Rules and Policies - Good Times Hockey

For the 2024-25 season, Team Membership Agreements must be submitted via the league website by end of day September 1, 2024 and Individual Membership Agreements must be submitted via the league website by end of day October 1, 2024.

Players must be minimum age 18. League insurance applies only to players age 18 to 69.

1. Game Rules

1.1. Intentional body contact is not permitted. We acknowledge that by the nature of the sport, some body contact may occur, however officials are advised to penalize any instances of intentional body contact.

1.2. Penalties:

1.2.1. Penalty Limits. If a player receives more than 4 PIMs, they shall be ejected from the game and their conduct will be reviewed to assess whether more discipline is warranted.

a) If a player has been ejected from 2 games during the course of a season, they receive a minimum 1-game suspension.

b) 10-minute misconducts are counted as a 10 PIMs with regards to statistics keeping for players and teams.

1.2.2. Offsetting penalties do not affect the number of players on the ice. In other words, when offsetting penalties occur during 5-on-5 play, teams will remain 5-on-5 when play resumes.

1.2.3. If a team is short-handed due to a penalty, it may only substitute players while the puck is in play or the clock is stopped.

1.2.4. A 3-game suspension will be automatically given to any player found drinking alcohol on the ice or the bench.

1.3. Centre Red Line. We play without the centre red line.

a) Automatic icing is called from behind the blue line.

b) Two-line passes are allowed.

1.4. Face Protection. Players must wear at least a half visor/cage for facial protection, although full visors/cages are strongly encouraged.

1.5.Puck to Head. In the event that a shot directly contacts a player or goalie’s head/helmet, the play will be stopped to check the player’s safety. If contact is deemed casual, stopping play is at the discretion of referees.

1.6. Game Time. There are three 14-minute running-time periods, except:

a) The last 1 minute of the first, second and third periods are stop time. However, if the goal difference is greater than 2 goals, there won’t be stop time and the clock will run continuously.

b) The clock starts at 10 minutes past the hour.

1.7. Referee No-Shows. If no referees show-up for a game, each team will respectively delegate one player from its own team to referee.

1.8. Timeouts. Each team may take one 30-second timeout per game.

1.9. Tie Breaking. Ties in the standings will be broken in order of the following criteria:

A) Least penalty minutes
B) Most penalty-free games
C) Head to head wins between the tied teams
D) Most wins
E) Least Goals Against
F) Most Goals For
G) Coin toss

2. League Rules & Eligibility

2.1. Team Rosters:

2.1.1. Before the first game of the season, each team must submit an active roster consisting of no more than 20 players (including at least 1 goalie). The deadline for any roster changes is October 1st and there are no exceptions to this rule.

a) Teams are allowed up to 10 substitute skaters during the course of the season — this number is strictly capped and no team is allowed more than 10 substitute players on their roster. Teams will forfeit the game in which the 11th substitute player played, 12th substitute player played, etc. There are no exceptions to this rule. Please also note rule 2.3.1. f) below for forfeiting games rule.

2.1.2. Playoff Eligibility – Skaters (Updated as per August-September 2024 league vote):

Skaters must play at minimum the following number of the games in the regular season to be eligible for playoffs.

18 game season: minimum 4 games played

15 game season: minimum 3 games played

No credits are given for defaulted games or playing as a substitute for another team.

Maternity / parental leave must be documented and long-term injuries impacting players ability to meet this eligibility threshold must be documented during the player’s absence and submitted to the Operations Committee at least one month in advance of playoffs.

a) Substitute skaters may be added to a roster during the season and may become eligible to play in the playoffs, provided they play at least 55% of the team’s total regular season games, and they aren’t already claimed by another team in the same division. (Before the playoffs commence, the team must make a written request to the league to add a sub/spare to its roster after they have played 55% of the team’s total regular season games). You must have less than 20 players on your active roster in order to move a player from your spares list to your active roster. You may not remove players from your active roster after October 1st to make room for someone on your spares list.

b) A player may play for more than one team in the playoffs as long as the teams are in separate divisions.

