Section 6 - Teams

6.2 Goaltenders.

(a) All AAA Teams in the peewee age division and all Teams in age divisions higher than peewee must register two goaltenders. All other Teams (being AA and A Teams in the peewee age division and all Teams in age divisions below peewee) are required to register one goaltender, but may register two goaltenders. In order to be considered as a goaltender for the purposes of this Rule, a player must be registered on a Registration Certificate marked “GOALTENDER”.

(b) A player registered on a Registration Certificate marked “Goaltender” is not eligible to play any other position. Any player registered on a Registration Certificate that is not marked “Goaltender” is eligible to dress and play as a goaltender.

(c) Injured goaltender replacements for Teams involved in regular season and playoff games must come from the Team’s Lower Affiliate Team (as defined in rule 6.4 below).

(d) Injured goaltender replacements for Teams involved in regional and national championships may come from other Teams upon application for assistance under applicable Hockey Canada minor regulations (A. 305, 306 and 307). Such requests must be made in writing by a Club Official and must be accompanied by a doctor’s certificate, certifying and describing the injury of the injured goaltender.

(e) "A Team wishing to receive special relief from Rule 6.2(a), owing to exceptional circumstances, may, by application made on its behalf by its Club, apply to the League for such relief. Unless it has been granted such special relief prior to the playing of any Leauge or Playoff game, a Team shall be fined $100 for each game that it plays in violation of Rule 6.2(a). All such games will be recorded as 1-0 victory in favour of the non-offending Team (except in the case of a game won by the non-offending Team, in which case, the actual score shall stand). Where both Teams participating in a game are found to be in violation of Rule 6.2(a), the score will be recorded as 0-0 with no points being awarded to either Team."

6.3 Maximum Number of Players to be Dressed.

(a) In all League games, whether regular season or playoff, Teams in the age divisions from minor atom to peewee inclusive may dress a maximum of 17 players for any game provided that two of the players dressed are goaltenders. If only one goaltender is dressed, then the maximum number of players permitted to be dressed shall be 16.

(b) In all League games, whether regular season or playoff, each Team in the age divisions from minor bantam to minor midget may dress a maximum of 17 players provided that two of the players dressed are goaltenders. If only one goaltender is dressed, then the maximum number of players permitted to be dressed shall be 16, however, if at the time of a game Team has registered 18 or 19 players, then the maximum number of players that the Team may dress shall be equal to the number of players that the Team has registered provided that two of the players dressed are goaltenders. If only one goaltender is dressed then the maximum number of players permitted to be dressed shall be 17 or 18, as applicable.

(c) In all League games, whether regular season or playoff, each Team in the age divisions of midget 'A' & 'AA' may dress a maximum of 19 players for any game provided that two of the players dressed are goaltenders. If only one goaltender is dressed, then the maximum number of players permitted to be dressed shall be 18.

(d) In all League games, whether regular season or playoff, each Team in the age divisions of midget 'AAA' and Juvenile 'AAA' may dress a maximum of 20 players for any game provided that two of the players dressed are goaltenders. If only one goaltender is dressed, then the maximum number of players permitted to be dressed shall be 19.

(e) In all exhibition games, Teams in age divisions from minor atom to midget inclusive may dress all of their registered players for such games and Teams in the age division of juvenile may dress up to 19 players for such games.

Affiliation of Teams

6.4 General Provision for Affiliation of Teams. Subject to Rules 6.5, 6.6, 6.7 and 6.10, each Team (for this purpose, the “Original Team”) may be affiliated with:

(a) one other Team in a lower age division or lower category (for this purpose, the “Lower Affiliate Team”) for the purpose of permitting players from the Lower Affiliate Team to participate in the Original Team’s regular season, playoff, exhibition or tournament games; and

(b) one other Team that is in a higher category or higher age division (for this purpose, the “Higher Affiliate Team”) for the purpose of permitting players from the Original Team to participate in the regular season, playoff, exhibition or tournament games of the Higher Affiliate Team.

6.5 AAA Team Affiliations. For the purposes of Rule 6.4(a), AAA Teams may affiliate only with another AAA Team of a lower age division. For the purposes of Rule 6.4(b), AAA Teams may affiliate only with another AAA Team of a higher age division. Other than juvenile AAA Teams, AAA Teams may not affiliate with any Team in the AA or A categories. Juvenile AAA Teams can affiliate with a midget Team in the AA or A category.

