And just a small summary here now, so everyone is on the same page with Keepers and what not as we head into our draft:
1. The Juggernauts: 10 Keepers plus a maximum of 5 on the Farm Team
2. 1.21 Gigawatts: 10 Keepers plus a maximum of 5 on the Farm Team
3. Buffalo Cab Co.: 11 Keepers plus a maximum of 5 on the Farm Team
4. Fitzsy Stars: 11 Keepers plus a maximum of 5 on the Farm Team
5. Arthur Tigers: 12 Keepers plus a maximum of 5 on the Farm Team
6. Small Town Dynasty: 12 Keepers plus a maximum of 5 on the Farm Team
7. Desolation Row: 13 Keepers plus a maximum of 6 on the Farm Team
8. Soo Storm: 13 Keepers plus a maximum of 6 on the Farm Team
9. Shoreside Situations: 14 Keepers plus a maximum of 7 on the Farm Team
10. Motley Crue: 14 Keepers plus a maximum of 7 on the Farm Team
Farm Team Eligible: Skaters with 82 NHL games or less, Goalies with 41 NHL games or less.
Remember that our maximum roster size after the draft is 30 and that of those 30 everyone needs to have a minimum of 5 Farm Team Eligible players. Naturally, one could carry more, only the minimum is important. Also, note that teams that finished 7th and 8th may carry over 6 prospects and those that finished 9th and 10th may carry over 7 should they so desire. They must, nevertheless, at the end of the draft have a roster size of 30 and a minimum of 5 FTE players.
For the life of me I could not really figure out what our thinking was in giving the lower teams an extra prospect or two and so I contacted Matt and here is what he said:
How does this help last-place teams? It helps them, for example, to trade proven veteran talent at the trade deadline for prospects such as Hall or Shattenkirk, and then carry them over using one of their extra farm slots. These two guys will obviously be playing in the NHL next year, so they can carry over one or two more active players using these extra farm slots. But obviously it would be too much of an advantage if they got to draft 31 or 32 players.
Everything clear to everyone?
Greg