2.1.3. Playoff Eligibility – Goalies:

a) Goalies only need to play 1 game in the league to be eligible to play in the playoffs.

b) During playoffs, teams may only play a non-roster goalie (who has played at least one league game) if their own roster goalies aren’t available to play.

c) When recruiting a non-roster goalie to substitute in the playoffs, the team must first solicit goalies from their own division, lower division rosters or eligible Free Agent goalies first. If none are available, the team may consider recruits from a higher Division’s roster goalies, but must inform the Fair Play Committee and obtain approval prior to the playoff game.

2.2. Playoff Format:

2.2.1. Playoffs will reflect a double elimination structure, starting with the highest seeded team playing the lowest seeded team in a division. The final series will be best of three games.

2.2.2. Byes: Teams earning a bye have the option to pass it to a lower seeded team, but must confirm with the league 2 weeks prior to the playoffs that they will be doing so.

2.2.3. Time permitting, playoff games that are tied at the end of regulation time go into sudden death overtime. Note: Overtime may be bypassed and go straight to a shootout if there are time constraints. This will be at the discretion of rink staff and referees.

a) Sudden death overtime consists of 5-on-5 play for 5 minutes. The first three minutes are running-time and the last 2 minutes are stop-time. During the running time, player substitutions are only allowed while the puck is in play.

2.2.4. Playoff games that are still tied after sudden-death overtime are decided by penalty shots.

a) The penalty shots will begin with 3 shooters from each team. If it’s still tied, each team will send a single shooter until a winner is determined by sudden death. All the skaters on the team must take a penalty shot before any player takes a 2^nd shot (and so forth, i.e. the whole team has to take a 2^nd shot before a player takes a 3^rd).

b) Players still serving penalties at the end of overtime are not eligible to take penalty shots.

2.3. Defaulted Games:

2.3.1. A team defaults (i.e. automatically lose) a game if they cannot achieve certain roster requirements for the game:

a) Each team must have 6 players on the ice at the beginning of a game. The 6 players can include a goalie and substitute players.

b) However, at least 6 players from the team’s official roster must be on the ice/bench, dressed to play, by the end of the first period. The 6 players can include a goalie.

If one or more roster players arrive late but are on the bench dressed to play by the end of the first period to become the 6th or more roster player, the team GM or delegate must report this to stats@hockeyaa.net with the opposing team’s GM copied within 24 hours of the game. The GM or designate must confirm which player(s) arrived late but before the end of the first period. Names of late players must be on the gamesheet and marked LATE beside the players’ names. If accepted by the league, no game default will be applied.

If a team cannot meet these minimum requirements, the game is defaulted.

c) Teams may not solicit strangers at the last minute before their game to fill out their roster. If a team is unable to field a qualified roster for the game, it forfeits the game. Teams are then encouraged to mix-up the players from both teams and have a fun exhibition game.

d) A team may not solicit subs from the opposing team unless it has forfeited the game.

e) Teams who forfeit more than two games in a regular season will not be eligible for playoffs. This includes exhibition games.

2.4. Captains:

2.4.1. Each team will have designated Captains and Alternate Captains. This will establish the official channels of communication between the teams and the officials during a game.

a) Only a maximum of 4 players (including the goalie) may be a Captain.

b) If players/teams have a problem with something in the game they’d like to address, they should bring it to the attention of their Captain who then may decide whether it should be addressed with the other team’s Captains and/or Officials.

DISCIPLINE

2.5. Team Penalty Minutes (PIMs):

2.5.1. Penalty-Free Game Bonus: A bonus 1/2 point will be awarded to a team for every penalty-free game it plays. Effective September 2024, Too Many Men and Delay of Game fully count as penalties towards teams and players and Penalty-Free half points will not be awarded.

a) In the case of a defaulted game, no Penalty-Free Game half point is allotted to either team.

2.5.2. A regular season team may not participate in the playoffs if it exceeds an average of 5 PIMs per game during the course of the season.