6.6 AA Team Affiliations. For the purposes of Rule 6.4(a), AA Teams may affiliate with a Select or A Team of the same age division or a Select, A or AA Team of a lower age division, or 19 Players at large from a House League Club that are from the same age division or lower. For the purposes of Rule 6.4(b), AA Teams may affiliate with an A or AA Team of a higher age division. AA Teams may not affiliate with any AAA Team except that a midget AA Team may affiliate with a juvenile AAA Team.

6.7 A Team Affiliations. For the purposes of Rule 6.4(a), A Teams may affiliate with a Select, A or AA Team of a lower category or age division or 19 players at large from one House League Club that are from the same age division or lower. For the purposes of Rule 6.4(b), A Teams may affiliate with an AA Team of the same age division or an A or AA Team of a higher age division. A Teams may not affiliate with any AAA Team except that a midget A Team may affiliate with a juvenile AAA Team.

6.8 Affiliation with Alternate Entry Teams. In instances in which a Club has been granted additional entry Teams, that Club may “split” the Roster of the Lower Affiliate Team by identifying those players on the affiliation form and by assigning them as affiliate players to one of the two Higher Affiliate Teams.

6.9 Delivery of Affiliation Notice. Before October 1 in any Season, each Club shall deliver to the League Office, or send by e-mail to the League Office’s e-mail address, to the League an affiliation notice in writing which lists the affiliate Teams (both for the purpose of Rule 6.4(a) and for the purpose of Rule 6.4(b)) for each of the Club’s Teams. Where the affiliation notice indicates that a Club’s Team is affiliated with a Team from another Club, a copy of the affiliation agreement between the Clubs pertaining to such affiliation must accompany the notice of Team affiliations. A Club failing to file its affiliation notice by October 1 shall be assessed a fine of $50. All affiliation notices filed with the League Office will be available for review by any Club.

6.10 Automatic Termination of Affiliation Agreements. All affiliation arrangements and designations terminate at the end of the Season, which for this purpose occurs when the higher category or age division team completes its League and Playoff games.

Use of Affiliated Players

6.11 Limit of Five Games After January 10. A player may play an unlimited number of games for the player’s Higher Affiliate Team up to January 10. After January 10, such player may only play up to a maximum of 5 games (whether league or playoff games)with such Higher Affiliate Team and still remain eligible to play for the Team with which the player is registered. If after January 10 a player has played 5 such games with the player's Higher Affiliate Team and if the Team with which such player is registerd only has registered 15 Legitimate Players at that time, then such player will, immediately after playing such fifth game with the Higher Affiliate Team, cease to be eligible to play for the Higher Affiliate Team for the remainder of the Season. Where a player who is eligible to play more than 5 such games after January 10 with the player's Higher Affiliate Team plays the player's sixth game with the Higher Affiliate team, the player may not, for the balance of the Season, play with the Team with which the player was registered immediately prior to playing that sixth game with the Higher Affiliate Team.

6.12 Where Goaltender Does Not Play. After January 10, if a goaltender is brought up by the goaltender’s Higher Affiliate Team but does not play in any part of the game, this game shall not count as one of the five games allowed after January 10 provided that a Game Official has verified on the game sheet that the goaltender did not play.

6.13 Designation of Affiliated Players on Game Sheet. The Team Official responsible for completing the gamesheet for any game in which a player participates as an affiliated player shall place the designation “AP” or “API” beside the name of such player, as appropriate, depending on whether or not the player is an import.

6.14 Restriction on Use of Imports as APs. The following policy applies to the use of imports as affiliated players:

(a) Subject to the following, a Team may dress affiliated players, both non-imports and imports, even if that means the Team is dressing more imports than its quota for any game.

(b) After January 10, an import player can dress as an affiliated player with the player’s Higher Affiliate Team for no more than five games unless the Higher Affiliate Team has fewer registered imports than its quota. Upon dressing for his sixth game with the higher Affiliate Team, such an import player would become a member of the Higher Affiliate Team but would no longer be eligible to play for the balance of the Season because the Higher Affiliate Team would therefore exceed its import quota. The Higher Affiliate Team will, as provided in (c) below, forfeit every game in which such import player participates which is beyond the five games for which the import player is eligible after January 10.

(c) If an import player is dressed for more than five games as an affiliated player after January 10 by a Team whose import quota is otherwise full (even if the number of import players dressed for that particular game is within the applicable limit), then the Team that has dressed such player will default the game (the score will be recorded as a 1-0 win for the non-offending Team except in the case of a game won by the non-offending Team, in which case the actual score shall stand) and pay a fine determined by the Board or Special Committee and the player will not be allowed to compete for the balance of regular season play or playoffs for the Team for which such player was originally registered.

