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Waiver Review

The rules of any sport are the foundation upon which fair and exciting competition is built. But, just like any other aspect of the game, rules are not perfect and can always be improved. In this article, we will take a closer look at how we can improve league rules to make the game more enjoyable for everyone involved. 

I do understand a bit of the frustration when some teams pro rosters are weaker than some teams farm roster players.  Basically I am suggesting two modifications that would change the league a bit and create some forced player movement that should help to balance this out. 

Basically, to increase movement, pressure has to be applied to GM’s. I see two minor tweaks that could make this happen.  The first is lowering the ages of Free Agency, the age of UFA players is an old thought that has carried forward from RSHL1, and the second is to reduce the rating for waivers so that 70 and below don’t require waivers and 71 and above do. 

Lowering the age of UFA status would closer align with the NHL.  The NHL uses 7 full seasons or the age of 27 as limit on UFA.  We are currently using 29 as the threshold which gives RSHL GMs an advantage for keeping quality players in their prime for 2 additional years.  In addition we are also able to use the Extensions which means we can protect 3 contracts per season.  If everyone signs 4 year deals and a GM gets his contracts spaced out properly they can sign 12 UFA status players over that term.  That potentially could protect 360 free Agents over a contract cycle as the NHL has gotten younger year after year the RSHL rules haven’t changed so the UFA pool is shrinking.  There are less and less 30+ players getting minutes and contributing and more players getting money younger and ELC players taking over roles on teams.  Obviously some teams in RSHL prioritize high profile RFA’s with Extensions but the choice can be there to protect this many UFA players.  By adding age 28 and 29 to the UFA pool it adds about 80 additional required extensions meaning an increase in quality of UFA reaching the UFA market as well as potential increase in the rental market at the deadline.  A team may not be able to protect both of their 3rd line wingers or perhaps lose a 4th defender.  That some sort of quality player will have to reach Free Agency enables teams with weaker rosters to reduce the gap in quality between the top and bottom teams.  This is something that couldn’t be started right away as teams have traded away extensions already for this season but they haven’t trade any season 21 extensions as of yet so it is something that could be considered for the a future off season. This means teams would have a chance to improve marginally year over year via free agency.  I think I got the top forward last year in Kyle Palmeiri who is a 73 overall, but 2 or 3 75+ rated player should make Free Agency much more interesting.

In terms of waivers I propose moving the cut off from 73 requiring waiver to 71 requiring waivers.  This would add 125 players (based on last season) over 27 to the waiver list most of whom are every day players even if not significant contributors.  It would also force a team to keep a talented young player who hasn’t reached his full potential rather than a middling bottom six guy.  Currently they can keep both which leaves teams at the bottom with no recourse for improvement outside of the draft.  If your roster is brutal when you takeover a team its hard to improve without any way of adding quality assets.  This list of players who are in this range are every day NHL players.  Most of them are 3rd pairing defenders, back up goalies or bottom six forwards or players who were injured and didn’t get a full season.  None of these players are top of the line up calibre players but a couple have a bit of upside that a could help a struggling team acquire assets down the road.   

Alex Galchenyuk Thomas Greiss Keith Yandle
Alexander Barabonov Tomas Tatar Kevin Connauton
Andrej Sustr Travis Boyd Kevin Lankinen
Andrew Cogliano Trevor van Riemsdyk Kuris MacDermid
Andy Greene Tyler Motte Matt Grzelcyk
Ben Hutton William Carrier Mattas Janmark-Nylen
Brock McGinn Zach Aston-Reese Michael Stone
Curtis Lazar Adam Erne Nathan Walker
Darren Helm Alexander Radulov Nick Bjugstad
David Kampf Andreas Johnson Nick Foligno
Derek Stepan Andrej Sekera Nick Seeler
Eric Robbinson Andrew Ladd Nico Sturm
Frank Vatrano Ben Harpur Patrick Brown
Jason Spezza Brendan Gallagher Petr Mrazek
Jason Zucker Brendan Smith Radim Simek
John Moore Carl Hagelin Riley Sheahan
Max Domi Connor Clifton Ryan Carpenter
Michael McCarron Dean Kukan Ryan Murray
Michael Raffi Erik D Gustafsson Ryan Reaves
Milan Lucic Jimmey Vesey Sam Lfferty
Oskar Sundqvist Joel Armia Tomas Nosek
Patric Hornqvist Jon Lizotte Tyler Ennis
Patrick Maroon Joonas Donskoi Victor Rask
Sam Gagner Jordie Benn Zack Kassian
Sean Monahan

This list of players in this ratings range are all more or less established players. I will use the Canucks as the example, Alex Barabanov played 70 games last year scored 39 points at a .55 ppg clip and he is currently the 15th ranked forward on the roster and sitting on the farm in Vancouver at 29 years old.  A future Canucks GM would have to choose between dropping one of Rask, Donskoi or Barabanov through waivers.  Vancouver wouldn’t be any less of a wagon with one of those 3 players gone we are talking about their 15th forward and would add a top 9 player to a team (he would be second highest ranked forward on CBJ).  This isn’t to pick on anyone team but just to show the rules really enable a top team to stock pile assets with pretty limited risk of losing them.  He could also be traded to a team as depth for a stretch drive for additional picks or prospects.  Additionally if you look at Vancouver’s stacked blue line, surely Owen Power would be kept as the 8th Defender over putting him through waivers. That would mean Klingberg or Lyubushkin would have to be on waivers which a team would pick up one of those players.  Either of those guys would be a top pairing guy on a number of teams in this league currently. 

In terms of younger players age 20-27 there was 49 of them in the 71 and 72 range again most of them are everyday players.  Players like Dube, Kotkaniemi, Jarvis, Dermott, and Donato all have contributed pretty significant minutes in the NHL but are able to kept in the farm.  Most are on rosters already but a few of them aren’t, having to keep them up would force the cap up on teams that are close.  It would force me to keep a player like Fitzgerald up which is fine with my cap situation (most of team is on ELC or cheaper contracts) but teams with bigger salaries and in their competitive window would have to walk on some of these assets or trade them as lower prices.

No team in the RSHL has to see the roster churn of success like Tampa in the NHL.  They lost Palat, had to move McDonagh, Joseph and Raddysh to keep the competitive window open.  As the league is right now 456 require waivers and 667 rated players don’t.  With the proposed change 581 would require waivers and 542 would not.  This is meant to start a discussion and not the end all be all of what we have to do.  Curious about some other people’s thoughts as well.

2/25/2023
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