Octavian Hockey League 2011-12

[B. Stinson]

The 2011-12 fantasy hockey season is open!

Homepage: Octavian Hockey League

This will be our official thread for all of this year's Octavian Hockey League discussion.

2011-12 Rules:
Regular Season:
. 6th October 2011 - 11th March 201 (Week 21)

Roster:
. 4 LW, 4 C, 4 RW, 6 D, 2 G (max 3)
. 3 Bench
. 1 IR
. Roster size: 23
. Starters: 20

Scoring:
. Skaters: G, A, +/-, PIM, GWG, SOG, BLK, PPP, SHP (Total: 9)
. Goalies: W, SV, MIN (Total: 3)

Misc:
. ESPN Undroppable List: Yes
. Match-up Acquisition Limit: 7 (7-day match-ups)
. Waiver Period: 2 days
. Trade Review Period: 2 days (Only Commissioner vetoes)
. Match-up Tie-breaker: Goals (G)
. Playoff Seed Tie-breaker: Goals (G)

Qualifications:
. Playoff teams: 4
. Promotion: Top 3 from playoffs

2010 Teams:
Boston Irish - archibalduk
Chicago Sun Bears - joehelmer
Finnish Antipatriots -
Hit From Behind -
Jagr Bombs - Asimo
Salzburg RB - Flying_Buffalo26
WestCan Canucks - nino33
Turku Turkeys - AVAILABLE
Team 9 - AVAILABLE
Team 10 - AVAILABLE
Team 11 - AVAILABLE
Team 12 - AVAILABLE

[rottamies]

Sorry guys, i'm out.
Didn't really have time last year to play and this year looks to be the same, keeping busy.
Hopefully someone who has more time on their hands will be able to guide the Turkeys into the glory they deserve.
Maybe one day i'll be able to get back into this.

Good luck to anyone who gets my team!

[B. Stinson]

What is the ESPN Undroppable list?

The undroppable list is basically just a list of top NHL players who can't be dropped during the season. I think this is to prevent non-playoff teams from dropping their good players so friends in the playoffs can pick them up and get a huge boost. I think this only applies to dropping players, not trading.

What is the Match-Up Aqquisition Limit 7 (for 7-day match-ups) refer to?

The match-up acquisition limit is simply a cap on the number of players you can add to your team in a match-up. For 7-day match-ups it's 7, and it scales up or down in the rare instances when a match-up might be more or less than 7 days.

How do waivers work? Where would I be checking to potentially make a waiver claim? When/why (in this league) would an owner ever waive a player?

When you drop a player from your roster, he'll be placed on waivers for two days. During these two days, any team in the league can make a claim for him. At the end of his two days, he'll be awarded to the claiming team who's placed highest in the waiver order. The team who wins their claim then gets moved to the bottom of the waiver order. If no team makes a claim for a dropped player, he'll become a free agent after his two days on waivers.

To make a claim for a waived player, you can go to the "Add Player" link (on the toolbar under the tab bar), and any player listed as "WA" with a day of the week, and a yellow plus icon. The day of the week listed is the day they'll clear waivers.

As for when you'll want to waiver a player, you won't really have to worry about that. It's basically just a side effect of dropping a player.

AND I understand it is "head-to-head" for one week, my team against another owner's team....is the score tabulated daily, and each day is a win so the week is a best 4 of 7? Or is it just highest total ponts at the end of the week wins?

Scores are tabulated daily (actually, they update live), but they aren't final until the end of the week. At this point, each team will be given a win, loss, or tie for each category. These wins, losses, and ties will be the team's score for the match-up, and the team with the best score gets a win for that week. For example, here's week 1 from last year: MHL Week 1

[nino33]

Everything's making sense, except...

The match-up acquisition limit is simply a cap on the number of players you can add to your team in a match-up

...where am I getting these players that I add? Is this refering to my shuffling my roster around (starrters/spares)? Or am I waiving/releasing my own players (likely 3rd/4th liners) and picking from some of the many "unpicked" NHL players?

Thanks Much

EDIT - Just checked out the League website again, noticed a list of "Free Agents" I hadn't before....can I "sign" any of these guys prior to Sept 26 when we finalize our 6 keeper choices? (assuming I'd find an FA I wanted as a "keeper")

[Manimal]

EDIT - Just checked out the League website again, noticed a list of "Free Agents" I hadn't before....can I "sign" any of these guys prior to Sept 26 when we finalize our 6 keeper choices? (assuming I'd find an FA I wanted as a "keeper")

Some guys have been doing it in the MHL, so I guess you can.