For the purposes of registration with Teams or Clubs in the League, a player must comply with Hockey Canada Regulation F.2 and applicable OHF policies (Not applicable to affiliated academic institutions).

7.6 Restriction on Registration at Older Age Levels. No person whose age makes such person eligible to participate in an age division from minor bantam to midget (inclusive) may be registered as a player on a Team that is more than two years beyond the lowest age division in which such person is eligible to participate as a player. No person whose age makes such person eligible to participate in age division from minor atom to peewee (inclusive) may be registered as a player to participate on a Team that is more than one year beyond the lowest age division in which such person is eligible to participate as a player.

7.7 Overage Juveniles. A juvenile Team may register up to a maximum of five players who will become 20 years of age on or before December 31 of the Season. Any such player(s) must also have been registered as a player(s) with the League in the immediate past season or, where any such player was not registered as a player with any league in the immediate past season, the last team that such player was registered with as a player must have been a Team in the League. Any such player will be eligible for all League regular season and playoff games and for any other games where regulations permit.

7.8 Signatures Required on Registration Certificate. When a player is under 18 years of age at the time the Registration Certificate is signed by the player, the Registration Certificate must also be signed by the player’s parent or legal guardian and the parent’s or legal guardian’s current residential telephone number must appear on the top of the front copy of the Registration Certificate.

7.9 Provision of Birth Certificate. For all players participating in an age division where there is an age limit, each Team must provide a copy, certified or not as may be required by the League Office in its discretion, of each player’s official birth certificate or other similar document. A copy of the birth certificate or other similar document need not be provided when it has previously been provided to the League Office.

7.10 Prohibition on the Provision of False Information. No Team Official, player, parent or legal guardian shall knowingly provide or allow false information to appear on a Registration Certificate. See Rule 14.14 for penalty.

7.11 Registration with One Team Only. Except for a player who has obtained a release in accordance with Rule 7.16 no player shall be registered with more than one Team in a single Season. This Rule does not apply to intermediate players of affiliated groups as provided in Rule 7.27(b).

7.12 Dealing with two Registration Certificates. If a player signs Registration Certificates with two Teams, the player shall be registered with the Team that first registers the Registration Certificate for such player with the League Office. The order of registration with the League Office shall be determined by the dates of League approval as stamped on the Registration Certificates.

7.13 Team Officials. Except for persons who have received permission by resolution of the Board to be a Team Official on more than one Team, no person may be registered as a Team Official with more than one Team or Club. A person registered as a Team Official with a Team may participate as a Team Official in any game of any other Team of the Club with which the person is registered as a Team Official. A person registered as a Club Official may participate as a Team Official in any game of any Team of that Club. In accordance with the policies of the OHF, all Team Officials must have completed a Hockey Canada abuse and harassment training programme. The coach of each Team in the minor atom to peewee categories must be certified at the “Coach or Development 1” level. The coach of each Team in the minor bantam to juvenile categories must be certified at the “Intermediate or Development 1” level.

7.14 Trainer

(a) Each Team must have a Trainer. Each Trainer must possess a valid HTCP Level I certificate (3 year validity period) or a higher valid HTCP certificate.

(b) Each Team must have a first aid kit on the bench for all games. A $25 fine will be levied against any Team found by the referee not to have an adequate first aid kit.

7.15 Restriction on Team Officials Changing Clubs. A person who is registered as a Team Official in one Season may not, without the consent of the Club with which such person is registered as a Team Official, be registered or appear on the bench in the immediately following Season as a Team Official for a Team in the immediately higher age division of another Club. The consent of a Club required by this Rule 7.15 must be provided in writing, signed by a Club Official or be provided by e-mail sent to the League’s Office’s e-mail address by a Club Official. A Club may withhold its consent in its sole and absolute discretion. The Board may make a special ruling in reference to this Rule 7.15.

7.16 When a Release is Effective. A release is valid only in the following two circumstances:

(a) The first circumstance occurs when, on or before November 15 of the current Season (or the first business day following November 15 when November 15 is a Sunday or statutory holiday): (i) the release has been signed by the Club Officials of the Club providing the release; and (ii) the release has been filed with and accepted by the League Office (provided that in any event a release will only be effective if it has been filed with the League Office within seven days of being signed by the Club Officials of the Club providing the release).

