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Thread: How to start a salary cap league?

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    Default How to start a salary cap league?

    I've been chatting with a buddy of mine about starting a new league and we are both really interested in introducing salary caps, although neither of us have used them in a hockey pool (only football).

    I've scrolled back through about 5-6 pages on this forum trying to get a feel for everyone's variations of salary cap leagues. This is what we've come up with so far as the outline:

    • Weekly head-to-head matches
    • Keeper league (Keep X per year, then annual draft)
    • Salary cap league, based on CapFriendly.com
    • 8-12 GMs (depending on interest)
    • Small farm team system (maybe something like 5 spots)
    • 10 scoring categories: Goals, Assists, Special Team Points, Hits, Blocks, Shots on Goal, Wins, Goals Against Average, Save Percentage, Shutouts
    • Small fee to register the league on Fantrax ($80 league fee in total, split between GMs)
    • Possibility of buy-in but we want to see people's interest and willingness to pay


    Details can be worked out after we've recruited at least 8 GMs. We figure we can for sure get 6-7 guys already.

    Any words of wisdom either on the points above or just in terms of setting up the league? Would the above setup work as a 'beginner' salary cap league?

    We are totally open to suggestions at this point.
    ESPN keeper league (5 rounds draft; 3 FA pickups per year; points for G, A, W, SO)

    Forwards: Ovechkin, McDavid, Huberdeau, Voracek, Boeser, Wennberg, Galchenyuk, Tkachuk, Keller, Arvidsson, Teravainen, Rantanen
    D-men: Letang, Keith, Krug, Ellis, Ekblad, Hanifin
    Goalies: Murray, Hellebuyck

    Bench: Hertl, Bjorkstrand, Gallagher, Domi, Tolvanen, Niskanen, Chychrun, Darling, Mrazek, Jarry

  2. #2
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    Default Re: How to start a salary cap league?

    Sounds like a good beginner league. Fantrax is great with salary cap leagues, their salaries are correct 99% of the time.

    One big decision you need to make is if you're going to use cap hit, AAV or yearly salary. Fantrax allows you to use any of the three. As an example, I'll use the most recent signing from CapFriendly who is Kale Clague: https://www.capfriendly.com/players/kale-clague
    - Cap hit: $792,500
    - AAV: $925,000
    - 2017-2018 salary: $767,500

    Please notice that performance bonuses are much higher for high draft picks like Jesse Puljujarvi who has AAV of $3,425,000. So that decision has major effect on player values but I've played in different leagues and used all of the options, so all of them are just fine as long as everyone understands exactly which of them is used.

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    Default Re: How to start a salary cap league?

    That's a great point, Jouko-Pouko.

    I'll have a look on CapFriendly to get a feel for where there are greater discrepancies and how that might play out.
    ESPN keeper league (5 rounds draft; 3 FA pickups per year; points for G, A, W, SO)

    Forwards: Ovechkin, McDavid, Huberdeau, Voracek, Boeser, Wennberg, Galchenyuk, Tkachuk, Keller, Arvidsson, Teravainen, Rantanen
    D-men: Letang, Keith, Krug, Ellis, Ekblad, Hanifin
    Goalies: Murray, Hellebuyck

    Bench: Hertl, Bjorkstrand, Gallagher, Domi, Tolvanen, Niskanen, Chychrun, Darling, Mrazek, Jarry

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    Default Re: How to start a salary cap league?

