Section C - Team Regulations

Playing Rules

Rule No. 1 Formation

Team rosters shall be established each season from individual registration for each league at the discretion of the House League Committee, who shall do their utmost to provide balanced teams. Team rosters may be convenor set or drafted. The Vice-President House League will establish the method of each league by September 1 of each hockey season.

Rule No. 2 Number of players

The minimum and maximum rosters for any team shall normally be 14 and 16 players respectively, provided total registration, special programs or available ice time do not dictate a smaller or larger roster for a team and, or division.

Rule No. 3 Drop-Outs

If during the course of the season, for any reason a team roster should fall more than three players below establishment, the League Convenor responsible shall be empowered to balance the League in consultation with the Vice-President House League.

Rule No. 4 Contact / Non contact

It is the policy of the M.O.HA., that each player will be given the option of playing non-contact (no body checking) hockey. No similar option can be guaranteed for contact hockey as contact leagues may have an ability selection process.

All White Divisions will be non-contact. Red Divisions will be contact from Minor Pee Wee through to Juvenile or as mandated by the OMHA or OHF.

Rule No. 5 League Formation

Provision shall be made each season for the establishment of Red, White and, or other levels of play leagues in all age divisions. League establishments will be dependent upon adequate registration in each division. Any exceptions to the foregoing require the approval of the Vice-President-House League.

Rule No. 6 Sponsor's child

Where possible, the League Convenor will arrange that the child of a sponsor will play for the sponsor's team.

Coaches may not simply "claim" association with a sponsor. If a coach wishes to specify a sponsorship arrangement (other than their own son or daughter), the M.O.H.A. office must be provided with a signed request from the sponsor requesting that their sponsorship be affiliated to the specific coach. This signed request must be provided to the M.O.H.A. office at least 48 hours prior to the draft or team allocation meeting.

Sponsorship affiliations in consort with "protected" players will NOT be allowed to disrupt the intent of a balanced draft or team assignment. If, in the opinion of the Vice President, House League, the combination of "protected" players, plus sponsorship affiliation, would create an imbalance, then the affiliation will either not be permitted or draft adjustments will be made to compensate.

All sponsorships where an affiliation has not been identified as described above are open to all coaches during the draft based upon selection of the sponsored player.

"Non parent" sponsors may not designate a player as "protected".

Once a team has acquired a sponsor, they will not be allowed to draft a second sponsored player unless:

1. that sponsor has agreed, in advance, that their sponsorship may be moved to another team
2. all teams in the division being drafted are already covered by a sponsor.

Rule No. 7 Tryouts

Where, during the house league tryouts players from both Red and White leagues are participating in exhibition games or practices, such exhibition games and practices will be non-contact.

Rule No. 8 Player movement - Drafted Leagues

In leagues where teams are chosen by draft, Red coaches will have the option of moving players between their Red and any of the White teams following the first league game.

Notwithstanding the above, each team may protect the son or daughter of a Coach and an Assistant Coach, unless in the opinion of the Convenor, such player would seriously affect the balance of the play in the league.

At the time of the draft, Red coaches, with the permission of the League Convenor, may select up to three less players than the final team roster number. The purpose of this provision is to facilitate the upward selection of a White player without the necessity of sending a player down.

Coaches without a son or daughter in the division may NOT designate a "protected" player, nor may they designate two "Assistant Coaches/Trainer" for player protection.

The draft placement of protected players will be based on evaluations from the prior season where practical, provided that there is general agreement among the participating coaches that the evaluation is a fair assessment of the player(s)' ability. Should this be disputed, the convenor / senior convenor in charge of the draft is empowered to arbitrarily place those individual(s) in the round(s) he or she feels is appropriate.

Should a team's identified "protected" player(s) be deemed to be impact players to the extent that their normal assignment could significantly impact the balance of the league, the draft order or selection process may be altered to compensate.

All coaches should recognize and support that the intent of the draft process and player evaluation is to establish balanced teams from the outset. The objective is to minimize any subsequent changes and disruptions. Ideally there would be no balancing moves required.

Based on the O.M.H.A. requirement for a certified coach and trainer as a prerequisite for rostering teams, the Head Coach at his or her discretion may designate the son or daughter of their identified trainer as their protected "assistant coach" player. In this case the team will NOT be allowed to protect the son or daughter of an assistant coach.

Rule No. 9 Red-White Draft

The draft will be under the control of the Vice-President House League and the appointed Senior Convenor and Convenor.

