Administrative Policies
• All players must complete a waiver before participating.
• Players under 18 must have their waiver completed by a parent or guardian. Failure to comply may result in suspension or removal from league activities.
• Registration fees and deposits are non-refundable.
• If games are cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances, the league will attempt to reschedule them. If rescheduling is not possible, refunds will not be issued.
• Players participate at their own risk. HTBHL is not responsible for injuries, lost items, or damages incurred during league activities.
Equipment Requirements
• The league provides official game balls. Teams are responsible for supplying their own warm-up balls.
Mandatory Equipment
• CSA-approved hockey helmets with functional chin straps are required.
• Players under 18 must wear full face protection (cage or bubble).
• Hockey gloves are required.
• Hockey sticks must be in good condition. Plastic sticks are prohibited.
• Failure to meet equipment requirements may result in players being removed from the game.
Recommended Equipment
• Full face protection is strongly recommended for adult players.
• Players are strongly encouraged to wear the following protective equipment:
• Mouth guard
• Shin pads
• Elbow pads
• Protective cup
Team Jerseys
• Teams must have two different jersey sets available for each game.
• If jersey colors conflict, the home team listed on the schedule has first choice.
• Numbered jerseys are strongly recommended for scorekeeping and statistics.
Rosters & Eligibility
• Game rosters are limited to a maximum of 19 players, including goalies.
• All players, including spares, must play at least 3 regular season games to qualify for playoffs.
• Players may only play on one team per division unless rostered full-time or approved by the league.
Division Eligibility
“A” Division
• Teams may use players from any division or outside the league, provided they are not already rostered on another “A” team.
“B” Division
• Teams may not use “A” division players unless approved by the league or rostered full-time.
• Captains using ineligible players without league approval may face suspension.
Injury Attendance Rule
• Injured players may receive credit toward playoff eligibility by checking in with the scorekeeper at their game location.
• Injured goalies require league approval to receive games-played credit.
Additional Roster Rules
• Team captains are responsible for ensuring all roster and game sheet information is accurate before the game begins and on the league website.
• Late players must sign in with the scorekeeper before participating.
• The league reserves the right to request player identification at any time.
• Teams require a minimum of 5 players to begin a game.
Forfeits
• Teams must have a minimum of 5 eligible players ready to begin a game.
• Officials will begin a running clock 5 minutes after the scheduled start time if a team does not have the required number of players.
• If 5 additional minutes elapse or 10 minutes past the official start time without the required number of players, the game will be recorded as a forfeit.
• If the short-handed team reaches the required number of players before the forfeit is declared, the game may proceed; however, the team will receive an immediate delay-of-game penalty.
• Official forfeits are recorded as a 5–0 final score.
• Teams forfeiting without providing at least 5 days’ notice will receive a $20 fine and lose playoff scheduling priority.
• Players on the non-forfeiting team may still receive games-played credit.
Goalie Rules
• During the regular season, replacement goalies must come from the same division, a lower division, or outside the league unless approved by the league.
• All playoff goalies must meet the league’s minimum games-played requirement to be eligible.
• Replacement goalies during playoffs require league approval in advance.
• The league reserves the right to deny any replacement goalie, even if they have the required number of games played, if it is deemed an upgrade on their division roster.
• Teams may not replace their goalie during playoffs solely to allow their regular goalie to play as a player unless approved by the league.
Gameplay Rules
• Games are played 5-on-5 plus goalies.
• Games consist of:
• Two 16-minute stop-time periods
• A short intermission between periods
• Each team receives one timeout per game.
Clock Rules
• If there is a 5-goal difference with 5 minutes or less remaining, the clock will continue to run.
• The scorekeeper may switch the game clock to run time if necessary to maintain the schedule. Both teams will be notified if this occurs.
• A 10-goal lead results in an automatic mercy-rule victory.
Overtime & Shootouts
Regular Season
• Tied games proceed directly to a sudden-death shootout.