(b) The second circumstance occurs when, after a hearing, the release has been granted by the Board or a Special Committee.

A verbal release will not be accepted by the League Office.

7.17 Released Player is a Free Agent. A player who has been released in accordance with the requirements of Rule 7.16 shall be considered a free agent within the League.

7.18 Player Not Released May Not Participate. A player who has not been released from a Team may not participate in any game, whether regular season, exhibition, tournament or playoff, with another Team prior to his or her release being properly completed in accordance with the requirements of Rule 7.15 and being signed and registered with the other Team. No exceptions will be made to this Rule.

7.19 No Third Registration. A player may not register with more than two Teams in a single season without the prior approval of the Board or a Special Committee. Accordingly, a player who is released from his or her second Team within a season may not register with another Team without the prior approval of the Board or a Special Committee.

7.20 Application for Release.

(a) A player who is not registered with a Team for the current season, and who has been denied a release by a Team of which he was a member for the prior season, may apply to the League to be granted a release from the Team of which the player was a member during the prior season. A hearing will be held in respect of such application.

(b) At the hearing, the player and the Team concerned shall have the right to be represented and heard.

7.21 Releases At and After the End of Season.

(a) Subject to Rule 7.23 and 7.24 players who have been registered on Teams in the age divisions of peewee and lower are deemed to be released from such Teams and are “free agents” at the conclusion of each season. Accordingly, these players are free, subject to compliance with all of the League’s Rules, to register with any Team for the following season.

(b) Subject to the Club with which a player is registered complying with the requirements of Rule 4.4 regarding the payment of entry fees for the following season, a player who has been registered on a Team in the age divisions of minor bantam and higher other than juvenile is deemed to be a protected players of the Club with which the player is registered at the conclusion of each season. This player requires a release in order to register with a Team in a different Club in the following season.

(c) In order to maintain the protection rights provided by Rules 4.4 and 7.21(b) for a particular player, the Club must offer to sign that protected player for the following season by May 31. The Club’s offer must be made by way of a letter signed by at least one signing officer of the Club sent on or before May 31 to the player by registered mail or by professional courier with receipt confirmed. The Club must also send a copy of the letter to the League Office. Any player to whom such an offer is not made on or before May 31 shall be entitled to an automatic release.

7.22 Automatic Releases when Player not Played in Playoffs. A player who is registered with a Team and who is not dressed and played as a Legitimate Player in any playoff game in which the Team participates (other than in the case where such failure to dress and participate as a Legitimiate Player is a rusult of illness, injury, suspension imposed by OHF guidelines or League discipline, reasonable discipline imposed by Team Officials, the rotational sitting out of players due to the Team having more registered players than are able to be dressed for each game, the legitimate failure of the player to attend the playoff game or any other legitimate reason), shall upon application to the League (which application shall be reviewed by the Board or a Special Committee) be entitled to a release at the conclusion of the season. Complaints involving the misuse of affiliated players during playoffs will be reviewed by the Board or a Special Committee and may result in the denial of registration of Team Officials for the following season.

7.23 Outstanding Equipment and Registration Fees.

(a) Players accepting equipment from any Club must return same upon request. Any player failing to return a Club’s equipment shall be indefinitely suspended until such time as said equipment is returned to the Club. Any player failing to return a Club’s equipment within 14 days from the mailing of such request shall, in addition, be further suspended one week of regular league play for every week the equipment has not been returned in good condition after such request is made. Such requests must be made in writing to the player, quoting Rule 7.23 in its entirety, with a copy of such letter being forwarded to the League Office and such requests shall be considered sufficiently completed if mailed to the player’s last known address. Failure on the part of the Club to notify the League Office of the date of return of the equipment shall invalidate any suspension accumulated pursuant to Rule 7.23 and shall result in an automatic fine to the Club of $50.

(b) Any player who owes money (whether in respect of registration fees, Team dues or fund raising obligations) to the Club which is in possession of the player’s Registration Certificate, or any Team of that Club will not be granted a release for any reason until this player has paid the money owing to that Club or Team. Any player who owes money (whether in respect of registration fees, Team dues or fund raising obligations) to a Club or any Team of that Club will not be eligible to have the player’s Registration Certificate registered with another Club for the following Season until such money has been paid, provided that the Club to whom the money is owing has delivered a notice in writing, together with a statement of the monies owing, to the League Office on or before March 31 of the Season in which the failure to pay money has occurred. The League Office will promptly send a copy of the notice and statement of monies owing to the player at the player’s registered address. The statement of monies owing provided by the Club shall include the amount of money that the Club states has been paid by or on behalf of the player and the amount of money that the Club states remains owing by the player. Any player who wishes to dispute that any money is owing to the Club, or any Team of the Club, or who feels aggrieved by the Club’s claim of money owing shall be entitled to a hearing prior to commencement of the next Season’s tryout. If the notice required by this Rule is not delivered to the League on or before March 31, the League Office will not, for that reason alone, refuse to register the Registration Certificate of the player for the following Season.

