League Rules

ZHL — Zetterberg Hockey League official rulebook

General

  • Zero tolerance for loaning players or selling players for non-ZHL assets.
  • Agreed trades are final — no reversals without admin approval.
  • Higher seeds choose their playoff opponent in the play-in round.

Keepers

  • Each team must declare exactly 7 keepers. Maximum 1 goalie keeper.
  • Players with fewer than 10 regular season games may only be kept as prospects, not as regular keepers.
  • Keeper declarations are due before the start of the draft.

Prospects

  • Each team may draft exactly 1 prospect per draft year.
  • When a prospect is activated (called up to the NHL), they become a free keeper and do not cost a roster slot.
  • Prospects graduate by birth year: 1999s in 2024, 2000s in 2025, 2001s in 2026, etc. Goalies receive an additional 3 years.
  • Prospects are held on placeholder ESPN teams to keep them off the waiver wire.

Scoring — Skaters

  • Goals: ×2 points
  • Assists: ×1 point
  • Shorthanded Goals: +1 bonus
  • Shorthanded Assists: +1 bonus
  • Game-Winning Goals: +1 bonus
  • Hat Tricks: +3 bonus
  • Defenseman Points: ×0.5 bonus per point

Scoring — Goalies

  • Goals Against: ×−0.6
  • Saves: ×0.1
  • Shutouts: +1 point
  • Overtime Losses: +1 point
  • Wins: ×2 points
  • Manual scoring: Goalie Assists +1 pt each, Goalie Goals +2 pts each (applied by commissioner).

Roster & Draft

  • 20-player roster: 14 starters + 6 bench + 4 IR.
  • Lineup slots: 8 Forwards, 3 Defensemen, 1 Utility, 2 Goalies, 6 Bench, 4 IR.
  • Draft: 14 rounds, straight order (same pick slot every round — no snake reversal).

Waivers

  • The waiver wire closes when the puck drops on the second Sunday of the NHL Finals.

Playoffs

  • Seeds 1–5 automatically qualify for the main playoff bracket.
  • Seeds 6–11 play a one-week play-in. Winners advance to the main bracket; losers go to the consolation bracket.
  • Seeds 12–16 go directly to the consolation bracket (Consolation Cup / Bum Bowl).

Rules are maintained by league admins. To propose a change, contact Braden or Nadr.