    I'm planning on putting a full scale article on this out in the offseason.
    In the meantime, there are definitely a few points specific to salary cap leagues that you will have to dictate:
    -How high is your salary cap. Too low and the stars are less valuable than the mid-tier guys (and you don't want that). Too high and there's no point in having a cap. Generally a floating cap X-amount of dollars above the NHL salary cap is the way to go.
    -Dictate early and clearly, as Jouko said, what amount you are actually capping. AAV is nice and standard, however the actual value paid out allows some flexibility. Guys like Tarasenko with his contract would have their value fluctuate greatly depending on the year.
    -Be clear about salary cap infractions, and the penalties. Enforce it.
    -I might recommend another offensive category or two. With your categories the hits/blocks guys that are defacemen on smaller contracts are going to become very valuable very fast.
    -Be clear about salaries on your farm team, and how that works. If it's a limit like 100GP or something, then it should be fine. If you want to run with a full blown AHL system, then waiver processes and all that will need to be clearly outlined.
    -Does the salary cap count in the offseason? Can you pass it by 10%, 20% 50%? Set a date by when all rosters must be cap compliant. Maybe Sept 1, Sept 15 or Oct 1.
    -Be flexible in the first year. Things will pop up that you certainly didn't expect, and you will need to adapt the league rules to make it all work.
    Associate Editor for DobberHockey (Wednesdays). Click that Ramblings button on the the menu bar!
    (No I don't have a hockey problem...)

  5. #5
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    Default Re: How to start a salary cap league?

    +1 to what EB said.

    I started a Cap Dynasty league this past fall, and joined a secondary one (with EB, among a few others on the forums) that has been going for quite some time. In the league I started, we're making some changes over the next few years based on what I've learned in my secondary league.

    EB's article should provide a great base for a league - if at all possible, I'd wait for it to drop before calling any of your rules set in stone.


    14 Team H2H Cap
    G A DPTS FOW SOG STP H+B | W SV SV% GAA

    C: Scheifele, Stamkos (rw), Tavares
    LW: Gaudreau, Giroux (c/rw), Labanc(rw)
    RW: Atkinson, Thompson (c), Keller (lw), Glendening (c)
    D: Klingberg, Gostisbehere, Dumba, Krug (50%), Trouba, McNabb, Gudas
    G: Holtby, Fleury, Markstrom


    FARM NOTABLES:
    F: Bokk, A Thomas, Kaprizov, Dorofeyev, Mikheyev
    D: Dalhin, Beaudin, Dunn, Kylington, Harley
    G: Hart, Demko

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    Default Re: How to start a salary cap league?

    If you guys are waiting for it then maybe I'll try to get to it in the next few weeks
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    (No I don't have a hockey problem...)

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    Default Re: How to start a salary cap league?

    That would be awesome EB - both for new leagues starting up as well as leagues like mine where we are still tweaking things to reach "perfection", or as close to it as we can get.

    That being said, don't rush it - I'm sure it'll be worth the wait!


    14 Team H2H Cap
    G A DPTS FOW SOG STP H+B | W SV SV% GAA

    C: Scheifele, Stamkos (rw), Tavares
    LW: Gaudreau, Giroux (c/rw), Labanc(rw)
    RW: Atkinson, Thompson (c), Keller (lw), Glendening (c)
    D: Klingberg, Gostisbehere, Dumba, Krug (50%), Trouba, McNabb, Gudas
    G: Holtby, Fleury, Markstrom


    FARM NOTABLES:
    F: Bokk, A Thomas, Kaprizov, Dorofeyev, Mikheyev
    D: Dalhin, Beaudin, Dunn, Kylington, Harley
    G: Hart, Demko

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    Default Re: How to start a salary cap league?

    Wow, ask and ye shall receive!

    Thanks, gents. A lot of good tips in there and I will certainly be looking forward to that article when it comes out (no rush!).
    ESPN keeper league (5 rounds draft; 3 FA pickups per year; points for G, A, W, SO)

    Forwards: Ovechkin, McDavid, Huberdeau, Voracek, Boeser, Wennberg, Galchenyuk, Tkachuk, Keller, Arvidsson, Teravainen, Rantanen
    D-men: Letang, Keith, Krug, Ellis, Ekblad, Hanifin
    Goalies: Murray, Hellebuyck

    Bench: Hertl, Bjorkstrand, Gallagher, Domi, Tolvanen, Niskanen, Chychrun, Darling, Mrazek, Jarry

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    Default Re: How to start a salary cap league?