[McQwak]

Yes, you can. You can simply bring a player (that you think will be your keeper) anytime.

[B. Stinson]

As long as you can find someone you'd pick as a keeper, you're welcome to add him to your team.

[Manimal]

As long as you can find someone you'd pick as a keeper, you're welcome to add him to your team.

I doubt you will. I checked out your team, the TrashCan Canucks, and they're loaded!

[nino33]

the TrashCan Canucks

...do you have a team that I can make fun of?

I checked out your team.....and they're loaded!

Ya I think I can pick six keepers without to much effort...

[Manimal]

the TrashCan Canucks

...do you have a team that I can make fun of?

The Wild Boars. Of the Minstrel Hockey League

[batdad]

His team sucks...so yeah you can make fun of it!! I do all the time. And then I send him ridiculous trade requests.

Of course...my team is like the winningest regular season team in the whole dang league. Lost only 2 games the first season, won 13 in a row. And second season I was in 2nd place overall.

But guess what....I HAVE NOT WON IN THE PLAYOFFS. Which explains my team name very well.

[nino33]

I see your other league has 3 "forward" keepers and they're not having to pick from LW, C and RW positions.....I'd certainly like to keep 3 forwards over one each of LW/C/RW - can we have 3 "foward" keepers?

Thanks

[batdad]

I am sure the boss will make that happen!! I was surprised to find out it was set that way in the Minstrel league, since it was not last year. I had to give up Mike Richards and keep that Bourque guy (Not Ray, but not Phil...just someone in between)

I was widdled at that. This year I traded Iginla away for more depth in season, and got Jeff Carter in a steal. I was going to have to give him OR Marleau up as well....until I found out this new rule today! Phew.

[B. Stinson]

Yep, you're now free to select any three forwards you want as a keeper

As I said in the MHL thread, this was pretty much just a cosmetic rule, and really not necessary.

While I'm at it, I should point out that I always keep the rules the same between the MHL and OHL, so keep an eye on the MHL thread for rule discussion and/or changes. The first post of the MHL thread has a list of proposed changes, and everyone is welcome to comment on these ideas. If a particular change gets support, I'll go ahead and implement it at the next opportunity.

[nino33]

From the MH thread...
Topics of Debate:
. Increase keepers from 6 to 10 (2 LW, 2 C, 2 RW, 3 D, 1 G)
. Increase keepers for this year, or next year?
. Go back to SV% and GAA for goalies instead of Saves and Minutes Played
. Lower the Match-up Acquisition Limit


I'd like to increase the number of keepers...if we're going from 6-10 maybe go from 6 to 8 this year & go from 8-10 next year?
[if done this year need to determine how this would work with expansion teams if expansion occurs]

I can't yet comment on SV% and GAA vrs Saves and MP (don't know/understand the issue).....same with the Match-Acquisition Limit issue [I still don't know/understand the issue.....I still can't "see" it - am I dropping a few 3rd/4th liners to pick up new players from the few hundred IRL NHLers that weren't drafted (or signed) by one of our league teams?]

Regards

[Manimal]

I can't yet comment on SV% and GAA vrs Saves and MP (don't know/understand the issue).....same with the Match-Acquisition Limit issue [I still don't know/understand the issue.....I still can't "see" it - am I dropping a few 3rd/4th liners to pick up new players from the few hundred IRL NHLers that weren't drafted (or signed) by one of our league teams?]

I'll try to explain.
When we used SV% and GAA, some teams had a goalie that had a shutout in his first game. Then they didn't dress any other goalies that game week and since got a top rating in both categories. Unbeatable by the opponent. However, they only got one win so the other team mostly won that category
The new system we had last season was beneficial to goalies who plays a lot of matches.

With 7 FA pick-ups per week, rosters keep changing a lot(if you have the time). You can really make up some points this way.
It did lower the amount of trade talk in the league. Imagine, you can pick up a guy without having to hassle with GrumpyGraham, GM of the Burnaby BleakIce(or,whatever they're called now) .
Reducing the amount of FA pick-ups, will force teams to banter more with the other GMs, which is more fun than just getting guys from a FA list(yes, it's even fun with B-dad )
You see, friendly rivalries get started this way

[nino33]

Thanks Manimal, that helped. I certainly get the "goalie issue" now (and I'd want to reward realistic management, not rule manipulation), but I don't quite get what you mean when you say

they only got one win so the other team mostly won that category

With 7 FA pick-ups per week, rosters keep changing a lot

Am I correct in thinking that most (all?) teams would have a "core group" of 10-14 players that would stay on their team all year? That these players I'm dropping/picking up are likely 3rd/4th liners?

