto-roster and auto-lines function before simulation.

F.3 Goalies

1.  Every team must carry a minimum of 5 goalies on rosters during the regular season.
2.  A goalie will be suspended for the remainder of the regular season when their total
    minutes played eclipses 4,160 minutes.

G. Trading

1.  Trades may involve players, draft picks or cash. Future Considerations,
    which are often used as a way to circumvent the rules (whether as player
    loans, delayed processing of part of the trade based on conditional events
    such as player offseason status, team or player rerating, etc.) are also
    not allowed. It is assumed that all GMs involved in a trade have access to
    and are made aware of all the relevant information to judge the value of
    the assets involved. The Commissioner has the power to veto any trade deemed
    to be violating these rules.
2.  Draft picks from the next 3 drafts only may be traded. Teams must own
    at least one (1) 1st round pick in next 3 drafts.
3.  Trades are made by the GMs involved by submitting and confirming the trade
    on the league Discord.
4.  Traded players report to the pro/farm as per their current waiver status,
    unless other roster limitations prevent it. GMs are responsible for making
    the appropriate roster moves that go along with a trade to ensure legal
    rosters and lineups.
6.  Trading deadline is set at the 80% mark of the regular season and no trade
    is processed by the league after that deadline has passed.
7.  League minimum cash in a deal for a player is 250k per player.

H. Waivers

1.  Players 25 and younger will be exempt from going to waivers when sent from pro to farm.
2.  Players 26 and older will be exempt from waivers until they play in 10 pro games.
3.  Claims must be sent to league.
3.  Waiver order at the start of the season is based on prior season finishing order until
    10% of the season is completed, and then is based on current standings thereafter.
4.  A player placed on waivers will remain for two (2) sim days prior to claim processing.
5.  Successful claims will result in a $1M waiver compensation fee to the losing team.

I. Free Agents

1. Free Agency:  All teams will have first shot at signing their Free agents
   at the following rates.
   -Maximum term for a contract is 7 seasons (3.5 calendar years)
   -UFA over 27 years old (sim age), 25% increase.
   -RFA 23 to 27, $750k and under 110% increase.
    - Over $750k less than $1M 105%.
    - $1M - $2M 100% increase.
   -RFA over $2M will be 15% increase. To avoid young stars from staying at
    close to league minimum contracts
   -RFA 22 and under will sign according to the following chart. Ratings from
    the following season will be used:

		OV
		80+   $6M
		75-79 $5M
		73-74 $4M
		71-72 $3M
		69-70 $2M
		67-68 $1.5M
		65-66 $1M
		63-64 $750k
		-62   $525k

   -The age of players signing after odd numbered seasons (winter) will be calculated on
    January 1st while the age of players signing after even numbered seasons (summer) will
    be calculated on July 1st, regardless of which point in the season or off-season the
    league is currently in.

2. Any unsigned players will go into the FA market and teams can place bids on them.
   -Bids must increase by 25% of the total contract.
		Example:
		 Opening bid, Team 1 - 2 seasons, $5M per, $10M total.
		  Team 2 - 6 seasons, $3M per, $18M total.
		   Team 1 - 5 seasons, $5M per, $25M total.
		    Team 2 - 7 seasons, $4.5M per, $31.5M total.

   -Winner will be the highest total contract after 48 hours. Reduced to 24 hours
    towards the end of the free agent signing period.

   -Bidding will take place in the FA section of the Discord in a thread dedicated to
    each player and bids must be placed in the following format:

    $Dollar Amount x Seasons Offered = $Total contract value
    (example) $2,000,000 x 5 seasons = $10,000,000 total

3. There is no compensation for UFA. Old teams have no rights to player if they do not
   resign them before FA resigning deadline.

4. There is compensation for RFAs that hit the market. Teams who own a RFAs rights can
   match the winning bid, take compensation from the winning team or negotiate alternate compensation.

   -Teams bidding on an RFA, must have the draft picks available in the next draft at the time the bid
    is placed or the bid will be considered null and voided. If the compensation involves multiple
    picks, they must be available in the next two drafts.