An Exhibition Division team that plays a minimum of 5 games in the regular season and exceeds an average of 5 PIMs per game is not eligible to play in the Hockey Summit of the Arts.

a) This includes any penalties earned by substitute players and/or players who are no longer with the team at season’s end.

b) If a team accumulates a higher than 7 PIMs per game average, the team is automatically suspended from the league indefinitely.

c) Teams exceeding an average of 4.5 PIMs per game over the course of a season will be reviewed by the Fair Play Committee.

2.5.3. Teams that exceed a 5 PIMs per game average will be put on probation for the following 2 seasons.

a) If a team exceeds a 4 PIM per game average while on probation the team will be suspended for one (the next) season and cannot return to the league unless it goes through the league requirements outlined in the section 2.7. Suspended Teams applying for Membership.

2.5.4. 3 after 6 Minutes rule. During the playoffs, if a team exceeds 6 PIMs in a game, all additional minor penalties will be 3 minutes.

a) Misconducts are excluded from this rule.

2.5.5. Teams who exceed the 5 PIMs per game only after playoffs will be up for review by the Fair Play Committee.

2.6. Player Penalty Minutes (PIMs)

2.6.1. A player may not participate in the playoffs if they exceed an average of 1 PIM per game at the end of regular season play. This rule applies to players who have played 5 or more games for the team they received the penalties for.

An Exhibition team player who exceeds an average of 1 PIM per game will not be eligible for the Hockey Summit of the Arts. This rule applies to players on Exhibition teams that play at least 5 games in a season.

a) “Misconduct” penalties are counted as 10-minute penalties towards this rule.

2.7. Automatic Suspensions:

2.7.1. Any player ejected from a game will be reviewed by the Fair Play Committee to decide whether a warning, suspension or expulsion is necessary. The following are all minimum disciplinary actions; the league reserves the right to expel anyone for any intolerable act or increase suspensions when warranted.

a) A player that receives a 2nd “game ejection” during the course of a season, serves a minimum 1-game suspension.

b) Any player that receives a 3rd “game ejection” must serve a minimum 2-game suspension.

c) If a player receives a misconduct penalty in the last 10 minutes of a game they are automatically suspended for their next game.

d) Suspended players cannot substitute for other teams until their suspension is served (with the team they are registered for).

e) There is no automatic suspension for players who are ejected from a game for too many minor penalties.

2.8. Suspended Teams applying for Membership:

2.8.1. The league reserves the right to disallow any team back in the league if the Fair Play Committee determines that such team is a detriment to the league. If a team that has been suspended wishes to re-apply for membership into the league, it must do the following:

a) Write an outline of why the team was suspended and what actions it has taken to eliminate the possibility of a similar re-occurrence.

b) Explain specific commitments the team will make to add and enhance our community.

c) Convince the league (with approval from the Fair Play and Operations Committees) that the team’s commitments are genuine and that its re-instatement will truly benefit the league and community.

d) Organize an artistic social event for the benefit of the league members and friends.

2.9. Division Parity:

2.9.1. Division regulation for comprehensive teams is based on a consistent team roster from one season to the next.

a) There must be a minimum of four teams in each division.

b) If a team’s roster has changed significantly between seasons the team must inform the league how the roster changes will affect the team’s general skill level so the league can re-assess the appropriate division seeding for the team.

c) Any team with a winning record over .750 at season’s end will move to the higher skill level division and teams with a winning record below .300 will move to a division with a lower skill level.

d) If there aren’t enough comprehensive teams to create a lower skilled division, any team that would have been relegated to a lower division must remain in the current lowest division.

e) If there aren’t enough comprehensive teams to create a higher skilled division all the teams in the high division must reach a consensus how the divisions should be relegated.

f) If there aren’t enough comprehensive teams to maintain an intermediate division (any division between the highest and lowest divisions), all the remaining teams with winning records of .600 or higher will be relegated up and all the remaining teams with winning records below .600 will be relegated down.

g) The formula for calculating a team’s winning percentage is: (# of wins + (# of ties ÷ 2)) ÷ # of games played = winning percentage. Regulation, exhibition and playoff games are used in this calculation.