Generally, prize money went to the winner, 2nd and 3rd place. Additionally, in 1985 the Paul MacLean Memorial Bursary and Ceremonial Goblet was struck for the "best late round pick". This token cash award honors Paul MacLean, the last player chosen in the First Annual Shep Draft, who yet scored over 100 points that season.
The League survived tremendous controversy and upheaval, including: the dubiously divine draft web; a human rights investigation of GM Kevin Engstrom in the 1980s regarding his politically incorrect team names; the migration of GMs to such faraway places as New Mexico, Michigan, Bermuda, Ontario and even Calgary; the trash talk fiasco; Dan Barr's petulant "Mike Liut or I facken quit" speech; perennially suspect Paul MacLean award votes; the 2004-05 NHL lockout; and a bizarre government witch-hunt for Herbert Belfonz Patrotage, our madcap, fictitious webmaster, who fled to the Turks & Caicos to avoid political persecution and a good rogering.
But on November 16, 2005, the RSAIHP was mortally wounded when Jon McCourt lost his battle with cancer. The league folded at the end of the 2005-06 season, and was replaced by the memorial Jimmy Coole Hockey Poole, won by Mark McCourt in its inaugural year.