Rule No. 10 Convenor Balance

At a time determined for the division, normally after the conclusion of the third league game, the League Convenor may further move players within the League with the sole purpose of maintaining proper team and league balance. Team Officials shall have no authority with respect to the Convenor Balancing, with the exception that their input may be sought if deemed advisable.

Coaches, parents and players should also be aware that once a balancing decision is made it is not negotiable.

Therefore, if there are any personal or situational issues that should be taken into consideration that may affect the player balancing decision, they must be brought to the attention of the Convenor prior to the balancing moves being decided. Under normal circumstances, players “protected” in the draft will be excluded from balancing moves.

Rule No. 11 Vice-President, House League - Player Movement

The Vice-President House League may at his/her discretion in exceptional circumstances make any drafts or transfers within the entire House League system at any time, that he/she deems necessary.

Rule No. 12 Team Strength/Drop-Outs

League Convenors will establish the team strength and advise coaches accordingly in accordance with Rule No. C2 and C3. All Red teams should carry equal number of players where possible. If a Red team permanent roster falls below the established team strength total during the season, the Red team must at once advise the League Convenor who will make the decision regarding replacement players.

Rule No. 13 Team and player Awards

Both Red and White Leagues will compete for separate team and player awards and championships. With the exceptions of Goalkeepers, individual awards will be calculated on an individual basis regardless of player team changes.

A tie in any of the individual awards will declare two or more individual winners.

Players are required to move up in the interest of equity of play. In the event that a player, who in the opinion of the league convenor should move up, is protected in a draft or for other reasons is not required to move up, such player will normally forfeit eligibility for individual league awards.

Players who move from White to Red during the season will carry half of their White points to the Red League. Players moving from Red to White will carry their full points.

Goalkeeper(s) statistics are not transferable, but rather become a team record and thus the Goalkeeper(s) finishing the regular league schedule for the team which allowed the fewest goals against will be eligible for the Goalkeeper award.

Rule No. 14 Determining Team Standings

Team standings in either the regular season or in the playoffs shall be determined on the point system two (2) for a win; one (1) for a tie. Team standings will be determined by the following priority system:

1. Most Points
2. Most Wins
3. Most Wins against Team(s) tied With*
4. Goal Differential**
5. Most Goals
6. Fewest Goals
7. Playoff Game***

* Most Wins against Team(s) tied With

(Predicated on a full round robin between the impacted teams)

If three or more teams are tied under 1) points and 2) wins but one or more teams have fewer wins under point 3, then the team(s) with fewer wins are eliminated from the calculation. If only two teams are left then the winner of the head to head game advances, otherwise, the tiebreaker for the remaining teams continues to the goal differential calculation.

** Goal differential is calculated as (Goals for) divided by the total of Goals for plus Goals Against (see the example – Team “A” advances). The team with the higher value advances. This formula recognizes the impact of both offense and defense and is not simply a “goal difference”. This calculation is commonly used as a standard tie breaker in tournament play.

Team	For	Against	Total	Differential
A	10	6	16	0.625
B	12	8	20	0.600
C	20	16	36	0.556

*** A regular season tie breaking game if required must be played as not to interfere with the established playoff game schedule.

Rule No. 15 Tournaments and Exhibition Games

Teams from all Leagues may be entered in Tournaments, but only with the approval of the League Convenor or the Vice-President House League and subject to following all registration and rostering requirements as established by the O.M.H.A. Travel permits signed by applicable League or governing body Officials are a prerequisite for any out of town tournament or exhibition games.

Teams from all Leagues may play exhibition games with any other M.O.H.A. team or any other O.M.H.A. approved hockey system, providing the approval of the League Convenor is obtained. It is the responsibility of the team coach and, or manager to ensure that teams played are approved by the O.M.H.A. and are not "outlaw" teams.

As with Tournaments, a team playing a exhibition game with a non-Oakville team must be rostered with the O.M.H.A. As well, the team played by the M.O.H.A. team must be rosteresd or certified by the O.M.H.A. office if from outside Ontario. O.M.H.A. game sheets must be used for all exhibition games played at home or away with a signed copy being returned to the League Convenor.

The following restrictions are placed upon House League teams:

1. No restrictions on exhibition games.
2. Tournaments restricted to 3 per season. A 4th tournament will be permitted at the conclusion of the season with the written approval of the Vice-President of House League.
3. Teams entering U.S.A. must take out supplementary insurance coverage and obtain out of province permission from the O.M.H.A.
4. No schedule disruptions for exhibition games will be permitted.
5. Teams entering tournaments are advised to indicate their scheduled house league games on their application. No schedule disruptions will normally be permitted to accommodate teams entering tournaments. Any exceptions will require the approval of the Vice-President-House League.