    this is our manual for our keeper salary cap league. The current nhl season is the third season of our salary cap league. rules are always getting tweaked as the league gets refined, and loopholes are found. But in general, our league is running pretty smoothly

    https://media.wix.com/ugd/863593_643...9013517259.pdf

    slightly nsfw (there are some espn body issue type photos in the manual)
    SBF Keeper League // 10 Teams // NHL Salary Cap //
    4C, 8W, 6D, 1G, 4B
    G=3pts, A=2pts, Shots=.2, PIMS=.2, Blocks=.2pts, Hits=.2pts, PPP=.5pts, SHP=1pt, GWG=.5pts,
    W=3pts, SO=4pts, GA=-.5, Saves=.1pt

    St. Petterssons

    C: Pettersson, Zacha, Novak, Kurashev, Lapierre
    W: Kucherov, Draisaitl, Hyman, W Nylander, Bratt, P Kane, Roslovic, Milano, A Nylander, M Jones
    D: Theodore, Seider, Gostisbehere, Harley, York, Perunovich, Sandin
    G: Skinner

    *Bold means I can't drop them (but I can trade them).

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    Default Re: How to start a salary cap league?

    Quote Originally Posted by Poutine View Post
    10 scoring categories: Goals, Assists, Special Team Points, Hits, Blocks, Shots on Goal, Wins, Goals Against Average, Save Percentage, Shutouts
    .

    I think you need 2 more skaters CATS. Right now you have a 6/4 split. 8/4 is more ideal so goalies are not over valued.

    - AVG TOI
    - FO%
    - Points
    - PIM

    Pick two
    Last edited by Moses; March 8, 2017 at 2:25 AM. Reason: *added Pick two
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    Default Re: How to start a salary cap league?

    Quote Originally Posted by Moses View Post
    I think you need 2 more skaters CATS. Right now you have a 6/4 split. 8/4 is more ideal so goalies are not over valued.

    - AVG TOI
    - FO%
    - Points
    - PIM

    Pick two
    Is it right to think that if FO% is included as a category, that we would need to define roster spots by positions? Otherwise GMs would stack their teams with Centers?
    ESPN keeper league (5 rounds draft; 3 FA pickups per year; points for G, A, W, SO)

    Forwards: Ovechkin, McDavid, Huberdeau, Voracek, Boeser, Wennberg, Galchenyuk, Tkachuk, Keller, Arvidsson, Teravainen, Rantanen
    D-men: Letang, Keith, Krug, Ellis, Ekblad, Hanifin
    Goalies: Murray, Hellebuyck

    Bench: Hertl, Bjorkstrand, Gallagher, Domi, Tolvanen, Niskanen, Chychrun, Darling, Mrazek, Jarry

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    Default Re: How to start a salary cap league?

    TOI adds value to players that play, rather that cluttering up roster with meh players.

    FO% I like better than FOW. Face Off Wins is cumulative and does not reward good drawmen. It rewards having players take face-offs and is, frankly, kind of boring. FOW is a skill stat and that is what an extended category set-up is all about. I acknowledge that FO% can drag a segment of good centre's value down (see: Malkin, Stepan), so there is down side.

    I am in a league that has POINTS as a CAT. So... G, A, P. It rewards players who score and that is never a bad thing. I like this one.

    I know that PIMs can get a bad wrap but it opens to door to another 'type' of player. I am not against it at all but others argue "why am I rooting for players to do things that hurt their team."
    .............


    I would explore the idea of a CAT that is [HIT+BLOCKS+PIMS]. It call it the 'grit' component of your team. It could be 'somewhat' manageable in a weekly H2H format. I think that this would be a fun and encompassing CAT.

    ..............


