FAQ
Q: What exactly does Montreal-based mean?
A: It means that if any of the following situations apply to you, you can register with no strings attached: (i) you live in the Greater Montreal Area; (ii) you were born in the Greater Montreal Area; (iii) your permanent residence is in the Greater Montreal Area; (iv) you used to live in Montreal AND your parents STILL do. If these don't apply to you, you can still register, but you would be considered an"outside player". Any team can choose to have none, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 "outside players" - but no more than that. Also, a team that has "outside players" is recommended to have at least as many Montreal-based players on their roster - though it is not mandatory.
Q: Why was the "Outsider" Rule implemented?
A: The Montreal Muslim tournaments traditionally have not been invitational tournaments; they have been open to Muslims in Montreal. With growing numbers of potential participants in Montreal and limited space, a mechanism needs to be in place to help maximize participation of as many Montreal-based players as possible, who have always been the target audience.
At the same time, while recognizing that there is interest from players outside of Montreal to play in the tournaments and appreciating the skill, excitement, brotherhood and friendships that they can potentially bring, the rule provides space for them to come and play.
It is interesting to note that at the 25th tournament, when the Outsider rule was officially in place for the first time, the amount of non-Montreal-based players was as high as previous tournaments - if not higher. Since then, there continue to be great amounts of participants from outside of Montreal, with players having come from as far as Vancouver and Seattle to across the Atlantic: London, UK.
Q: Can I bring someone who's not Muslim or is only half Muslim?
A: Firstly, there's a difference between faith and ethnicity; there is no such thing as "half Muslim".
Being Muslim is universally understood as someone who (i) accepts the strict Oneness of Allah(swt)("Allah" is the Arabic term for the One and Only God/Most Supreme Being) and does not associate or deify anyone or anything else; (ii)accepts that Mohammed(saw) was the last and final Prophet and Messenger of Allah(swt).
As such, you can be "half-Pakistani" or "half-Arab", but you cannot be "half-Muslim". You are either a Muslim or you're not - regardless of what your family or parents' beliefs are.
In terms of whether non-Muslims can play: we get the opportunity to play with our non-Muslim friends very often and it is a lot of fun, but it's not very often that we have Muslim-only events - as such, the traditional target audience for these tournaments have been Muslims.
There have been some exceptions made in the past for people whose characters are congruent with Islam (clean play, no cheating, no swearing, etc.). However, the chances of exceptions being allowed are extremely rare - next to impossible - to help maximize the opportunity for Montreal Muslims to play. All requests for exceptions must always be made BEFORE the tournament.
Q: Do potential captains have to register as FA's as well?
A: Yes - ALL players who wish to play MUST register
Q: Why was the Free Agency rule put in place?
A: There have been some concerns that some people find out about the tournament before others, which causes an unfair advantage in recruiting players. As such, the FA rule is in place to ensure that everyone gets a relatively equal chance of trying to get players. This may also help in making more "mixed" teams from across Montreal, instead of region-specific ones, to help people get to know one another, encourage friendships and increase brotherhood.
Q: As a free agent, am I supposed to say yes to the first person who asks me to play?
A: No- you can choose to wait and entertain all offers until the end of the FA period. You can also pro-actively contact people you want to play with.
Q: When can I register my team and what do I need to do so?
A: Please check Roster Rules and Registration Summary.
Q: Can I drop or replace a player from my team after we have registered?
A: No - you may still add someone off waivers (depending on your waiver priority) or the FA list, but you cannot drop or replace someone on your registered roster - unless there is a legitimate reason for doing so (as determined by the O.C.).
Q: How does a team get waiver priority?
A: The quicker you register your team, the higher your waiver priority.
Q: How can a team pick a player off the Waiver Wire?
A: The Roster Rules have explained this in detail. To make a bid, the captain can send an email to great.hockey@gmail.com:"Team Name" would like to place a bid for "Player Name".
Q: How many bids can a team make at one time?
A: A team can make no more than 1 bid at a time.
Q: if a player gets picked off of waivers, can he choose who to play for?
A: No - he must play for the team that selects him or not play in the tournament at all. The only exception is if the captain of the team and the O.C. allow for the player to go elsewhere, in which case the player goes back on waivers and the team regains its prior waiver priority.
Q: if a player registers AFTER the Free Agency Period ends, what would their status be- FA or Waiver?
A: they would be placed on waivers, and await the start of the Waiver Period for teams to select them. The Waiver Period begins after a few days or as soon as at least 8 teams register.
Q: During the Waiver Period, can I still pick Free Agents or are they all on the Waiver Wire?
A: All players who are on the FA list BEFORE the FA period expires remain Free Agents - they can go on any team of their choice and any team can contact them without limitations.
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