My World as a "Real" NHL General Manager
Posted 1:31 PM ET | Comments 7
This is a precursor blog and will include my team I have assembled in the last 4 years. I will break down some of the rules each roster allows and will give you a deeper look into how in depth these leagues can get at a certain level.
First off, I will start at the roster and cap management. On the Major roster you are allowed 25 players that can accumulate points (head to head for the week). We follow the same Salary Cap as the NHL on a year to year basis, this allows for great roster turnover and realistic thinking for each GM (and some nice FA bidding Wars).
Here is my Team information including GM name, NHL roster size, My Cap situation and what my projected cap space is for next year.
Owner - Tyler
Total Roster Size - 23/25
Total Payroll - $64.8m
Cap Space - $6.3m
2014-15 Projected Cap Space - $34.0m
As you can see I am in pretty good cap situation, only 2 spots to fill (which I will from my minors) and a boatload of space in cap for next year, but that means I have a tonne of players to re-sign!
So getting into my main roster, here are my Centers: (Player Name, Cap Hit, Season their contract ends)
Centers (4) - $18.4m
Ryan Getzlaf, $5.9m (2015-16)
Patrice Bergeron, $3.6m (2016-17)
Anze Kopitar, $5.2m (2016-17)
T.J. Oshie, $3.7m (2016-17)
Sexy, I know!! I have put a lot of work into getting these names and keeping them away from FA and they are all locked up for the next few years to nice contracts. I took home the Wayne Gretzky Award last year for the best group of Centers in the league.
Lets take a look at my LW, certainly my biggest need at the moment:
Left Wing (3) - $7.7m
Mason Raymond, $1.8m (2015-16)
Bobby Ryan, $3.6m (2016-17)
Brandon Saad, $2.3m (2015-16)
LW is at a premium and I was happy to hang onto Ryan for a good priced extension as hit totals in the last few seasons were marred by injury. Grabbed Raymond at a great time and he produced way over expectations and I was able to grab Saad last year at the Trade Deadline!
Right Wing, I am overstocked at the moment. maybe too much of a good thing but I have some names on the Trade block now!
Right Wing (6) - $14.9m
Jarome Iginla, $3.0m (2014-15)
Marian Hossa, $5.1m (2015-16)
Emerson Etem, $0.7m (2015-16)
Ales Hemsky, $1.1m (2015-16)
Radim Vrbata, $3.2m (2016-17)
Kyle Okposo, $1.8m (2014-15)
I was able to grab Hemsky cheap this off-season in hopes he comes out strong in Dallas, and with him on a beauty 1.1M per year I think it will be a steal! Okposo will be a huge decision for me at the end of this season as he will need a big raise from his paltry 1.8M per year.
Here are my core of Dmen, I love this group as they get me a tonne of points not only with offensive output but in a huge way of blocked shots, hits and PP Points.
Defensemen (6) - $16.2m
Ryan Suter, $4.5m (2014-15)
Jake Gardiner, $1.4m (2014-15)
Patrick Wiercioch, $1.0m (2014-15)
Torey Krug, $4.0m (2016-17)
Sami Vatanen, $0.8m (2015-16)
Alex Pietranglo, $4.5m (2015-16)
I was able to grow a lot of these through my farm system like Gardiner, Krug (who I grabbed long ago before he was a household name), Vatanen and Wiercioch.
NOW, here are my pride and joy's lol. I was able to grab these guys when they were backup's (except Quick) and I help onto them hoping they would turn out to what they are now, and it's paid off huge. Only issue is that Bernier and Bob need massive raises at the end of this season as they are on contract years!
Goalies (3) - $6.2m
Jonathan Bernier, $1.2m (2014-15)
Sergei Bobrovsky, $2.0m (2014-15)
Jonathan Quick, $3.0m (2016-17)
Nice looking trio of tendy's here!!! Only allowed to have 3 active Goalies in this league as well, this keeps goalie hoarding to a minimum!
Buyouts (0) - $0.0m
Let's take a look at my AHL team, which is the direct feeder into my NHL team (Cap does not count against NHL cap until they are called up. All these players are on 2-Way contracts and we have a AHL cap as well, that way players are not stashed. Some hardcore drafting and trades built me this gem of a farm team.
