§1Varsity
Each varsity team consists of exactly 21 players:
- 12 forwards
- 6 defensemen
- 2 goaltenders
- 1 flex spot — must be a goaltender or defenseman, not a forward
Key Rule
All varsity players must have an active NHL contract. Any questions of what qualifies as "active" are determined by the CHA Executive Committee.
The total cap hit of all varsity players must fit under the salary cap.
Injured Reserve (IR)
- The varsity roster includes seven IR spots
- IR spots may only be held by players listed as IR or Suspended on Fantrax
- Following the Capwise trade deadline, IR spots may also be filled by players on IR+ (red flag on Fantrax)
Roster size rules
- Varsity rosters may briefly exceed 21 players, but must be down to 21 (in the format above) by first puck drop of the day (usually 4pm Pacific)
- In the offseason, the over-limit window is 24 hours
- Varsity rosters must always have at least 20 players (excluding IR)
- A team can carry exactly 20 for up to 72 hours from midnight after the 21st slot was vacated
- After that 72-hour window, the hole must be filled before first puck drop of the day
- The minimum-roster rule applies during the season only (typically Oct 1 – mid-April)
Key Rule
If a GM appears to be abusing the roster-hole rule to gain cap space or tank intentionally, the Commissioner can force the team to fill the hole immediately.
Inactive and minor league flags
- Players flagged "inactive" (gray) on Fantrax can only stay on varsity if they are not JV-eligible. JV-eligible gray-flagged players must be demoted immediately.
- Players flagged "minor leagues" (green) follow the same rule. JV-eligible green-flagged players must be demoted immediately.
§2Junior Varsity
JV roster basics:
- No minimum roster size
- Maximum of 30 players
- Only JV-eligible players can be on JV — with one exception (the Overager)
- The JV roster has no IR spots
- JV players do not count against the salary cap; their salaries are irrelevant for CHA purposes
§3JV Eligibility
To be JV-eligible, a player must meet all of the following:
- At least 18 years old by September 15
- Skaters: 120 or fewer NHL regular season games played
- Goaltenders: 65 or fewer NHL regular season games played
Key Rule
Players are forcibly dropped from JV (at no cost) as soon as they begin their 66th game (goalies) or 121st game (skaters). Players who lose eligibility during the fantasy playoffs aren't forcibly dropped until one week after the playoffs end.
§4Overager
JV teams are allowed one Overager — a single player who exceeds the JV games-played limit.
How Overagers work
- Cannot be added to JV from the draft or free agency
- Can only be: (1) demoted from varsity, or (2) a current JV player who lost eligibility
- To demote from varsity, the player must have been on varsity for at least seven days
- The Overager's cap hit does not count against the salary cap
- A promotion fee applies when the Overager is promoted back to varsity
- Overagers cannot be released for free — they must be dropped or bought out (see Drops and Buyouts). They don't need to be promoted first.
- Overagers can be traded. If sent to another team's varsity, that team pays a promotion fee. They may also go to another team's JV — provided that team doesn't already have an Overager.
- No Overagers allowed on JV in June.
- Goalies cannot serve as Overagers.
Example
You demoted a 35-year-old veteran to JV at last year's deadline as an Overager — his $4M cap hit didn't count. Come summer, you must move him off JV by June 1, either by trading him, dropping him, or promoting him back to varsity (with a promotion fee).