(c) No Club, Team, Club Official or Team Official shall receive or demand or seek to obtain any payment of money, goods or services from a parent, player or other person or from any other Club or Team in connection with, or as a condition to, the granting of a release to a player. This prohibition shall not apply to development or development/release fees paid or payable by a junior club or to any demand for payment of amounts due or the return of equipment pursuant to this Rule 7.23. Any Club, Team, Club Official or Team Official that is found to have received or demanded a payment prohibited by this Rule 7.23(c) shall be subject to a penalty that is determined by the Board or a Special Committee, in their sole discretion. Such penalty may include a suspension or a fine an amount not exceeding three times the amount of money or the value of the goods or services received or demanded, or both.

7.24 Return of Equipment, Collateral and Finances by Team Officials. Any Team Official who accepts equipment and/or collateral or who owes money to his Club must return such equipment and/or collateral or repay such funds upon request of the Club. Such requests must be made in writing to the Team Official with a copy of such letter being forwarded to the League Office and such request will be considered sufficiently completed if mailed to the person’s last known address. Failure to comply shall result in the Team Official being requested to appear before the Special Committee.

7.25 Rights of First Refusal for Midget Players Released by Junior Team. If a player who would be eligible to register with a midget Team, signs a Junior Certificate and is subsequently released the midget Team in the Club with which the player was registered prior to signing the Junior Certificate shall have the right of first refusal on the player’s playing rights. This right of first refusal is subject to the midget Team not having 19 (or 20 at 'AAA') players registered at the time of the player’s release from the Junior Certificate. Should the midget Team holding a right of first refusal on the player’s playing rights not offer to sign the player within 5 days after being notified in writing by the player with regard to his release from the junior team, the Team must waive its rights to the player. The player then becomes a free agent. Any player contesting the application of this Rule may appeal the case to the League.

7.26 Development Fees.

(a) If a Team proposes to release a player to any junior club, the Team must, as a condition of giving such release, require the junior club to pay to the League a minimum development fee based upon either mutual agreement between the parties (Minor-Junior) or in accordance with the fee schedule listed in Rule 7.26(b). A cheque for 90 per cent of the player release/development fee will then be issued to the Team’s Club, provided that if the player has not played for the Club giving the release for the current year and the prior year, then the development/release fee shall be equally divided with the Club with which the player was registered immediately beforehand. The League will not approve or process such release pending the physical receipt of the development/release fee from the junior club by the League Office. In instances involving a fee greater than that stipulated in the schedule listed in section 7.26(b), the Team providing the release must submit a card accompanying the player’s release stipulating the amount of the transaction.

(b) RELEASE FEE SCHEDULE (Minor to Junior)

Player to

Age	JR. A	JR. B	JR. C	JR. D
20	$250	$200	$150	$100
19	$250	$200	$150	$100
18	$250	$200	$150	$100
17	$400	$300	$200	$150
16	$550	$400	$250	$200
15	$700	$500	$300	$250
14	$1,000	$1,000	$1,000	$1,000

Note: No financial transactions will be permitted or tolerated on properly registered releases, transfers or registrations between minor hockey teams.

7.27 Ineligible Players and Team Officials. An ineligible player or Team Official is defined to be a player or Team Official who is not in compliance with the Rules governing participation in the League including, but not limited to, membership or suspensions.

8.2 Prohibited Advertising. Teams and Clubs shall not advertise the time, date or location of tryouts or the name of Team Officials for the following Season prior to one week before the scheduled commencement of AAA tryouts. For this purpose, any form of printed, whether public or private, solicitation (including promotional articles about existing Teams) that contain this information shall be considered as a form of advertising. The Team Official or Club Official found responsible by the Board or a Special Committee for the publication of such prohibited advertising shall be suspended for a period of not less than 15 games or such further period of time as considered appropriate by the Board or Special Committee. The Club in respect of whom the prohibited advertising has been placed will be fined up to $500.

8.3(a) Tampering.