Expansion template online!

 Well now that our expansion teams have been unveiled, it is time to start thinking about what your mock protection lists consist of as things will happen quickly. 

Going through the exercise will also help you see what tradeable commodities you may have or need to move in order to avoid losing them in the expansion draft.  Perhaps you want to keep the player or players, but need to work out a deal with the expansion teams to not take the player if you leave them unprotected.  If you get ahead in your planning, you can look towards such a deal to ensure certain guys from your roster are indeed taken.  

One of the important things to start thinking about is listing out who your expansion-exempt players are on the roster.  Those are first-contract CCHL players or players that are under 150 games played in their NHL careers by the time our expansion draft lists are due.  There will likely be a lot of overlaps in those groups but the 150 games played should cover some young goaltenders that are not on their first deal because of years as a backup, but a team is rewarded for hanging onto them during this long development curve.  

I would highly recommend plotting out both scenarios, that is the 14 skater protection model and also the nine forwards, four defencemen, and one goaltender model.  In doing so, remember teams must expose one goaltender or defenceman but can only lose one from those two position groups on the defensive side of the puck.  If you expose more in the 14 skater method in order to protect more forwards, it could prove to be beneficial in that you protected some of your higher skill players but you'd also be exposing any goaltenders not exempt in the process.  

There are so many ways teams can go through the expansion protection process.  I've posted a link below for the expansion protect template and exposure list on the website that we will be using to submit.  

I think that's it.  Have fun playing and planning as the CCHL gets ready to expand!  

(Note:  This is a rough discussion of strategy and to introduce the template.  For full rules on expansion protection lists, please consult the rules on the CCHL website)

Expansion Template (byethost4.com) 

-The Commish!  

Expansion Looming - have you started looking at it?

 With expansion looming and Monday's trade deadline upon us, it might be time to start evaluating what you have and need to protect for the upcoming expansion draft.  

I highly suggest you start reviewing your rosters and developing mock protection lists using both the 14 skaters OR nine forward, four defencemen, and one goaltender protection model to see which one works best for you.  I suggest this because things are going to get moving fast following the season so preparation is paramount to your team not losing somebody you really like.  

It is also important you must expose at least two players for the expansion draft.  Seeing as teams cannot lose more than one forward OR one defenceman or goalie, you need to ensure you are going to expose at least one forward and one goaltender or defenceman.  If you do not have it, be prepared to act quickly to acquire something to expose in the short trading period prior to expansion because you may have to expose a player you would have protected if you do not have enough to expose.  Most of us should not have a problem with this, but it's something to be very keenly aware of heading into the Expansion Draft.  

One other thing to review is your first CCHL contract-exempt players.  Those players are often the ones on the payroll page that have lower salaries or are M designated this year.  Don't forget, if they are RFA but coming off that first contract, they are still exempt from the expansion draft.  

There are some exceptions, such as European free agents that sign their first deals (think Mikheyev) that will have some higher values on first contracts or some goaltenders like Alex Nedeljkovic who did not qualify for the disk until his cheap entry-level deal was up.  His first CCHL contract became three million bucks so while the earlier cheap years are lost, it allows a team to protect a goalie in their prime still since it's their first CCHL contract.  It really is the old 'you win some and lose some' with some of the older players being more expensive but protect worthy on their first deal.  

If you aren't sure if it's the first contract, please check with Matt and Bobby as we should have the data.  

I think that's it but figured this would be a relevant blog given the trade deadline is coming up and people should really start trying to plan accordingly for expansion.  If you're thinking about it in April, it's probably a little late!  

Enjoy trade deadline 2022!

-The Commish 

CCHL Expansion Schedule and more!!!

 Hello everyone,

I figure it is about time to provide an update on our expansion process as we are getting close to introducing our two new franchises to the league and doing our alignment for the upcoming season(s).  

The week of January 24th is the date - we will unveil the new teams to the league.  The following week we will then allow them to announce their first-ever head coach from the list of coaches currently looking for work in the CCHL.

Following that, we will have a drawing that assigns either the Canosa or Corfield Conference to our new members, and the week after that - we will announce our four division names for the following season.  While these will honor hockey history (but not CCHL history), we are confident that you'll love the old-school flavor our executive committee has chosen for the 4 divisions.  

With the divisions now named; a must to assign teams to them, we can then assign our teams to the divisions and we can begin to see what teams we are going to hate starting next season (as if you already don't hate Sudbury enough!).  

Following that, we'll get into announcing the draft lottery odds (a bit re-vamped with expansion) and the regular season should conclude on March 8th.  Following that we'll do the draft lottery to determine who picks first in the 2022 Shane Wright, errr CCHL Entry Draft.  

Really there is a whole lot more happening but I'm excited as I believe it is probably going to be a very exciting bunch of months for the CCHL as a whole.  

Expansion throws in a new wrinkle that none of us have had to deal with before in this league while providing a much-needed cash injection.  

As commissioner, I cannot tell you how happy our free-agent players and agents are as well.  I take calls daily from the agents of Jeff Skinner and Kyle Okposo expressing excitement about their players getting an opportunity next year with expansion, or on an existing CCHL roster.  They've been honing their skills this past season and both look the best they have in years.  While their contracts may not have been great the last season or two, they'll definitely add value to a team next year with more employment spaces opening up! 

I'll leave a full tentative schedule at the bottom of this blog so you can see what it looks like going forward as it'll be a busy but important few months for the league! 

Enjoy Monday's trade deadline and remember, you can't win sitting on your wallet or draft picks!  

-The Commish

Tentative Schedule for expansion and up to the draft.

Week of Jan 24 - teams announced/intro to the league

Week of Jan 31 - head coaches selected

Week of Feb 7 - Conference Assignment for Expansion teams

Week of Feb 14 - Division Names Announced

Week of Feb 21 - Divisions/teams announced

Week of Feb 28 - Draft Lottery Odds Announced 

March 8th - end of regular season - draft lottery

April 6th - last possible date of playoffs (likely a week earlier they end)

April 1-7 - pre-expansion draft period

April 7-10th - approx date expansion lists due (cannot trade after list submitted)

April 10-12 - expansion draft

May 1st - Free agent RFA/1 UFA due

May 15th - UFA bidding round 1 starts 

July 8th - CCHL Entry Draft 

WIS World Junior Blog

 A look at the WJC and WIS players

This will be a look at the WJC, the fun packed tournament and a look to the future WIS players. As expected mostly players from team Sweden.

Sweden

Calle Clang (G) -plays in SHL for the Rögle club as a backup.

Jesper Wallstedt (G) -recently acquired via trade in CCHL, plays in SHL as a starter.

Leo Lööf (D) -a surprise nomination plays in the Finish Liiga.

Joel Nyström (D) -playing in SHL and doing pretty good.

Anton Olsson (D) -playing in the SHL for Malmoe Redhawks.

Zion Nybeck (W/C) -playing in the 2nd tier HockeyAllsvenskan

Isak Rosén (W/C) -playing in the SHL.

Other teams

Karri Aho (D) - (FIN) playing in Finish Liiga and undrafted by NHL but drafted by WIS!

Kirill Kirsanov (D)-(RUS) playing in KHL.

Matej Kaslik (C/LW) -(SLO) another undrafted player in NHL but drafted in CCHL. See if that will change next year.

Simon Knak (RW/LW) -(SWI) drafted as an overage in NHL but was taken as an 18 yo by WIS.

Missed out

Carl Lindbom (G) -I thought he was to be the third goalie but just missed out.

William Wallinder (D) -a surprise cut as he plays well in SHL for Rogle.

Lucas Raymond (W) -playing pretty well in NHL instead...  :-)