A) Flat Salary
There are no variable salary contracts. Each year of a contract must have the same salary amount.
B) Minimum Salary
All contracts must be signed to at least $200,000 and must be in multiples of $100,000.
C) Contract Limits
All contracts must be no longer than 4 years. Also, for a given salary, all contacts (extension, FA) have term limits (max years contract can be per the salary) as provided below.
Maximum Years
</= $2.9m, 2 years
$3.0m - $6.4m, 3 years
>$6.5m, 4 years
Contracts can be less in length then the given values but can't exceed the given years. Ex. a 9 million free agent bid can be a 3 year - $3m, 2 year - $4.5m, or a 1 year - $9m but can not be a 4 year - $2.3m
Maximum dollars for a single season is $10m - Removed Fall of 2020
D) Original Contracts
Original contract values are taken from Hockeybuzz.com and rounded to nearest $0.1m. These values will be the cap hit values not the players actual salary. Any players with over 4 years remaining on their contract (2013-14) will be reduce to a 4 year contract (this is to increase activity and allow contracts like Kovalchuks to be more realistic).
E) Entry Draft Contracts
The Entry Draft Contracts should emulate the current draft market. Figures may vary. Draft positions will be taken from their real life draft positions.
Draft Position - Salary
1 - $2.8m
2 - $2.5m
3 thru 5 - $2.0m
6 thru 10 - $1.6m
11 thru 17 - $1.2m
18 thru 25 - $1.0m
26 thru 31 - $0.8m
2nd Round Picks - $0.6m
3rd Round & Over/Undrafted - $0.5m
Draftees will be placed onto the MiLR. All drafted players will start in the minors with no contract (N/C) and only have to be signed when the GM feels the need. If they remain in the minors without a contract and exceed 40 games played they have to be signed to their respective draft value or extension (whichever may be higher) or released to free agency.
F) Two Way Contracts
Two way contracts are eligible for players who have been drafted by their respective teams. Two way contracts means that players signed to these contract can be sent up and down without going through waivers. Their contract is dictated as follows:
0-9 games of NHL Experience - Can be signed to a (max) 3 year - two way contract or (min) 2 year - two way contract with the value of the contract dictated by draft position
This number is 0-5 games for goaltenders
10 - 39 games of NHL Experience - Can be signed only to a 2 year - two way contract with the value of the contract dictated by draft position or extension value (whichever is higher).
This number is 6-29 games for goaltenders
40+ games of NHL Experience - Can be signed only to a major league contract with value of the contract dictated by draft position or extension value (whichever is higher). These players will automatically be transferred to major league roster and have to be signed to a contract or released to free agency. They will also be subject to waivers to return to the minor league.
This number is 30+ games for goaltenders
Stipulation 1: If a player hits 40 games it is the GMs responsibility to sign the player or release them. If the commissioner comes across a player that has played over 40 games, they will be signed to a 2 year contract based on the above rules. The player will automatically be placed on the major league roster.
Stipulation 2: All two way contracts must be a minimum of 2 years in length.
All players without a * beside their name in the minor leagues will be assigned contracts of N/C at conclusion of 2010-11 season and will be eligible (depending on games played) for two way contracts. Players with over 40 games experience will be moved to the major league roster at conclusion of regular season.
Players signed to two way contracts can't be released without cost. To be released they must be bought out or remain in the minors.
Note: When I say extension value, it doesn't mean it is an extension. It is just a value to go by to evaluate the player, so these do not have to be signed during the extension periods. Also (as seen in the extension section) if a player is over the maximum ranking they can be signed to their draft position value.
G) Releasing Players Under Contract
A buyout will occur for 66.66% of the contract value to be paid in equal installments. This may be spread out over the years remaining in the bought-out contract or any years less than the length of the current contract.
Example:
Sidney Crosby is making $8.7m (2012-2013). The total contract value for Crosby would be $8.7m for three years ($26.1m). 66% of the contract value is owed to the player, which in this case is $17.3m ($26.1m x .66 = 17.226 = 17.3m, the final buyout value is always rounded up). This may be spread out over one, two or three years (because Sidney is signed for three years).
H) Amnesty Buyout
This was a one time free buyout of one contract after the 2012-13 season due to the sudden drop in cap space from the 2012-13 season to the 2013-14 season. It was allowed to be used anywhere on your roster (majors or minors).
