6.1 Definition of Development Pool

• The Development Pool is a curated list of eligible players from the Challenger divisions, TSR League, and Free Agents, selected by admins before each season.
• These players may be drafted by Pro teams in a preseason Development Draft. Once drafted, players are locked to that team for the entire regular season unless officially released back into the pool.
• Each pro team drafts 3 players to their development pool.

6.2 Use of Development Pool Players in Matches

• Each team may field a maximum of 2 Development Pool players per match, with at least 2 core rostered players on the rink at all times.
• Players are limited to 5 regular season match appearances (1 appearance = participation in any portion of a match).
• Once this limit is reached, they must either be promoted to the main roster or rendered inactive.

6.3 Eligibility and Draft Process

• Eligible players must not have played more than 15 periods in any single prior Pro division season.
• All eligible players from the Challenger division, TSR League and Free Agency Lists are automatically entered into the Development Pool. Players may opt out of the pool by submitting a request via the EUSL ticket system before the draft deadline.
• The Development Draft will take place during the preseason and follows a reverse-order format, where teams that finished lower in last season’s Pro standings will receive higher picks.
  • Draft Order Rules:
    • Gauntlet Winner - 1st Pick
    • Challenger Winner - 2nd Pick
    • Remaining pick order is the reverse order of the previous pro season.
    • Newly formed teams are placed at the bottom of the draft order. (Non Core-3)
    • If multiple new teams are added, their draft order will be determined by random draw.
  • The draft will proceed in serpentine format (i.e., 1 → 8, then 8 → 1) unless otherwise specified by the admins.
• Each Pro team may select a fixed number of players (e.g., 3 picks, subject to admin announcement).
• Undrafted players will be placed on a reserve list, eligible for mid-season pickup with admin approval. Reserve pickups are typically allowed:
  • If an emergency arises and no drafted players are available,
  • Or during a designated mid-season waiver window, if one is announced.

6.4 Usage Rules

• A team may use a player from their own Development List without prior approval, but must submit a support ticket within 24 hours of match completion.