   	-RFA Comp:
    	 $8M+ per - 2 1st round picks
    	 $6-8M per - 1st + 2nd round picks
    	 $5M+ per - 1st round pick
    	 $4M+ per - 2nd round pick
    	 $3M+ per - 3rd round pick
    	 $2M+ per - 4th round pick

        -When a team bids on a restricted free agent, the potential draft picks that will be used
         for compensation will be locked until the bid is resolved. The picks will not be allowed to
         be traded or used in the process of making other RFA bids or used in any other way.

5.1 All free agents will be on the unassigned list. If you bid on a player who is 27 and
    under, it is your responsibility to check if they are a UFA or RFA by checking the rosters
    from the previous season in the AHL history section.
5.2 The former contract holder of an RFA has the right to match any offer that the player
    receives during the free agent signing period or negotiate alternate compensation.
    The former contract holder must notify the league within 24 hours of the winning bid
    closing with their intention to match the offer in order to retain the player.


6. Coaches Contracts:
6.1 Pro coach minimum salary is $1M per season.
6.2 Farm coach minimum salary is $550K per season.
6.3 Farm coach EX rating must be less than 80.
6.3 All coaches contracts will be signed via the free-agency bidding process.
6.4 Any farm coach currently under contract can be hired as pro coach during free-agency.
    The opening bid must be two times (2x) the current farm contract.

7. Prospect contracts:
7.1 Once a skater has met the minimum games played and earns a rating (10 NHL/10 AHL), they will
    be added to the league database and be activated to a team’s roster.
7.2 Goalies earn a rating after playing 1 game in either the NHL or the AHL.
7.3 Prospect entry-level contracts will be based on what pick was used in AHL drafts:

       1st/2nd pick of draft: $1.75M for 5 seasons
       3rd-10th:  $1.5M for 5 seasons
       11th-32th: $1M for 5 seasons
       2nd round picks: $850k for 5 seasons
       3rd round picks: $750k for 4 seasons
       4th round picks: $650k for 3 seasons
       5th round picks: $525k for 3 seasons
       6th round picks: $525k for 3 seasons


8.  Contract buyouts:  Teams can buyout contracts at 50% of remaining contract. Must have
    funds in bank account. Player can not be bid on or return to former team until the next
    season. In-season buyouts will be prorated.

    Prospect buyouts will cost 500k per prospect (free if retired), to remove from prospect list.

    Example: John Doe, 4 seasons at 4 mil per, 16 mil total, 8 mil to buyout. Player can not
    be resigned during FA by team that bought him out. This is used to free teams of bad
    contracts. Also can be used to buyout contracts of players who retire with time left on
    contracts.

    Example: John Doe is 38 and is signed for 7 seasons. John Doe plays 2 seasons and retires.
    Doe's team would be on the hook for remaining 5 seasons of contract. Team would carry those
    5 seasons against cap or need to buy it out. Exception to this would be a player that
    retired due to injury/illness with seasons left on contract. Those seasons would be void.

J. Entry Draft

1.  The draft includes all 26 teams.
2.  The order is determined by point totals earned by each team in the summer and winter seasons.
3.  If a tie-breaker is needed then the total ROW over both seasons is used.
4.  Lottery between the top 5 picks overall (affecting first round only) with the
    following odds:

	1. 26th place team - 50 balls
	2. 25rd place team - 26 balls
	3. 24nd place team - 14 balls
	4. 23st place team -  6 balls
	5. 22th place team -  4 balls