• Shooters from both teams shoot simultaneously.
• After 3 rounds, a Sudden-Death Final Shot determines the winner.
Playoffs
• 4-on-4 overtime for 4 minutes
• 3-on-3 overtime for 3 minutes if still tied
• Followed by a 3-player shootout
• Followed by sudden-death shootout rounds if necessary
• No player may shoot twice until all eligible players have shot
• Goalies are not permitted to shoot
Additional Gameplay Rules
• Standard NHL offside rules apply with a floating blue line. Once the offensive blue line is gained, the offensive zone extends back to the center red line.
• Icing is non-touch and is called from inside a team’s defensive blue line. If the goalie leaves the crease, icing will be waived off.
• Players can make line changes during stoppages.
• Hand passes are permitted inside the defensive blue line.
• All arena netting remains live during play.
• Play will stop if the ball contacts the ceiling or any out-of-bounds area behind the benches, scorekeeper, or penalty box.
• Offensive players may not remain stationary in the crease. Play may be stopped and the faceoff moved outside the blue line if necessary.
• Injured players must leave the floor if play is stopped due to injury.
• Players who are bleeding or lose their helmet during play must leave the floor immediately.
• Teams must remain on the same bench for the entire game unless a switch is approved by an official before the start of the second half.
• Referees may consult the scorekeeper regarding disputed goals or penalties.
• The scorekeeper may stop play to consult with officials, and calls may be changed following discussion.
Standings Tie-Breakers
Tie-breakers are applied in the following order:
- Wins
- Head-to-head points (two-team ties only)
- Goal differential
- Goals against
- Goals for
- Least team penalty minutes
Penalties
HTBHL follows standard NHL penalty guidelines with league-specific modifications.
Minor Penalties — 2 Minutes
Examples include:
• Any stick above shoulder height contacting the ball
• Reckless stick swings
• Dangerous diving or sliding that interferes with a player, whether the ball was touched or not
• Participating in play without a helmet
• Goalies leaving the crease to become involved in a scrum
Double Minor Penalties — 4 Minutes
Examples include:
• High sticking causing contact above the shoulders
• Head contact or face washing
• Excessive minor infractions
Major / Match Penalties — 5 Minutes
• Dangerous, reckless, or intent-to-injure plays
• Automatic game misconduct
• Automatic $20 fine
• Subject to league review
Misconduct Penalties — 10 Minutes
• The player serves the penalty personally
• Teams do not play short-handed
• A second misconduct in the same game becomes a game misconduct
Game / Gross Misconduct
• The player is immediately ejected from the game
• Ejected players must leave the bench and playing area immediately
• Additional discipline may apply
Additional Penalty Rules
• Any player receiving 3 penalties in one game is automatically ejected.
• Double minors count as one penalty toward a player unless otherwise stated by the referee. Delayed penalties and penalty shots count toward a player’s penalty total.
• Any player leaving the bench during an altercation will receive a game misconduct and the team will be assessed a bench minor.
• Referees may assess delay-of-game penalties for any actions deemed intentional.
• Penalty shots must be taken by the fouled player unless injured. If injured, the replacement shooter must have been on the floor at the time of the infraction.
Suspensions, Fines & Discipline
• The league may issue suspensions, fines, or expulsions to protect player safety and league integrity.
• Suspensions apply across all HTBHL leagues.
• Major penalties and game/gross misconducts carry an automatic $20 team fine and league review.
• Players who receive 2 game ejections or misconducts in one season will receive:
• An automatic 1-game suspension
• A $20 fine
• All fines must be paid before the following game.
• Teams and players are responsible for the behavior of their spectators.
• The league reserves the right to remove players who violate league rules or facility policies.
• Drug and alcohol use is prohibited on all facility property.
• Intoxicated individuals may be removed and subject to suspension or expulsion.
League Authority
HTBHL reserves the right to interpret, modify, and enforce all rules and regulations in the best interest of league safety, fairness, and operations.