On December 16 the Ottawa Expansion Draft will take place. Ottawa will be able to select a total of eight imports and 16 non-imports, including two quarterbacks, from existing teams.
The Expansion Draft is divided into two main categories from which players may be selected, Non-Imports and Imports (quarterbacks, kickers, and punters are eligible for selection within the applicable Non-Import or Import category).
Ottawa will have the ability to select not more than two quarterbacks and not more than one kicker or punter (for clarity, Ottawa may not select a kicker and a punter). A Member Club cannot have both a quarterback and a kicker or punter selected from its roster. A Member Club cannot have more than one quarterback selected from its roster.
ROUND ONE: IMPORT DRAFT
Member Clubs may protect one quarterback, and ten additional Import players.
Ottawa will select one Import player from each Member Club.
Import quarterbacks, kickers, and punters are eligible for selection (and protection), provided that:
– Each Member Club may protect a maximum of one quarterback in the Import Draft.
– All other quarterbacks on a Member Club’s roster at the time of the draft are eligible for selection in this section.
– Ottawa will only be able to select two quarterbacks in the Expansion Draft.
– If a quarterback is selected from a Member Club in the Import Draft, such Member Club will be able to protect the names of an additional two Non-Import players in the first round of the Non-Import Draft.
2013 CFL Canadian Draft
– If a kicker or punter is selected from a Member Club in the Import Draft, such Member Club will be able to protect one additional Non-Import player in the first round of the Non-Import Draft.
ROUND TWO: NON-IMPORT DRAFT
Each Member Club will protect six Non-Import players.
Non-Import quarterbacks, kickers, and punters are eligible for selection (and protection), provided that:
– If a Member Club had a quarterback selected from its roster in the Import draft, it will be permitted to protect eight Non-Import players in the first round of the Non-Import Draft (instead of six); and
– Ottawa will be prevented from also selecting a kicker or punter from that Member Club.
– If a Member Club had a kicker or punter selected from its roster in the Import Draft:
– That Member Club will be permitted to protect seven Non-Import players in the Non-Import Draft (instead of six); and
– Ottawa will be prevented from also selecting a quarterback from that Member Club.
Any kicker or punter selected in the Non-Import Draft must be selected in the first round. If a Member Club had a kicker or punter selected from its roster in the Non-Import Draft, such Member Club would be eligible to protect eight Non-Import players in the second round of the Non-Import Draft, instead of six.
Ottawa will then select one non-import player from each Member Club.
ROUND THREE: NON-IMPORT DRAFT
Member Clubs will then submit a second list of an additional six Non-Import players for protection
If a Member Club lost a Non-Import kicker or punter in the first round of the Non-Import Draft, such Member Club would submit two additional Non-Import player names for protection.
Ottawa will then select one non-import player from each Member Club.
The Commissioner will resolve any dispute related to player eligibility for the Expansion Draft process.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS:
- ll teams will be able to trade amongst one another from Midnight ET on November 24th until 11:59pm ET on December 8th.
- The League will issue a trade freeze that will run from Midnight ET on December 8th through the end of the Expansion Draft on December 16th at 4:00pm ET. However, from December 9th until the conclusion of the Draft (4pm ET), teams may make trades during this time if they directly involve the Ottawa REDBLACKS. For the REDBLACKS to conduct a trade, it can only involve players signed by Ottawa prior to the Draft, players acquired in the Expansion Draft or future Draft picks. However, in order to maintain the integrity of the Expansion Draft, Ottawa will not be eligible to solicit trades or incur benefits from other Clubs by agreeing NOT to choose an unprotected player.
- For trades that occur between Grey Cup and December 8th, the Commissioner will enforce language from the by-laws in relation to in-season trades and forbid any player traded during that window to be traded back to the original Club until he has been on the roster for two regular season games.
- Ottawa is forbidden from contacting any players prior to officially selecting him in the Expansion Draft.
- Ottawa will keep the list of unprotected/protected players throughout the League confidential.
- Any player signed by a Club after their protected list has been submitted to the League Office on December 9th will automatically be exposed to Ottawa on December 16th.
- If a Club protects a non-import kicker on December 9th and ends up losing a Quarterback in the Expansion Draft; they have the opportunity to protect an additional non-import player prior to the commencement of the first round of non-import selections by Ottawa. (Expansion Draft guidelines outline that if a Club loses a QB, they cannot lose a non-import kicker)
Expansion Draft Milestones and Key Dates:
November 25 – Ottawa REDBLACKS are granted permission to begin signing free agents not currently under CFL contracts
December 9 – Protection List submission
December 16 – 2013 Ottawa REDBLACKS Expansion Draft
Round by Round Overview:
Round 1: Ottawa selects 8 import players (one from each team)
Round 2: Ottawa selects 8 non-import players (one from each team)
Round 3: Ottawa selects 8 more non-import players (one from each team)
Protections:
On December 9 at 1:00pm all 8 member clubs must submit a list of protected players to the Canadian Football League office that contains 10 import players, 1 quarterback and 6 non-import players.
CFL clubs will submit a second list of additional non-import players for protection prior to the third round of the draft.
Quarterbacks:
Teams will protect 1 quarterback ahead of Round 1. If they lose a quarterback to Ottawa, they can then protect an additional 2 non-imports in Round 2. A team cannot lose both a quarterback and a kicker in the Expansion Draft.
Kickers:
Teams can protect import kickers in Round 1 or non-import kickers in Round 2. If they lose a non-import kicker/punter to Ottawa, they can then protect an additional 2 non-imports in Round 2 or 3. A team that loses an import kicker can protect an additional non-import as well. A team cannot lose both a quarterback and a kicker in the Expansion Draft.
Trades:
Ottawa is able to trade with other teams during the expansion draft and any time before that. All of the other 8 member CFL clubs cannot trade with each other as of December 9th.
Releasing and Signing Players:
As teams were eliminated from the 2013 CFL playoffs, they were not allowed to release any active roster players. Non-CFL free agent players can be signed at any time before the draft but can be eligible to be selected in the Expansion Draft if unprotected. Between December 9-16, teams cannot make any trades unless they are directly with Ottawa, release any players, but they can re-sign their own players, and can also sign non-CFL free agents who would be automatically added to the team’s unprotected list.
Free Agents and Transferring of Contracts:
If Ottawa selects a player that is a pending CFL free agent, they will retain negotiating rights to that player until February 15, 2014. Once players are selected by Ottawa, the REDBLACKS assume their current contracts including salary, length and pending free agency.