    As for "what should the cap be"? DO NOT USE THE NHL SALARY CAP. It has to be higher but somehow tied to the actual NHL cap. If your are a 30 team fantasy league then that number is spot on. In an 8-12 team league the number is 100% unworkable. Lets say there are 30 NHL teams and they each have 20 players (round numbers) so 600 players are taking a piece out of the total NHL cap. In an 8 team league where you each have, say 25 players, so 200 total players, you are only rostering 1/3 of the league. If you use the $73M figure (this years cap) for your pool you are going to have 2/3 (maybe 1/2?) of the "good" NHL player not being used in your league and rosters are full of 3rd-4th liners/5-6-7 defensemen..

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by Poutine View Post
    Is it right to think that if FO% is included as a category, that we would need to define roster spots by positions? Otherwise GMs would stack their teams with Centers?
    exactly right
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    Default Re: How to start a salary cap league?

    Quote Originally Posted by Eskimo Brother View Post
    I'm planning on putting a full scale article on this out in the offseason.
    In the meantime, there are definitely a few points specific to salary cap leagues that you will have to dictate:
    -How high is your salary cap. Too low and the stars are less valuable than the mid-tier guys (and you don't want that). Too high and there's no point in having a cap. Generally a floating cap X-amount of dollars above the NHL salary cap is the way to go.
    -Dictate early and clearly, as Jouko said, what amount you are actually capping. AAV is nice and standard, however the actual value paid out allows some flexibility. Guys like Tarasenko with his contract would have their value fluctuate greatly depending on the year.
    -Be clear about salary cap infractions, and the penalties. Enforce it.
    -I might recommend another offensive category or two. With your categories the hits/blocks guys that are defacemen on smaller contracts are going to become very valuable very fast.
    -Be clear about salaries on your farm team, and how that works. If it's a limit like 100GP or something, then it should be fine. If you want to run with a full blown AHL system, then waiver processes and all that will need to be clearly outlined.
    -Does the salary cap count in the offseason? Can you pass it by 10%, 20% 50%? Set a date by when all rosters must be cap compliant. Maybe Sept 1, Sept 15 or Oct 1.
    -Be flexible in the first year. Things will pop up that you certainly didn't expect, and you will need to adapt the league rules to make it all work.
    /slow clap, hand against tablet/
    - I said... "God damn this tablet is heavy!"

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    Default Re: How to start a salary cap league?

    Quote Originally Posted by Eskimo Brother View Post
    -Be clear about salary cap infractions, and the penalties. Enforce it.
    What are some examples of salary cap penalties? Is it mostly just setting an amount of points deducted from that player if the salary cap is exceeded after whatever deadline is set? Or are there more creative penalties?

    If we set up the league, I would want the penalties to be uber-severe because otherwise I'm sure it becomes a pain to manage.
    ESPN keeper league (5 rounds draft; 3 FA pickups per year; points for G, A, W, SO)

    Forwards: Ovechkin, McDavid, Huberdeau, Voracek, Boeser, Wennberg, Galchenyuk, Tkachuk, Keller, Arvidsson, Teravainen, Rantanen
    D-men: Letang, Keith, Krug, Ellis, Ekblad, Hanifin
    Goalies: Murray, Hellebuyck

    Bench: Hertl, Bjorkstrand, Gallagher, Domi, Tolvanen, Niskanen, Chychrun, Darling, Mrazek, Jarry

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    Default Re: How to start a salary cap league?

    Quote Originally Posted by Poutine View Post
    What are some examples of salary cap penalties? Is it mostly just setting an amount of points deducted from that player if the salary cap is exceeded after whatever deadline is set? Or are there more creative penalties?

    If we set up the league, I would want the penalties to be uber-severe because otherwise I'm sure it becomes a pain to manage.
    Likely the easiest thing to do is the loss of draft picks for a future season. You then want to scale the infractions. Start off with a warning, then move on t the picks. First, as an example us a 5 round draft, so it would start by losing a third round pick, then a second, then lastly a first round pick. Or re-work something acceptable based on how many rounds there actually are in the draft.
    Associate Editor for DobberHockey (Wednesdays). Click that Ramblings button on the the menu bar!
    (No I don't have a hockey problem...)

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