St. John's IceCaps
Total Roster Size - 16/30
IceCaps Cap Space: $2.2m
Brock Nelson, $0.5m (2014-15)
Zemgus Girgensons, $1.5m (2015-16)
Mika Zibanejad, $1.0m (2014-15)
Nick Bjugstad, $0.2m (2014-15)
Alex Galchenyuk, $2.5m (2014-15)
Taylor Beck, $0.7m (2015-16)
Jermey Morin, $0.7m (2015-16)
Tomas Tatar, $0.2m (2014-15)
Brendan Gallagher, $0.2m (2014-15)
Richard Rakell, $0.7m (2015-16)
Mark Cundari, $0.8m (2014-15)
Olli Maatta, $1.0m (2015-16)
Jonas Brodin, $2.0m (2014-15)
Codi Ceci, $1.5m (2014-15)
I need to make some moves to call up some guys as they are only in the minors right now to keep my cap relief and player limits in compliance in the off-season. Guys like Zibanejad, Galchenyuk and Gallagher have to be called up ASAP while I wil want to call other up as soon as I move contracts from the NHL team.
Minors note: A player has to be given a contract before they hit 40 NHL games played and can only keep 2 way status contracts until that 40 game limit as well. Most my 2 ways will end this year as I was able to give them their 2 way contracts close to their 40 Game limit!
Below we see my "Junior Team" this will consist of guys I own but not have tendered contracts to, they can be in this category until 39 games of NHL experience sets, then they have to be signed to a contract. Only a small sample here as I have graduated a lot of players from this list and only had 1 draft pick this season (Hawryluk) as I was active in last years trade deadline in moving most my picks for the rookie draft!
Moncton Wildcats
Total Roster Size - 2
Jayce Hawryluk, N/C (0 games)
Joesph Morrow, N/C (0 games)
So, as you can see, this is very in-depth and as life-like NHL GM as we can make it. This team I have been GMing since the start of the league in 2010 and is something that is a blast to play because of the depth of knowledge you get to use that would apply to a real NHL GM's job.
Thanks for reading and would love to answer any league questions or fantasy questions!
First off, I will start at the roster and cap management. On the Major roster you are allowed 25 players that can accumulate points (head to head for the week). We follow the same Salary Cap as the NHL on a year to year basis, this allows for great roster turnover and realistic thinking for each GM (and some nice FA bidding Wars).
Here is my Team information including GM name, NHL roster size, My Cap situation and what my projected cap space is for next year.
Owner - Tyler
Total Roster Size - 23/25
Total Payroll - $64.8m
Cap Space - $6.3m
2014-15 Projected Cap Space - $34.0m
As you can see I am in pretty good cap situation, only 2 spots to fill (which I will from my minors) and a boatload of space in cap for next year, but that means I have a tonne of players to re-sign!
So getting into my main roster, here are my Centers: (Player Name, Cap Hit, Season their contract ends)
Centers (4) - $18.4m
Ryan Getzlaf, $5.9m (2015-16)
Patrice Bergeron, $3.6m (2016-17)
Anze Kopitar, $5.2m (2016-17)
T.J. Oshie, $3.7m (2016-17)
Sexy, I know!! I have put a lot of work into getting these names and keeping them away from FA and they are all locked up for the next few years to nice contracts. I took home the Wayne Gretzky Award last year for the best group of Centers in the league.
Lets take a look at my LW, certainly my biggest need at the moment:
Left Wing (3) - $7.7m
Mason Raymond, $1.8m (2015-16)
Bobby Ryan, $3.6m (2016-17)
Brandon Saad, $2.3m (2015-16)
LW is at a premium and I was happy to hang onto Ryan for a good priced extension as hit totals in the last few seasons were marred by injury. Grabbed Raymond at a great time and he produced way over expectations and I was able to grab Saad last year at the Trade Deadline!
Right Wing, I am overstocked at the moment. maybe too much of a good thing but I have some names on the Trade block now!
Right Wing (6) - $14.9m
Jarome Iginla, $3.0m (2014-15)
Marian Hossa, $5.1m (2015-16)
Emerson Etem, $0.7m (2015-16)
Ales Hemsky, $1.1m (2015-16)
Radim Vrbata, $3.2m (2016-17)
Kyle Okposo, $1.8m (2014-15)
I was able to grab Hemsky cheap this off-season in hopes he comes out strong in Dallas, and with him on a beauty 1.1M per year I think it will be a steal! Okposo will be a huge decision for me at the end of this season as he will need a big raise from his paltry 1.8M per year.
Here are my core of Dmen, I love this group as they get me a tonne of points not only with offensive output but in a huge way of blocked shots, hits and PP Points.
Defensemen (6) - $16.2m
Ryan Suter, $4.5m (2014-15)
Jake Gardiner, $1.4m (2014-15)
Patrick Wiercioch, $1.0m (2014-15)
Torey Krug, $4.0m (2016-17)
Sami Vatanen, $0.8m (2015-16)
Alex Pietranglo, $4.5m (2015-16)
I was able to grow a lot of these through my farm system like Gardiner, Krug (who I grabbed long ago before he was a household name), Vatanen and Wiercioch.
