Rules

I. Rule 1

A. This is a friendly community hockey league. Acting like a douche will not be tolerated. There are no specific guidelines on what consists of acting like a douche. If you can’t figure it out, then you’re probably in the wrong place. Very simple.

II. Discord etiquette

A. The Discord will be loosely moderated for the most part. The only topics/things that are off limits are pornography (outside of the NSFW chat), racial slurs, racism, politics, and members’ families. If those things happen, they will be removed by management and members may be kicked out of the discord per the discretion of league management.

III. Vouching system (current status: ACTIVE)

A. Being a “friendly community league”, members will have the ability to refer/vouch for others to join the league. We strongly encourage new members to get in touch with current members and have one of them “vouch” for your entry (no different than a reference for a job). Unfortunately, there are occasions when recruited members don’t work out. When this occurs, the member who referred the douche will be flagged as a douche-recruiter and all future references will be heavily scrutinized.

B. The hope is that this system will encourage members to be more vigilant when it comes to referring their friends for the league.

C. League “Events” (Friday night/Weekend/One-offs: When the Admins run special league events, non-239 members  may join. If they show they are chill/good people for the league, the admins may consider them available to be added without a referral.

PALEPWNR — 01/03/2021

Addendum to Rule 1 Article III Vouching System: Starting season S18, to encourage organic growth and limit spam invites in the future, the vouching system is being adjusted to hold members accountable to who they refer to the league. Henceforth, anyone that refers 2 or more members to the league in the same season, AND 2 or more of their rookie referrals are Banned via Rule 1 the referrer will be subject to Rule 1 themselves at admin discretion, or at the least their ability to refer will be rejected. This goes into effect this season.

IV. Deciding matters not covered in the rules

A. All decisions on league matters that are NOT clearly covered in these rules (controversial or otherwise) will be made by league management, and there will be no “appeals process”. Management will be glad to explain the reasoning behind all decisions, but there will be no back and forth arguing on these decisions. Incessant complaining will be a violation of rule #1 and could very well lead to someone being removed from the league for being a douche.

V. Home Ice Advantage

A. During the regular season, the home team in each series will choose the Home side selection in games 1 and 3. In a playoff scenario, the home team will choose Home side selection in games 1, 2, 5, and 7. It’s the standard rules, but we’re putting it out there so no one gets butt-hurt when they can’t play in their own community rink in front of 4 people.

B.  In the playoffs the higher seeded team gets the advantage of choosing which of the 2 mutually agreed upon game nights is 4 games and which night is 3 games (both capts get 1 refuse day, you play the 2 remaining days). If captains can’t agree on 2 nights, Admins reserve the right to set the dates and Higher seed chooses the 4/3 split still.

VI. Playoff Tie Breaker – NHL Rules (Points –> Wins –> H2H)

A. If teams share the same number of points and wins (i.e., regulation + overtime wins), then the club with more points in their head-to-head season series prevails.

VII. Server Selection

1. Captains may work together and mutually choose a server to play on.
   • If an agreement cannot be reached, the away team for each game will veto one server from the options of Central, East, and North-East (QC). Subsequently, the home team will select the server for the game from the remaining 2 options.
2. Admins May review any issues and make changes as we deem necessary.

Manipulation of the server rules falls under R1/Lost App.

VIII. Stat Entry

A. Captains have the choice of entering stats themselves within 24 hours of series completion OR posting their teams stats pics in their dedicated stats page within 24 hours to be completed by admins. Post pics, lineup and player names for each game.

IX. Signups, Player Positions and Player Availability/MIA

When signing up, you choose the positions you wish to have available for the upcoming season. You can not play a position you are not signed up for (C only sign up can’t play RW for ex).

A. ROOKIES to 239 signing up are limited to choosing; Forward spots only, Defense spots only, Goalie only, F and G or D and G. AKA Rookies can not sign up for both F and D. If you choose to play F you can sign up for all 3 or individual positions, same for the 2 Defense positions if you chose D.

B. All members who have finished a full season in 239 are no longer rookies and can sign up for any and all of the 6 positions.

C. All members including rookies are allowed but not required to sign up for emergency games at positions they do not have signed on their availability. Max 3 emergency games for Skater positions. Max 6 games for Goalie.