Thanks

[Manimal]

Thanks Manimal, that helped. I certainly get the "goalie issue" now (and I'd want to reward realistic management, not rule manipulation), but I don't quite get what you mean when you say

they only got one win so the other team mostly won that category

I meant that the team that did only dress one goalie for one game only got one victory(in the goalie Wins cat.) The opposing team could play as many goalies as possible(since they couldn't win the GAA and SV% categories anyway) and probably got more than one goalie win that week

With 7 FA pick-ups per week, rosters keep changing a lot

Am I correct in thinking that most (all?) teams would have a "core group" of 10-14 players that would stay on their team all year? That these players I'm dropping/picking up are likely 3rd/4th liners?
Thanks

Yes, third-liners on our teams but with some smart thinking you could take the win in some categories by choosing the right guys

[nino33]

Thanks so much Manimal, great job answering, I think I really get it!

Yes, third-liners on our teams but with some smart thinking you could take the win in some categories by choosing the right guys

Exactly! I'm finding myself "getting back into (modern) hockey" again, and in so doing I'm really enjoying looking at "who's who in the NHL" beyond the first liners that "everybody knows"

Thanks again!

[B. Stinson]

The big problem with GAA and SV% is that they were percentages. As Manimal said, all you needed was one good game from one goalie early on, and you were golden. You could bench all your goalies for the remainder of the week, and you couldn't lose those two stats.

The stats your team uses to compete each week is just the sums of all your individual players. All your players' goals = your team's goals. All your players' assists = your team's assists. So, the goal is to basically accumulate as much as possible, which can only be achieved by maximizing player usage, i.e. more players playing = better stats.

With percentage-based stats, however, the more elements you add to the average, the more average the stat gets. So, if you get a perfect shutout with your first goalie contribution, you won't want to add any more non-perfect stats to that, or else you'll ruin it. With that, the trick to managing you goalkeepers is to play them as little as possible when your GAA and SV% is good.

As for the match-up acquisition limit, that also stems from the way stats work. Like I said, you want as many players playing night-to-night so you can maximize your team's totals. Normally this "maximizing" is done through active management of your starting lineup, in addition to making sure you have good players. But, a few clever managers found out a couple years ago that they can freely add and drop players at will. So the strategy became not to maintain a good roster, but to simply go to the free agent market every day and fill your roster with guys who had a game that night. Drop them all the next day, and pick up a whole new roster of guys who had a game that night. etc., etc.

So, that's where the matchup acquisition limit comes in - it caps the number of players a team can add to their roster each week.

[nino33]

Thanks much Stinson!

I want to feel like it's my team so I want a "core group" I keep (and I support increasing the number of keepers for this reason)........so while I also like the idea of there being some advantage to making the effort and being involved, my vote would be for fewer than 7 acquisitions per week

Regards

EDIT RE "the trick to managing you goalkeepers is to play them as little as possible when your GAA and SV% is good" - I don't like this much, so I'd vote for Minutes/Saves...

[McQwak]

EDIT RE "the trick to managing you goalkeepers is to play them as little as possible when your GAA and SV% is good" - I don't like this much, so I'd vote for Minutes/Saves...

No, there can be minimum games played for statistics to be counted. I'm sure it's set for both our leagues.

[batdad]

NO. There is no minimum you can set. Seriously that was the problem in the first year. TO use me...three goalie categories. Luongo plays vs Nashville on the Tuesday. Luongo gets a shutout. So....Roberto gets 1 win, 0.00 Avg, 1.0000 save percentage. This meant I won 2 of the three goalie categories on day one. I would not dress the goalie again.

If there was a minimum it would still cause guys not to dress if they had great scores in the averages after they achieved the minimum games. That is not right. Should be dressing guys. Unless you have to bench them for disciplinary reasons!!

[Asimo]

so when is the draft taking place??

[B. Stinson]

The draft will be on Saturday, October 1st.

And don't forget, everyone, the keeper deadline is tonight at 11:00 PM ET. If any keepers are not selected, selections will be made for you.