NHL roster limits & waivers

LetsGoPreds · 10-21-2017, 08:04 PM

I've simulated multiple present-day NHL seasons and I keep running into an issue with the 23-man roster limit. According to the NHL, "There may be a maximum of 23 players on each Club's playing roster at any one time from the commencement of the NHL regular season through the trade deadline." But in every one of my FHM 4 seasons, the limit has stayed in place until the end of the playoffs instead. I've also noticed something seems off with the waiver system. For instance, during an injury situation I called up a goalie from the AHL to the NHL to fill in. This AHL goalie served as the backup in one NHL game but didn't play; I sent him back to the AHL three days later and he was forced to clear waivers. According to the NHL, "A player does not need to pass through waivers if the player has not been on the NHL active roster for a cumulative 30 days since last clearing waivers, and has not played in 10 or more NHL games. CBA Reference 13.2(b)"

JeffR · 10-22-2017, 12:52 AM

It's not possible to adjust roster limits in mid-season in a game right now; it's going to be a fairly significant project to add that ability and get the AI to react properly to a situation with unlimited roster size (right now, it would expand the roster to a ridiculous size if it had the cap room to do so.)

The waivers are a similar situation, that particular rule would require tracking some new things (total active roster time since the last date player cleared waivers) and monitoring players on a daily basis to change waiver status depending on that data. It's probably doable, but considering the actual effect it would have on play, will be behind a lot of other things on the priority list.

Torgonius · 10-22-2017, 12:37 PM

Roster sizes are unlimited after the deadline, but there are still some limiting factors.

Salary cap: All your active players must still fit under it. There is no salary cap in the playoffs.

Call up limit: NHL teams are permitted to make 4 recalls after the deadline. Many teams use a couple of these with guys on ELCs. They make an on-paper demotion of an NHLer who is exempt from waivers, sending him to the AHL team so that the player becomes eligible for the AHL playoffs, but then immediately re-call that player to the NHL.

This counts as one of their 4 callups for each time they use it.

Players on loan come back to the NHL team when the team to which they were loaned ends its season. That's how you see 19 year old CHL players go to the AHL on TryOut agreements.

Teams can use emergency callups when needed (rules are defined in the CBA), which don't count against the 4.

These aren't all in FHM4, but they aren't as important (to most people) as a lot of the other improvements that have been made.

Hopefully, FHM5 or 6 will see these changes (and LTIR) incorporated.

10-21-2017, 08:04 PM	#1
LetsGoPreds Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Washington State Posts: 38	NHL roster limits & waivers I've simulated multiple present-day NHL seasons and I keep running into an issue with the 23-man roster limit. According to the NHL, "There may be a maximum of 23 players on each Club's playing roster at any one time from the commencement of the NHL regular season through the trade deadline." But in every one of my FHM 4 seasons, the limit has stayed in place until the end of the playoffs instead. I've also noticed something seems off with the waiver system. For instance, during an injury situation I called up a goalie from the AHL to the NHL to fill in. This AHL goalie served as the backup in one NHL game but didn't play; I sent him back to the AHL three days later and he was forced to clear waivers. According to the NHL, "A player does not need to pass through waivers if the player has not been on the NHL active roster for a cumulative 30 days since last clearing waivers, and has not played in 10 or more NHL games. CBA Reference 13.2(b)"

10-22-2017, 12:52 AM	#2
JeffR FHM Producer Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Kelowna, BC Posts: 17,394	It's not possible to adjust roster limits in mid-season in a game right now; it's going to be a fairly significant project to add that ability and get the AI to react properly to a situation with unlimited roster size (right now, it would expand the roster to a ridiculous size if it had the cap room to do so.) The waivers are a similar situation, that particular rule would require tracking some new things (total active roster time since the last date player cleared waivers) and monitoring players on a daily basis to change waiver status depending on that data. It's probably doable, but considering the actual effect it would have on play, will be behind a lot of other things on the priority list.

10-22-2017, 12:37 PM	#3
Torgonius All Star Reserve Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 861	Roster sizes are unlimited after the deadline, but there are still some limiting factors. Salary cap: All your active players must still fit under it. There is no salary cap in the playoffs. Call up limit: NHL teams are permitted to make 4 recalls after the deadline. Many teams use a couple of these with guys on ELCs. They make an on-paper demotion of an NHLer who is exempt from waivers, sending him to the AHL team so that the player becomes eligible for the AHL playoffs, but then immediately re-call that player to the NHL. This counts as one of their 4 callups for each time they use it. Players on loan come back to the NHL team when the team to which they were loaned ends its season. That's how you see 19 year old CHL players go to the AHL on TryOut agreements. Teams can use emergency callups when needed (rules are defined in the CBA), which don't count against the 4. These aren't all in FHM4, but they aren't as important (to most people) as a lot of the other improvements that have been made. Hopefully, FHM5 or 6 will see these changes (and LTIR) incorporated.