D. In order for emergency games to be used, a Waiver MUST be in the lineup. You cant use emergency games with a lineup full of rostered players.

E. Mid-season trades of players does not reset the emergency game availability for that player traded, the emergency games played one place follow them in the trade and count as emergency games played on the next team.

F. If a player is determined to be circumventing position rules and playing a refused position, admins will deem game a sim loss and potential rule 1/lost app

G. During the regular season, players must adhere to the (MIA) availability stated in their signup sheet. For instance, if a player indicates they are available to play only on either Monday or Tuesday, this availability constraint must be followed throughout the regular season, even if their availability changes to include both days. This restriction on player availability as per the original MIA does not apply to the playoffs. In the playoffs, players may participate according to their current availability.

X. Secondary Gamertags

A. If your Xbox live gamertag that you signed up with gets suspended/banned during a season, you must take it upon yourself to inform league management with the details, such as:

1. What happened to lead to the suspension/ban?
2. What is your new tag for the time being?
3. Other league members to vouch that this new tag is indeed yours and yours only as it relates to league games.

B. Unless league management has any reason to think shady circumstances are occurring, playing under a new tag will be allowed.

C. (Aka the Roomba rule) If a member joins under a second tag and hides/lies about who he is (aka blatant drape), he is subject to be Rule 1’ed immediately at admin discretion. Members who knowingly helped this happen are also subject to Rule 1.

XI. Sim loss rule (if this is ever necessary to enforce, someone failed badly and/or is being a douche)

A. If a team doesn’t have 6 players online and ready to go by 10pm, they are to contact the 239 Admins REGARDLESS of whether you hope/expect the 6th shows by 10:10. This should leave plenty of time to get a waiver and ensure everyone is in the club challenge screen no later than 10:10pm.

B. By 10:10pm the game must be started. If the home hasn’t sent the challenge by then, the away team may send the challenge at 10:10 and host. If a challenge sent is not accepted by the other team, then the team who didn’t accept in time is given a sim loss. (EA fail/players getting disconnected after accepting challenge is the only exception where a re-try may occur past the time deadline)

C. Please note, this does NOT mean games are to regularly start at 10:10pm. Abuse of this grace period, via discretion of league management, will be considered a violation of Rule #1 for being a shitbag.

D. Note, if for whatever reason waivers are not available and/or connection issues with 1 player persist, a team MAY PLAY WITH FIVE PLAYERS. (in fact, if 10-15+ mins have already elapsed, we strongly encourage everyone to proceed with 5 for that game.)

E. In the event of a 6v5 game, the team with 6 will select whether the opposing team’s CPU player is a FWD or D-MAN. (requesting specific positions is no longer allowed), the team that’s shorthanded will then pick which position on FWD or D is used

F. Any other issues that arise that are not covered by this rule will be determined by league management if captains can’t be civil and come to an agreement like adults (see Rule IV).

B. PLAYOFF GAME (MAX TWO RESTARTS PER SERIES PORTION! (3 or 4 GAME SERIES))

1. If a SKATER disconnects at ANY time in the THIRD or OVERTIME period of a playoff game:
   1. Finish the game out vs a computer and tell your teammate to get better internet.
2. If a SKATER disconnects for the FIRST or SECOND time in the FIRST OR SECOND period of playoff series portion:
   1. Finish out the first or second period vs a computer and follow the same rules as above for regular season disconnect.
3. If a skater disconnects a THIRD time in the same night, finish vs a computer.

XIII. Goalie Disconnect Rule

A. REGULAR SEASON SERIES AND PLAYOFF SERIES PORTIONS (MAX 2 RESTARTS BEFORE CHANGE OF GOALIE REQUIRED)

1. If a GOALIE disconnects, the game will automatically end and we’re all gonna be emo—just deal with it.
2. After FIRST disconnect,  Captains will need to agree upon a time to restart the period for when the disconnect happened. Once the captains have agreed upon a time to restart. Start the game and whichever team wins the faceoff may take possession of the puck uncontested back to their end of the ice behind their own net while you wait for the clock to reach the agreed upon time of when to restart play—it is their responsibility to start play up when the clock catches up to the agreed upon time.
   1. Any players ignoring the restart procedures and trolling/trying to steal the puck/being a douchebag etc during the “wait” will be flagged as douchebags and subject to a Rule 1 violation.
3. If this goalie inexplicably disconnects a SECOND time in a series, give him ONE more chance and apply the same procedures as above.
4. If a goalie disconnects a THIRD time in one series, he is pwned. His team must replace him with a different eligible goalie on the team.
   1. If there are ZERO legal goalies on the team, then the captain MUST go in net.
5. If the CAPTAIN happens to be the goalie who is failing, and he ALSO has zero legal/eligible willing goalies on his squad…then league admins will randomly choose a replacement goalie from your squad that can be used.