NOW, here are my pride and joy's lol. I was able to grab these guys when they were backup's (except Quick) and I help onto them hoping they would turn out to what they are now, and it's paid off huge. Only issue is that Bernier and Bob need massive raises at the end of this season as they are on contract years!
Goalies (3) - $6.2m
Jonathan Bernier, $1.2m (2014-15)
Sergei Bobrovsky, $2.0m (2014-15)
Jonathan Quick, $3.0m (2016-17)
Nice looking trio of tendy's here!!! Only allowed to have 3 active Goalies in this league as well, this keeps goalie hoarding to a minimum!
Buyouts (0) - $0.0m
Let's take a look at my AHL team, which is the direct feeder into my NHL team (Cap does not count against NHL cap until they are called up. All these players are on 2-Way contracts and we have a AHL cap as well, that way players are not stashed. Some hardcore drafting and trades built me this gem of a farm team.
St. John's IceCaps
Total Roster Size - 16/30
IceCaps Cap Space: $2.2m
Brock Nelson, $0.5m (2014-15)
Zemgus Girgensons, $1.5m (2015-16)
Mika Zibanejad, $1.0m (2014-15)
Nick Bjugstad, $0.2m (2014-15)
Alex Galchenyuk, $2.5m (2014-15)
Taylor Beck, $0.7m (2015-16)
Jermey Morin, $0.7m (2015-16)
Tomas Tatar, $0.2m (2014-15)
Brendan Gallagher, $0.2m (2014-15)
Richard Rakell, $0.7m (2015-16)
Mark Cundari, $0.8m (2014-15)
Olli Maatta, $1.0m (2015-16)
Jonas Brodin, $2.0m (2014-15)
Codi Ceci, $1.5m (2014-15)
I need to make some moves to call up some guys as they are only in the minors right now to keep my cap relief and player limits in compliance in the off-season. Guys like Zibanejad, Galchenyuk and Gallagher have to be called up ASAP while I wil want to call other up as soon as I move contracts from the NHL team.
Minors note: A player has to be given a contract before they hit 40 NHL games played and can only keep 2 way status contracts until that 40 game limit as well. Most my 2 ways will end this year as I was able to give them their 2 way contracts close to their 40 Game limit!
Below we see my "Junior Team" this will consist of guys I own but not have tendered contracts to, they can be in this category until 39 games of NHL experience sets, then they have to be signed to a contract. Only a small sample here as I have graduated a lot of players from this list and only had 1 draft pick this season (Hawryluk) as I was active in last years trade deadline in moving most my picks for the rookie draft!
Moncton Wildcats
Total Roster Size - 2
Jayce Hawryluk, N/C (0 games)
Joesph Morrow, N/C (0 games)
So, as you can see, this is very in-depth and as life-like NHL GM as we can make it. This team I have been GMing since the start of the league in 2010 and is something that is a blast to play because of the depth of knowledge you get to use that would apply to a real NHL GM's job.
Thanks for reading and would love to answer any league questions or fantasy questions!
How are contracts negotiated? It seems like a huge number of players are massively underpaid right now.
This has to be a money league to be this detailed.
Teams may offer players extensions during the extension period (See Deadlines). Contract value must be equal to or higher than the highest ‘position ranking/dollar value’ within the past two seasons (current and last season). If a player has two positions, the contract must be equal to, or greater than, the higher salary of the two positions. Extensions must still follow contract rules regarding contract length. Only players in the final year of their current contract are eligible for extensions. All contract extensions begin at the conclusion of their current contract and will be calculated against cap starting on July 1st.
Example:If the Oilers want to resign Patrick Sharp. In the 2009-2010 season, Sharp scored 153.6 Fantasy Points (FP), ranking him 19th overall center and 12th overall at left wing (because he is a dual position player). In the 2010-2011 season, Sharp had 169.3 FP, ranking him 9th overall center and 5th overall at left wing. Therefore I use the 2010-11 season and find the contract value for the 5th left wing. Therefore, Patrick Sharp must make at least $7.9m per season of the extension. These values will be tracked through fantrax. These contract will have years that follow the chart below:Maximum Years$6.5m, 4 years
No, Nucker, actually a free league lol. Just a bunch of guys (20) who want a really life like league to play. I do, though, have 2 leagues like this that are money. 1st place usually takes in about $600
I like the ones where you pick one of 5 players from a box, about 20 boxes, pay your fee and come back at the end of the year to see how you did.
Haha, Jero, we have one of those in my office every year! Always good when you have a chance to win $$ with about 38 seconds of work