As the newly-appointed League Coordinator for the next season of the Minor Subspace Hockey League (MSHL), I’ve spent a great deal of time reflecting on what this league represents and how it can best serve our community. Today, I want to share why I’m sticking to the name MSHL and what my vision for this league’s future is.
Why MSHL?
Traditionally, MSHL has operated as an independent league designed to support newer players, with strict separation from RSHL (players couldn’t participate in both leagues). While that tradition served its purpose in the past, the current population dynamics—a community composed primarily of veteran players with only a handful of newcomers sprinkled in—demands a fresh approach to the format.
I’ve heard both sides of the “MSHL or not MSHL” debate, but in the end I don’t think it’s a wise decision to separate the player pools at this time. The fact of the matter is, we don’t have the numbers to sustain a traditional MSHL format. This is one of the reasons why previous leagues have leaned toward integrating players from both leagues. Following that same logic, MSHL will now welcome any player from RSHL, but with key restrictions in place based on veteran rankings to maintain balance and fairness during competition.
More than anything, I want us to focus on growing our population. Yes, we all want to play and we all want a place where we can enjoy the game other than RSHL. But what happens when new players are quickly intimidated or driven away because they feel overwhelmed or never allowed to participate? How can we build a healthy and growing community if new players struggle to find their footing?
I feel like that should be the purpose of MSHL. What we need is an environment that welcomes all levels of play, from the randomly passing newcomer to the casual player to the experienced and everything in between. To do that, we need to foster a culture that prioritizes opportunities for players who typically have little to no ice time, while at the same time also offering our vets a way to play competitive HZ other than RSHL. This is, of course, a very tough thing to do. Nonetheless, this is what I envision MSHL’s goal to be next season.
I recognize that reviving the MSHL name comes with mixed feelings for many in the community. The name carries a legacy that evokes nostalgia and certain expectations. If you’re among the crowd of people that wanted separate player pools for MSHL, then I am sorry. However, I believe its name still holds enough positive recognition in the community to build something new that will attract players—both seasoned players and newcomers.
MSHL was once a great place for players to grow and experience competitive play, and it’s time to make it that way again. While some may doubt whether we have enough new players to support such a league, I see this as an opportunity to prove those doubts wrong.
A Vision for the New MSHL
MSHL will be a league that prioritizes the development of our small population of new players without compromising veteran playtime or lowering competition. How will we do this? By adopting a streamlined Veteran Points system for limiting vets and applying on-ice requirements that will guarantee new players and low-ranked players are actively playing.
Vet Tiers
|3VP| = (high level vet) capable of being an rshl starter or rshl impact player
|2VP| = (mid level vet) more likely to be an rshl rotation player or sub in rshl
|1VP| = (low level vet) beer league player, but not likely to get many rshl minutes
New players and non-vets will cost nothing (0VP).
Roster Composition
Captains will have 8VP in total to build their rosters on the website (RSHL.org). I’ve created a chart of possible roster compositions using this 8VP limit.
Just a reminder: the 8VP quota is for creating a roster, not for using these players on the ice.
Every team is expected to sign and play one 0VP player who is new to the zone (defined as someone who has less than 200 minutes of icetime in past RSHL/MSHL/BL seasons).
Regular Format
MSHL will be a standard 6v6 tournament. Three periods of 12 minutes each.
On-ice Requirements
The requirements are as follows:
- Teams can have a maximum of three vets on the ice.
- They can either be:
- Three (2VP) mid-tier players
OR - One (3VP) top-tier player, and two (2VP) mid-tier players
- Three (2VP) mid-tier players
- They can either be:
- The rest of the positions must be filled by either 1VP or 0VP players (no limit).
So in essence, teams must balance their lineups as follows:
- A maximum configuration of 3/2/2/x/x/x or 2/2/2/x/x/x, where the x’s represent 1VP or 0VP players.
Unlike 2VP and 3VP veterans, who are naturally prioritized for their skill and experience when being considered in the starting lineup for games, 1VP players and non-vets often lack these same opportunities. This is why we are creating a system that will give these players a chance at playing with a veteran lineup right out of the gate.
Captains must balance their on-ice squads strategically, blending the skill of seasoned vets with the raw potential of rookies and non-vets. This emphasis on the low-ranked players is the league’s core focus, and I expect veterans to act as mentors for the less experienced members on their team. As far as captains, I expect them to follow the ‘spirit’ rule.
Breaking Down the Proposal Rules
Here’s a deeper look into the rules.
Roster Composition:
- Teams must be built within an 8VP roster cap on RSHL.org, which forces captains to carefully select a mix of veteran and new players.
- A panel of trusted players has assigned VP ratings to each vet for next season. You can view the master ranking sheet here: MSHL S9 Rankings
Pre-season Adjustments:
- A short pre-season allows teams to fine-tune rosters and ensure balance. If roster formation becomes an issue, we will have contingencies in place. As LC, I will monitor and implement changes as necessary to maintain a competitive and healthy tournament.
Scoring and Standings
Teams are awarded points in regular-season games:
- Regulation Win: 3 points
- Overtime Win: 2 points
- Overtime Loss: 1 point
- Regulation Loss: 0 points
In the event of a tie in standings, the following tiebreakers will apply:
- Total Wins
- Fewest No-Shows
- Head-to-Head Record
- Goal Differential
Playoff Format:
- First Round (Semifinals):
- 1st Seed vs. 4th Seed (Best-of-3 Series).
- 2nd Seed vs. 3rd Seed (Best-of-3 Series).
- Finals:
- Winners of the Semifinals face off in a Best-of-5 Series for the MSHL Championship.
Cup Award
MSHL will have a unique championship award (e.g., Live-Wire Cup), distinguishing it from RSHL while still fostering pride amongst its players. Historically, this has been named the Live-Wire Cup, but the official name of the cup can be determined by the community by vote / public discussion, with the LC ultimately making the final decision. A special in-game trophy will be designed and also a Discord badge for the winners, displaying them as the season’s MSHL Champions.
Postponements and No-Shows: Each team may use up to three postponements during the regular season. Additional no-shows may lead to forfeit or team disqualification if deemed excessive by the LC.
Final Thoughts
Given the nature of this format of the MSHL, the clear focus is to allow new pilots a chance to stretch their legs. We need to give our small pool of newbie players the opportunity to compete in a structured league format, while still giving our current player base a fun and competitive alternative to RSHL they can partake in.
For this reason, this is not a 100% developmental league, it’s more of a hybrid, since veterans still want the chance to play in this league. This system is more of a compromise. MSHL allows veterans to still play (with restrictions), while focusing on the active participation of non-vets and lower-ranked players. That should be our goal.
If you have any questions, please direct them to me on Discord and keep an eye out on topics being discussed in the #mshl-panel-discussion channel. Everyone should have visibility on that channel and be able to see what is being discussed for MSHL S9.