XIV. PART TIME PLAYER RULES

A. A PT player counts as 0.5 roster spaces. You can have as many PT players on your team as you can fit within the rules.

B. REGULAR SEASON: PT players play 1 night per week only. It does NOT go by games played. They can’t play 2 games on one night and then 1 another night that same week. PLAYOFFS: PT players can play any 4 games per series. 

C. PT players’ nights played rule does not reset on a rescheduled game. That rescheduled game is still under the original week’s ruling on PT days.

D. PT players can play a maximum of 4 games per their 1 day played (for ex 4 playoff games)

E. Undrafted FT players may elect to switch to PT at any point during the season while on waivers in order to be picked up. If they are later dropped by a team, they will go through the 24-hour waiver period as part-time after which they will return back to full-time.  

XV. Scouting Combine

A scouting combine will be held and streamed for all captains to see before each season. ROOKIES are mandated to sign up for and complete 3 games in the scouting combine for their season signup to be eligible and placed into the draft pool.

A.  Any rookie who does NOT complete 3 combine games is ineligible for drafting

B. Any player who throws, sandbags, does not try or trolls in the combine will be tossed out of the league immediately and permanently. You will not sneak your way on to your homey’s team  so don’t even bother trying.

C. Any captain caught trying to influence a player in the combine’s performance for their own gain will be removed as a captain permanently.

XVI. Trading

A. WHEN CAN TRADES OCCUR?

1. On Friday, Saturday, Sunday and any other day where NO SERIES ARE SCHEDULED FOR ALL INVOLVED TRADE PARTIES, trades can occur at any time.
2. On any night where AT LEAST ONE TEAM INVOLVED HAS A SERIES, all trades must be agreed to by all parties involved no later than 9pm EST…allowing a MINIMUM of 1 hour before any series can take place involving traded players.

B. PROCESS FOR MAKING TRADES OFFICIAL

1. Captain(s) MUST first submit all trades on the official captains Trades and Transactions channel, and all captains involved must officially agree before any trade is considered final (At which point it may be posted to the front page for chirping, ridicule, and analysis).
2. There are no restrictions on # of players involved in a trade, provided NO TEAM IS LEFT WITH A ROSTER LESS THAN 6.0 or MORE THAN 6.5, per new roster requirements.
3. A trade may be made that exceeds the roster size limit or cap floor/ceiling. Captains have 24 hours or until 9pm eastern if they have a series that night to make the roster compliant with the rules or else the trade is not completed and admins will reverse it. (Rule also found in XVI. Section A)

C. SOME FINAL NOTES ABOUT TRADES

1. There is no official TAC (Trade Approval Committee), so don’t get traped.
   1. THAT BEING SAID, league admins reserve the right to veto any trade if they deem a trade reeks of blatant collusion and/or other shady nonsense.
   2. No PT players may EXCEED their allotted series per week, regardless of how many trades they may be involved in, unless a reschedule results in more than 2 series a week for that team (speak to admins to clarify)
   3. Players are not allowed to demand or request trades. In doing so can result in a R1 at the request of the captain OR admins discretion.

