A. Organization

Commissioner – Don Brenner

The Commissioner is in charge of the day-to-day league business.

All league business will be handled directly with the Commissioner and not in a league-wide discussion unless the Commissioner asks for an open discussion and/or vote.

This league exists to promote fellowship and sportsmanship. It is expected that all league members treat each other courteously and with respect. 

From time to time situations may arise that require the commissioner’s guidance and/or input.

This includes – but is not limited to – two of the most important aspects of our hobby:

1. Communication issue …  Make sure your opponent has the most up to day .coa file. If your playing on line communicate if your going to be late or miss the game/.

2. Conduct issue … If during a hockey game your opponent is verbally abusive or pulls the plug on the game because the breaks were not going his way is not tolerated.

Please contact the commissioner ASAP if you either the communication or conduct issues occurred. The commissioner will then review the situation and take the proper action.

There are no league dues

The plays the latest version of Action! PC Hockey. 

Each member is required to own the game and purchase the season disk being played.

The Vintage Hockey League plays two-three seasons per calendar year.  

There will be league business that will require a members vote. The Majority will rule and if a member does not vote on time their vote is abstained.

Commissioner reserves the right to make decisions in the best interest of the league that are covered by the realm of the Constitution.

B. League Set Up

The Vintage HockeyLeague is a 14 team league divided into two seven team  divisions ( East/West)

Vintage Hockey League team names  can only be actual or defunct NHL teams. The team much have played prior to the year we are playing ie. Nashville Predators cant be used until after 1996

League information will be available on the web site and/or via e-mail from the Commissioner.

The official league file will be provided by the Commissioner during the regular season, playoffs and off-season.

Vacant teams can be an issue from time to time. Therefore the Vintage Hockey League will always try to maintain a Coaches Waiting List.  In the event that a team doesn’t have a coach, their regular season and/or playoff games will be played by the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, Competition Committee or a member designated by the Commissioner until the vacant position is filled. The same rules apply if a team doesn’t have a coach during the rookie/free agent draft.

When there is more than one vacant team within a division the teams will be relocated to separate divisions.

C. Regular Season Schedule and Playing Your Games

The regular season block is 2 weeks of league play 

On average it with 3-4 away games a block

It is each coach’s responsibility to provide a Coach File for the league at the start of the season. Coaches file are as needed during the season

 .

D. Game Settings

The following league rules and game preferences will be checked ON: 

No Overtime

Standard Scoring

Max Skaters (18) Goalie (2)…you can play with 16/17 if owner decides to

Fight Instigator

NO Time Outs

E. Roster & Player Usage

Roster Size – Up to 35 active players.

After the pre-draft rookie cuts (down to 22 players ..excepts for season 1) and rookie draft and before the start of the next regular season your roster can be any size via trades. But must be cut down to the 35 active players league limit – there will be a roster deadline date announced – before the next season starts. 

Players designated I/A [Inactive] for the season do not count against the 35 active player roster size limit (but do count against the 22 pre-draft cut down). This applies to players who have gone to the WHA or Minors. Teams may plaim any player of theirs that goes to either. A player card will be created with zero games to hold their spot.

All teams are limited to protecting (2) goalies this INCLUDES the 1970 seasons end.

Injuries/Waiver Pickups Rule: A team can pick up a player or players to cover for injuries by putting in a claim for any player in the free agent section of the league file. This is handled on a first come-first served basis ( based on the timew received by commissioner) and must be made before the start of the next play week. The deadline to make your injury waiver claim[s] is always Wednesday Midnight.

Here is the playing out of position guidelines: 

With the early season having a dearth of players. Players can play out of position. There is a small penalty when forwards play out of position ( ie. LW playing RW ) Forwards can play the point on PP and so forth. D men playing forwards and forwards playing D take a bigger penalty.

OVER USAGE REGULAR SEASON PENALTY CHART

This chart represents the penalty if players are played OVER the games they actually played that season. If an overage occures the team will have their draft pick moved to the end of the appropriate round.

If there is an egregious use the league has the right to impose a larger penalty

GAMES OVER0.1-5.65.7-10.010.1 and UP
0-107th6th5th
11-204th3rd2nd
21-301st1st &7th1st & 6th
31-401st & 5th1st & 4th1st & 3rd
41-501st & 2nd1st& 2nd & 7th1st & 2nd & 6th
51-0ver1st & 2nd & 5th1st & 2nd & 4th1st & 2nd & 4th
TBD
Chart – Games Over and the total def/off rating of the players

F. Trading

Trading is allowed during the regular season and the off-season.

