Announcing the Zealot Hockey Probe League

I am very excited to announce the inaugural season of the Zealot Hockey Probe League.  The Zealot Hockey Probe League, ZHPL, is a minor league division of the ZHL.  In its inaugural season, team rosters are the same as those of ZHL teams, and the rulebook is almost identical.  It is possible (although unlikely) those things will change in future seasons, but this allows us to get the ball rolling on this league almost immediately.  The following conditions apply to the ZHPL:

• Games are scheduled to take place immediately following week day ZHL games and after the conclusion of all ZHL games on Sundays, with the same franchise match-ups each week, and in the same timeslot order.  See ZHPL Schedule (coming soon) for specific dates and times of each match.  If a ZHL game is rescheduled, the ZHPL equivalent will also be rescheduled to take place immediately following.
• The ZHPL’s inaugural season will be a 6 week season, with each team playing 12 games.  The season begins on Sunday, August 31st, and ends on Friday, October 10th, the same day as the end of the ZHL’s regular season.
• The home team in a ZHPL match-up will be the same franchise as the ZHL equivalent.
• During the regular season, any player on a ZHL roster who does not play in a ZHL game is eligible to play in the ZHPL equivalent match-up.
• In the event that not enough eligible players are online and available to play in a ZHPL game, players who participated in the ZHL equivalent may play, but only in a role that differs from the one they played in the ZHL game.  Ex: a goalie in a ZHL game may play as a skater in the ZHPL equivalent, but only if there are not enough available ZHPL match-eligible players on their roster to field a full squad.
• In the event that the above exception is still not enough for a ZHPL team to field a full squad for a given match, they may add one emergency signing for that game only, provided that player is not currently on another team’s roster (nor a non-playing owner of any team).  This player does not have to be in the ZHL free agent pool (although it is encouraged), and no Waiver Allocation Order points will be accrued for ZHPL emergency signings (unlike ZHL emergency signings).
• In the event that the above two exceptions are still not enough for a ZHPL team to field a full squad for a given match, they will play the match shorthanded, rather than forfeiting.
• At the end of the regular season, the top six teams in the ZHPL will be seeded into a Best of Three bracket known as the Artanis Cup Playoffs, similar to the Best of Five Tassadar Cup Playoffs in the ZHL, with the same structure.
• In the Artanis Cup Playoffs, any player on a ZHL team’s roster who played in four or less ZHL games throughout the regular season is eligible to play for the franchise’s ZHPL team.  The role-reversal exception can be made if not enough eligible players are online, but only if the player in question did not play in that role in any ZHL games.  The emergency signing exception can also be made once throughout the entirety of the playoffs (if the role-reversal exception isn’t sufficient for a full squad), but the signing lasts for the duration of the tournament.
• The Artanis Cup Playoffs will take place prior to the Tassadar Cup Playoffs, but the dates of both are yet to be determined.
• Prizes for the ZHPL include bragging rights, but other rewards are up to the discretion of the great maker of Zealot Hockey (reputed).

The ZHPL will give more players an opportunity to contribute to their ZHL franchise.  What was once a minimum of 4 active players per team becomes a minimum of 6, and realistically speaking, there’s no reason that every member of every team’s roster can’t have a chance to play in at least one game between the two leagues.  (Unless, of course, they’re just not there, but then that’s their fault.)

This will foster a greater rapport among players of the same ZHL franchise, a greater potential for rivalries to form between clubs, and most importantly, a greater chance for the Zealot Hockey community to grow and thrive.  It will also give clubs the opportunity to offer more of their players a chance to participate without having to sacrifice their competitive edge in the top tier ZHL.

As a depth player myself, I look forward to having the opportunity to participate in league games in an on-ice role instead of a primarily off-ice one, and I can’t wait to meet players of a similar skill level on the ice.  Good luck to all 8 clubs in both leagues!

ZHPL Team Names

Kaldir Snowmen
Korhal Warthogs*
Mar Sara Hazards
New Gettysburg Aviators*
Shakuras Crusaders*
Tarsonis City Wildcats*
Zenn Chill*
Zerus Broodlings
*Name subject to change