5.  The entry draft consists of 6 rounds and is held on Discord.
6.  When a GM fails to attend the Entry Draft and does not supply the commissioner
    with a list they will automatically be awarded the highest available draft pick
    based on the NHL draft results.
7.  GMs will be warned in advance of the date and time the draft officially starts.
    -Once it’s underway, teams will have 8 hours to make their selection.
    -Back to back pick doesn’t double the time you have to make your selection.
8.  Please note that the clock stops between 12am and 6am ET.
9.  If you miss a selection, the round will keep going and you can jump in anytime to
    make your missed pick but once we reach the end of a round, the best ranked available
    player will be selected by the league (if you got the last pick of the round, you get
    an autopick right away).
10. If you plan on being away for some time and don’t want to autopick, you can always
    send a list to the Commissioner or a fellow GM who will make the selection for you.
11. The available players for the AHL draft are always players from the previous year’s
    NHL draft (2023 AHL draft is for players drafted in 2022 in the NHL).
12. You can only pick players who were drafted in the NHL draft that year.
13. Players in the draft that already have ratings may be immediately placed on the
    roster with an entry level contract, or held on the prospect list for one year at a
    cost of $500,000. After the first year is over, they will be treated normally.

K. Players Without Ratings

1.  If a player does not play the minimum games during a season to earn a rating
    (10 NHL/10 AHL for skaters, 1 NHL/1 AHL for goalies) they will not get new ratings the
    following AHL season.
2.  For players with an existing contract, GMs will have 3 options:

   -Option 1: Buyout the player

   -Option 2: For players who failed to meet the minimum games due to long-term injury.
    Keep the player with an "Injury Rating". Their durability rating will be set to 50
    and all other ratings (excluding experience and leadership) will be reduced by 10% each
    season that they remain on the roster.

   -Option 3: Keep the player with unusable ratings. Their ratings will be set to 5
    across the board rendering them unplayable in league play but able to be retained
    on the roster. Players will be suspended for the entire season to prevent them from
    playing in any games, be paid their current salary, and count against the cap. Players
    with unusable ratings won't count towards meeting any minimum roster requirements.

L. Rerating Players

1.  Each summer off-season, teams can elect to have two (2) player re-rates.  One may be
    used on a player at any position and the second can only be used on a goaltender.
2.  Teams are not required to re-rate players.
3.  Re-rate elections cannot be traded. Re-rated players can be traded with re-rates intact.
4.  The re-rate process is an average rounded down of a players prior pre-season ratings and the
    current season pre-season ratings.
5.  Each rating category will be processed except for EX and LD, those remain as-is.
6.  Players must have ratings both in the current season, and have had ratings in the prior season
    to be eligible.  LTIR injury ratings and players with unusable ratings do not qualify in any case.
7.  Example:
    Sidney Crosby had a 80SC rating last summer, and has a 75SC rating this summer:
    Average SC of 77.5 rounded down = 77 SC
8.  Players ratings can only be modified via re-rate or injury re-rate.

M. Player Attribute Changes

1.  Changes to a player's roster position are allowed at anytime.
2.  Correction to a player's birthdate may be made at any time.
3.  General Managers should remain vigilant in double checking player ages
    as they have a significant affect on contract offers, trading, and free agency.

N. Expansion and Relocation

1.  The number of teams in the league is currently 26 with no plans to expand.
2.  A team can only be relocated or renamed during the offseason.
3.  The cost to relocate or rename a team is $10,000,000.
5.  Teams are limited to using former or current NHL cities and names.
6.  There is no cost for relocating farm teams and no restriction on farm team
    names and locations.
6.  Teams can only relocate once in a 3 calendar year window (6 AHL seasons).

O. All-Star Game (ASG)

1. Schedule: The All-Star game will take place after roughly 60 games
   have been played. Home ice advantage will go to the conference
   matching the team that leads the AHL in overall record at that
   point of the season.
2. Coaches: The head coach for each team will be selected based on
   the team with the best record after 50 games. The head coach
   can name up to two assistant coaches.
3. Rosters: Will consist of 20 players for each conference, made up
   of 12 forwards, 6 defensemen and 2 goaltenders.
4.  All-star GMs will determine All-star rosters with these guidelines:
   - most deserving players in the current season so far.
   - each team in the conference should be represented by at least
     1 player.
   - one player is named Captain, and two selected as Alternates
   - if a Starter is injured prior to the All-Star Series, a
     replacement player must be selected.
   - no injuries will occur during the ASG.
4. Lines: coaches must submit lines with the starters dressed
   and slotted in line 1 of 5on5.
5. Award Money will be distributed as such:
   - $1,000,000 will be awarded to each team from the
     winning conference.
   - $1,000,000 will be awarded to the team from which
     the first star of the game is representing.
   - $750,000 will be awarded to
     the team from which the second star of the game is representing.
   - $500,000 will be awarded to the team from
     which the third star of the game is representing.