The Vintage Hockey League trading deadline during the regular season is through and up to game 60 . Each Wednesday at Midnight will be the deadline to reporting trades. Both teams MUST confirm the trade for it to be processed.

Any trade made after the trading deadline for that season does not become official until the completion of that season.

Trades can include players and/or draft picks.

During the regular season you can trade your future draft picks up to two seasons in the future. After the season is over you can trade your draft picks up to three seasons in the future. 

REGULAR SEASON EXAMPLE: The 1962 regular season is being played. You can now trade your 1963 & 1964 draft picks.

OFF-SEASON EXAMPLE: The 1962 regular season ends. You can now trade your 1963, 1964 & 1965 draft picks. All trades are to be reported to the Commissioner and confirmed by the non-trade reporting coach. 

Once a trade is official – one coach reports it and one coach confirms – it will be announced to the entire league via e-mail. 

The Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner will review and have final approval of all trades.

After the 1971-72 Season each team will protect 18 players ( only 2 goalies can be protected as part of the 18 ). The rest will be put into the draft. The protecting of players and the amount will be voted on prior to the 72-73 season

Seasons 72-73 through 74-75 the protected list will be 22 players including goalies. Teams will be able to protect no more then 3 goalies during these seasons. Players not protected will be placed back into the draft.

The VHL will expand by 2 teams after the 74-75 season ( These teams will be able to choose NYI, ATL, KC or WASH) The protected number will be voted on prior to the 74-75 season

G. Injuries & Waiver Transactions 

It is in the best interest of your team that you select a player or players from the free agent list when you lose a player or players to injury.

Waiver claims should be made to the commissioner. When the injured player is eligible to return the waiver wire pick up or another player on your roster has to be released. This transaction is also sent to the Commissioner.

During the regular and post-season you can claim players off of the waiver wire and release players.  

All waiver claims are handled on a first come-first served basis. The claim/release requests are to be sent to the commissioner.

Requests can be made for a position instead of a specific player.

H. Playoffs

Eight teams will qualify for the playoffs. 

4 teams from each division

Seeded by Total Points

All series best Seven

PLAYOFF USAGE CHART

GAMES PLAYED REG SEASONPLAYOFF ELIGABILITY
70-8021
60-6917
50-5915
40-4913
30-3910
20-297
10-194
0-92

I. Rookie Draft

Any player not on an Vintage Hockey League roster who is Action! PC Football game rated is draft eligible.

The Rookie Draft is 5-7 Rounds – selection order is worst to best in order – with a lottery held to determine the pecking order for the first three draft positions in the 1st Round only.

The rookie draft ground rules are simple …

— When you go on the clock you have 6 hours to make your pick.
— You will be passed if the clock runs out on you.
— Send the commissioner a draft list if you don’t think you will be around to make your pick.

The Rookie Draft will be conducted via e-mail or telephone/text [emergency situations only]. 

Trading is allowed during the draft.

If you are the team on the clock and you trade your pick the team trading for your pick assumes the time left on the clock.

Teams who reach the 40-active player roster limit can continue participating in the rookie draft but must cut a player before making a pick.

A team with less than the 40-active player roster limit at the end of Tenth Round of the rookie draft can continue to draft until they reach the 40-active player roster limit. 

At the end of the regular season each team will cut their roster down to 30 overall players. The players cut will go into the rookie draft player pool.  

Players on Injured Reserve – Designated I/A [Inactive] – count against the 30-player protected list limit. 

J. Rule Changes, Expansion & the Miscellaneous 

Proposals for rule changes can be made to the Commissioner after the Vintage Hockey League Stanley Cup. The Commissioner will review the proposal and decide whether or not the recommendation merits league wide discussion. Any proposal making the cut will then be introduced to the league for a short [one week] e-mail discussion. At that time the commissioner will decide whether or not the proposed rule change has enough interest to be put to a league vote. If the rule change proposal is put to a vote every member has one vote. Not voting will be considered a no vote.  A proposed rule change must carry a ¾ majority vote in order to be put into the Old School Football League Rules.

Expansion will be addressed at the time the NFL/AFL added more teams in real-life.