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GHL EXPANSION FAQ's

I have tried to structure this process based on all the feedback I have been given by the GM's. I have 
tried to do this in a way that will allow new teams to get a competitive base, give lower performing teams
a chance to improve and allow the stronger current teams a chance to manage to keep some of the 
players the have gained and would prefer to keep. Expansion is always a difficult process to make
everyone happy, however I feel this process is fair. I will update any further questions and answers
on this page as they pop up. 

Expansion team GM's
Kevin Burak - [email protected]
Robert Rutowski - Team, Dryden Slayers  [email protected]
Open -
Open -

Q How many expansion teams?
A - 4

Q When will new teams get to play?
A - Season 7

Q How many teams will be in the playoffs with a 20 team league?
A - 16

Q How many players can the current teams protect?
A - (8) 1-G, 2-C, 1L, 1R, 3D and all prospects on your prospect list, providing they haven't had
a previous rating. E.g. Peca, Lindros for example would have to be protected.

Q - What will be the maximum roster size with the 20 team league?
A - 33, this will be reviewed after season 7

Q - What will be the maximum prospects a team can have after expansion?
A - 8, This will also be reviewed after season 7

Q - How will expansion draft be done?
Answer
- Draft will be done in 3 phases.
- Expansion phase:  1st expansion teams draft 8 players as explained below, the draft
order determined by draw. Draft pool will be from current teams unprotected lists.
- Equalization Phase: Activated Prospect protection + Rounds 9 - 20. All teams draft in this round,
 Draft order will be reverse order of finish with expansion teams drafting in the final 4 spots, and their 
order being determined by draw. Draft pool will consist of current teams unprotected players. 
Also during this round a team may choose to protect one of their players versus draft a player from
another team when it is their pick.
- Final Phase: Rounds 21 - 35, draft order will be 4 expansion teams +  last 4 teams in previous
season will hold the first eight picks with their order determined by draw and the remaining teams
drafting in reverse order of finish. Draft pool for this phase will be the leagues unassigned players list.

"Expansion Phase"
Preparation:
First, the new re-rates need to be completed allowing time for everyone to see them before
we will hold the expansion process.
- The current teams will announce their protected lists
- The four expansion teams will draft 8 players (1G, 2C, 1L, 1R, 3D) from the teams un-protected
players. 

"Equalization Phase"
Preparation:
The current teams will then determine which of their current rated prospects, that will have ratings for
 the first time, they want to keep on their team. Those prospects will be assigned to their pro roster
 and become protected. The remaining rated prospects will be unprotected
- All teams will now draft rounds 9 - 20) from teams unprotected lists. During this phase no current
team can draft after their roster hits 20 protected players, this is important to note as the number of 
protected prospects can impact how many rounds you get to draft in this phase. 

"Final phase"
At this point every team has 20 protected players. Some teams may have 20 protected and several
 unprotected players. 

Preparation:
All teams with unprotected players left can decide who and how many they wish to  keep, the 
remaining unprotected players on their teams will be released to the unassigned pool.. For each 
unprotected player a team decides to keep at this step will impact which actual round during this phase
they start drafting in.  I.E Team X has 20 protected players and 10 unprotected players at this point, 
he/she decides they want to protect 3 of the unprotected. Therefore 7 go back to the unassigned
pool and this team would have to skip their pick in round 21, 22, 23  they would get to start picking in
round 24.
- Teams will begin drafting from the unassigned pool until they reach the maximum roster limit.
- During this round trades may be done for players, prospect picks and / or pick position in this round

 This should conclude the expansion process, once this is completed, the league is started  its
season, and the NHL 2002 prospect draft has been held a GHL prospect draft will be done. This is
what your teams draft picks are for. The available pool will be the unassigned list and the NHL 2002
prospects.