In the wake of controversy over the waiving of Ryan Kesler by the New Jersey Devils, the league's Board of Directors (Steve Schwartz, Angus Pippy, John Cluney, Al White, and Jeff Childs) has determined the following:
- The New Jersey Devils waived Ryan Kesler. The Board believes this action was inadvertent and was not intentional, and is therefore allowing the Devils to retain Kesler.
- The Ottawa Senators claimed Kesler off waivers, which was their right under the previous waiver system. As compensation, the Senators will be awarded the New Jersey Devils #7 pick in the 2010 NAIHL Entry Draft.
- The league has altered the Waiver rule. The following Waiver rule addendum is effective immediately:
If a player is inadvertently placed on waivers, and the waiving GM wishes to pull the player back from waivers, the GM has the 48 hour waiver period to advise any member of the Board of Directors that he wishes to recall the player from waivers. The player will then be placed back on the GM's roster, and the GM will be penalized his lowest available draft pick for the upcoming NAIHL Draft, which will be awarded to the team that has been awarded the waiver claim of the player. If the GM cannot give up any picks without leaving him short of the minimum draft pick requirements, then the GM will have to pay $1-million in compensation to the team that has been awarded the waiver claim of the player. The waiving GM only has the 48 hour waiver period to act. After this period has expired, he is no longer entitled to any action or compensation regarding the waived player.
- The Board also ruled that any teams who lost a player or players to waivers inadvertently since the start of last season may submit an e-mail to the NAIHL Board of Directors requesting compensation and explaining the reasons they feel they are entitled to compensation. The Board will then rule on these individual cases, awarding compensation of an additional 7th round draft pick to these teams where warranted. Teams have until Jan. 1 to make such a claim with the Board.