XVII. Roster Requirements / Draft Pool

A. Roster Size

1. All rosters must have a minimum of 6.0 players and a maximum of 6.5 players, captain included (essentially a starting 6 plus an optional PT and/or bench guy)
2. The salary cap floor is set at 70bods.
3. The Salary cap ceiling is 100bods for draft night and then 110bods for the season
4. All rosters must be in compliance with the size and cap limits at all times throughout the season.
5. A trade may be made that exceeds the roster size limit or cap floor/ceiling. Captains have 24 hours or until 9pm eastern if they have a series that night to make the roster compliant with the rules or else the trade is not completed and admins will reverse it. (Rule also found in XV. Section B)

B. Ensuring enough undrafted for add/drops & waivers.

1. The # of teams and estimated # of undrafted players each season will not be determined until signups are nearly closed.
2. All players will be asked in their signup about their interest in captaining. The admins will determine how to proceed based on these signups. Only select YES if you are 100% committed and wont fucking bail at the last minute if selected.
3. All players who sign up and also play in other leagues will be asked to make 239 their #1 priority in order to sign up FT…otherwise please sign up PT.
4. All undrafted players will not only be given first waiver priority during the season, but also be the only players eligible for add/drop all season based on the new waiver system outlined in the next rule.
   1. Any advance “voluntary waivers” will be at the bottom of the waiver priority list and NOT eligible for add/drop at any time.

XVIII. Waiver Structure

1. Waivers being used as emergency don’t count against the roster size/cap (being at 110bods does not exclude you from being allowed a waiver)
2. Waivers used in emergency MUST be played in a position they have available in their sign up. Captains ARE NOT to just stick them in anywhere they see fit. Captains are expected to adjust their own position and the positions available on the team accordingly to fit in the waiver at one of their allowed positions.

A. After the draft

1. All undrafted players will immediately become part of the official “add/drop eligible waiver pool”, and they will remain as such the entire season unless added to a roster full-time. FT can switch to PT once per season as mentioned before.

B. How to make a claim/drop?

1. Go to the “Captains Drops and Adds” channel in the discord and post in the format;
   • @captaingamertag/Team Name Drops/Adds @playersgamertag
2. Drops/Adds not done in this channel and formal are not official.

Note: All adds and drops must be in compliance with the roster size and bod rules to be official.

C. When can roster add/drops occur?

1. The waiver priority order is the reverse order of standings at the time of the request. (last place will always get first dibs)
2. Any player can be dropped at any time.
3. 1. Any player that gets dropped must be on waivers for 24hours OR until 9pm eastern the following day (if drop happened after 9pm) to allow all captains a chance to make a claim on them.
   2. An Exception is made if; the last placed team makes the claim, or ALL teams below the claiming team in the standings make it known in the Drop-And-Add channel they do NOT want the player in question, in which case the Add becomes immediate.
4. After the 24hrs or 9pm next day deadline has passed they will immediately be assigned to their new team if one does indeed claim them.
5. Any player that has spent a total of 24 hours on Waivers or more may be picked up any date, at any time and are eligible to play immediately. (You can add a waiver at 9:55pm and play them at 10pm if they’ve been a waiver for 24h or more). Waiver priority has no impact on a player who has been a waiver for more than 24h.

D. What if I just need a waiver for one series and don’t need a full-time replacement?

1. The undrafted/dropped players on the current waiver list will serve as normal waivers for the entire season.
2. Requesting a waiver will function similarly to how it always has in the past. You will request from league management a waiver as far in advance as possible. There are zero guarantees of getting a waiver to fill the specific position you need, especially goalie, so you must make do with whoever you get as best you can.

XIX. Captains Etiquette

A. What happens in the captains chat, stays in the captains chat. No screenshotting or sharing what captains say with anybody on your team or the league. Period.

B. Captains are held to a higher standard of accountability as far as not being a douche goes and league integrity. Be civil and a decent fuckin person please, dont start needless shit.

C. Don’t be a little bitch if you lose, you are responsible for providing an environment and league experience that is inviting and welcoming to all, regardless of your place in the standings.

D. Respect the Admins rulings, we aren’t trying to ruin your fun, not every decision will be easy or please all parties, tough shit.

E. You are in control of the toxicity on your team. Be a leader not an enabler. That being said, report shady scummy shit to admins if you see it, hiding it makes you just as guilty.

XX. Streaming

A. All teams must designate a player each series to stream and save their Games for VOD.

1. Each team will notify Management in captains chat who will be streaming for their team.
2.  If that player is traded or dropped, notify management that a new streamer will be designated for said team.

XXI. Banned Perks / Premade builds

• Truculence
• Unstoppable Force
• Any pre-made build (werewolf, donkey, ice man)

If a player uses either of these perks in a game, the game will be simulated as a loss for their team, regardless of the outcome of the game. This penalty will take effect once a player loads into the game.