Rule No. 16 Play-offs

All teams will be eligible for the Play-offs. The Play-off format, structuring and scheduling will be decided and issued by the House League Committee.

Play-off games must be played as scheduled.

Rule No. 17 Team Obligation

A player shall play for no more than one M.O.H.A. House League team, excepting for such periods as may be necessary for "Try-Outs", provided such try-outs do not conflict with the player's regular House League team's schedule (games and, or practices).

A player's primary responsibility is to his/her regular house league team. In the event of AP call-up requests or support for an alternate team, the request for that player's services must be made through the player's regular team coach and may not conflict with the player's regular team's schedule (game of practice) without the "sending' coach's permission.

Rule No. 18 Team rosters & bench staff

All M.O.H.A. bench staff or on ice practice personnel MUST file the appropriate security clearance with the M.O.H.A. These clearances are maintained on a confidential basis and administered under O.M.H.A. guidelines. Should there be any questions or concerns about eligibility for acceptance, please contact on a confidential basis, the Vice President, House League or the Chairman of the Discipline Committee.

Security clearances for the current hockey season must be dated on or after April 15, of the year in which the season starts.

Security clearances must indicate that they include a vulnerable sector screen in addition to the "standard" check.

These security clearances must be received in the M.O.H.A. office by October 31st of the current season. Failure to provide a security clearance will result in suspension and, or removal from the bench and, or team roster.

M.O.H.A. House League teams are permitted to have a maximum of four Team Officials on the bench for any game.

Rule No. 19 On-Site Convenors

The M.O.H.A. is represented at every game by the on-site Convenor. Coaches must follow the direction of the Convenor with respect to basic playing rules, rink instructions and general division operating issues. There MUST be an identified Convenor on-site for every game. Normally this will be the assigned division Convenor. However in the event that the division Convenor can not be present, a clearly identified replacement must be arranged and in attendance prior to the game.

The Convenor represents the coaches' official avenue to raise issues or concerns with the M.O.H.A. (unless there is a concern with the Convenor's actions. In that case, the matter should be addressed through the Senior Convenor, or in the absence of that individual to the Vice-President, House League).

Rule No. 20 Team Rosters

The convenor and coach are responsible for ensuring that complete team rosters (Players and Team Officials) are completed for each team and submitted to the M.O.H.A. office.

Under Hockey Canada and OMHA rules, EVERY participant MUST be registered with the governing body for registration and insurance purposes regardless of whether or not his or her team is rostering for exhibition or tournament play.

The same approach applies to Team Officials for insurance purposes.

Any certification numbers must be O.M.H.A. numbers. Coach or Trainer numbers issued by another OHF partner (e.g., Alliance or GTHL) may be current but will NOT be accepted. These numbers must be converted by providing proof (copy of card or certificate) of program completion and paying the appropriate conversion fee directly to the O.M.H.A.

All cards and rosters must be completed for submission by the assigned date, usually around the end of November. Teams will not normally be carded or rostered after that date.

Rule No. 21 Additional Volunteer - Participation

Some teams will have the advantage of having additional volunteers available to help with on-ice activities (on a regular basis) who are NOT registered to the team as Team Officials. While this is a good thing, under insurance rules these individuals must be identified and information on them submitted to the OMHA.

Any team with on-ice / non Team Official volunteers must provide their convenor with the appropriate information for submission to the MOHA office.

Rule No. 22 Game Sheets

Approved game sheets must be used and properly completed for all M.O.H.A. games (regular season, play-off, exhibition or tournament). The Coach or Team Manager is responsible for ensuring that a copy of this sheet is made available to their division convenor for review.

Only players in uniform and authorized team officials are allowed on the bench. House League policy is to allow a maximum of four (4) team officials on the bench at any one time.

Rule No. 23 Travel Permits

Any team wishing to enter a tournament or wanting to host or travel to an exhibition game MUST have a valid travel permit approved by their league convenor or, depending upon the nature of the permit required, by a more senior league official and, or the O.M.H.A.

Rule No. 24 Uniforms

M.O.H.A. House League teams are provided with jerseys and socks. The jerseys are typically identified with a team sponsor. These jerseys are the only jerseys allowed in M.O.H.A. play.

Logos - The caricature logos and the "shield" used on the M.O.H.A. House League jerseys are the property of and copyrighted to the Minor Oaks Hockey Association. They may not be used or reproduced in any way, shape or form without express written permission from the M.O.H.A.