P. Awards

The following trophies are awarded every season based on voting by each
AHL manager, award money is denoted:

- Hart Memorial Trophy (League's Most Valuable Player) - $2,000,000
- James Norris Trophy (Best Defenseman) - $1,000,000
- Vezina Trophy (Best Goaltender) - $1,000,000
- Frank J. Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward) - $1,000,000
- Jack Adams Award (Coach of the Year) - $1,000,000
- Calder Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year) - $1,000,000
- Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (Sportmanship) - $1,000,000
- AHL GM of the Season - $1,000,000
- AHL 1st Line - $1,000,000

The following trophies will be awarded by the League based on regular
season stats:

- Art Ross Trophy (Most Points in the regular season) - $1,000,000
- Maurice Richard Trophy (Most Goals in the regular season) - $1,000,000
- Wayne Gretzky Trophy (Most Assists in the regular season) - $1,000,000
- Bobby Orr Award (Most Points by a defenseman in the regular season) - $1,000,000
- Presidents' Trophy (Regular Season Champions) - $2,000,000
- William M. Jennings Trophy (Fewest Goals Against in the regular season) - $1,000,000
- Larry Robinson Award (+/- Leader in the regular season) - $1,000,000
- Tie Domi Brass Knuckles Award (Most fights in the regular season) - $1,000,000
- Gordie Howe Award (any player that reaches 20+ goals, 30+ assists, and 200+ pim.) - $1,000,000
- Triple Crown (any player that finishes the season as the leader in goals, assists, points.) - $5,000,000

The following trophies are awarded by the League based on playoff performance:

- AHL Cup (Playoff Champions)
- Clarence Campbell (Northern Conference Champions)
- Prince of Wales (Southern Conference Champions)
- Gary Cup (Farm League Playoff Champions) - $2,000,000

The following trophy is awarded by the AHL Cup winning General Manager
based on playoff performance:
- Conn Smythe Trophy (Playoffs MVP) - $1,000,000

Playoff Finish money:
AHL Cup - $5,000,000
Cup Finalist - $3,000,000
Conf. Finalist - $2,000,000
Playoffs - $1,000,000

Q. Season Ticket Holders (STH)

1.  STHs will be reset at the start of each season and will be based on
    finishing positions of the prior season:
    Top 8 teams - 50% STH
    Mid 10 teams - 40% STH
    Bottom 8 teams - 30% STH

R. Managerial Dispute

1.  Where two or more teams are in dispute over any matter such as a trade,
    and these rules do not resolve the dispute, the commissioner will have
    the final say on the outcome.

S. Tanking

1.  Having a bad team is allowed.
2.  Not playing a team's best players is not allowed.
3.  All teams should be vigilant in policing against purposeful tanking.
4.  If any GM feels another team is not complying with the rules, they are
    encouraged to bring the matter to the attention of the commissioner.
5.  The commissioner will make a determination of punitive measures which may
    include but are not limited to probation, loss of draft picks, or even termination.

T. Probation

1.  A GM placed on probation will require commissioner approval of league transactions
    including but not limited to:
    Trades
    UFA re-signs
    RFA re-signs
    Free Agency signings
2.  While probation is often deemed to be punitive in nature, it should be looked at
    as an opportunity to work with the commissioner and as an opportunity to obtain
    assistance in recovering from the circumstances that lead the GM to land here.
3.  GMs have to want to be in the league and make an effort to cooperate or face termination.
4.  If a GM is placed on probation, they will have only one season to correct and/or
    address issues or face termination.