New for the 2025/2026 Season

Scheduling

• New schedules will be released in 2 month blocks.
• Division re-alignment will be evaluated in December and February.
• Teams can submit 2 blackout dates per scheduling block.

Payments

• Teams will need a $1000 deposit upon registration to receive a schedule.
• The following league payments will be required in September and December.
• Schedule will not be released until payments are confirmed.
• Due to ice constraints, 11:10 pm games are back this season.
• We will do our best to distribute them evenly.
• All teams playing games scheduled at or later than 10:40pm will receive pizza (@ Dakota CC).

Forfeit

• Teams are expected to play every scheduled game.
• Teams that cannot make a scheduled game must notify the league 48 hours prior to their game.
• If a team cannot play a scheduled game, the league will do its best to reschedule.
  • If not possible the game could be cancelled.
• Team that does show up gets a win in the standings.
• The team that was affected by the forfeit will be able to use the ice immediately, for a practice or intersquad game.
• Team that does NOT show up with sufficient warning will not have a make up game; there will also be no refund.

Goalie Eligibility

• To be eligible for playoffs, the participating goalie must have played at least 1 regular season game on that team.

No Timekeeper

• In the unlikely event of the game having no timekeeper:
  • The period lengths will be set to 17 minutes run time.
  • Minor penalties are 3 minutes.
  • With 1 minute remaining in the third period, the losing team can put a player in the box to stop the clock at whistles.

Hockey Canada Rules Observed; League Modifications

Length of Games

• 3 × 12 minute periods.
• 6+ goal differential in the 3rd period results in running time until the score gets to within 5 goals.
• The officials may cut the clock to 2 minutes to play if the game is behind due to excessive penalties, etc.

Start of Game

• A team must have 5 skaters and a goalie in order to start a game.
• If a team is not ready at game time the clock will start and a Delay of Game penalty will be assessed.
• After 5 minutes (7:00 remaining on the game clock) another Delay of Game penalty.
• At the end of the first period the game will be considered a default win 1–0.
• A team may finish a game without a goalie.
• A goalie who leaves the game (injury, ejection) may be replaced by a skater and the game will continue.
• The team may call the game (forfeit) if they do not wish to continue playing without a goalie.

Tie Games

• Regular season games will go immediately to a shootout if the game is tied at the end of regulation time.
• Home team will decide who shoots first.
• Each team will get three attempts to score.
• If the score is tied after three attempts, sudden death will determine the winner after an equal number of shots per team.
• Players serving a penalty at the end of the game are not allowed to participate in the shootout.
• All players must have shot once before players can be repeated.

Pucks

• Teams should both supply the officials with 3 pucks prior to the game.

Signing In

• All players must legibly sign the game sheet prior to each game and return it to the timekeeper.

Proper Equipment

• Full face protection is recommended; visors are required.
• CSA Approved Helmets and Visors must be worn at all times during the warm-up and game.
• Players not wearing appropriate equipment will receive a 2 minute delay of game penalty and will not be allowed to play until proper equipment is worn.
  • ex – CSA approved hockey helmets with visor or cage

Slapshots

• Allowed in all divisions.

Icing

• When a puck is shot from inside the defending team’s blue line to the other end of the ice, crossing the opposing team’s goal line, icing shall be called.
• The red line will not determine icing; the defending team’s blue line determines icing calls.
• If the goalie comes out of the crease in an attempt or intention to play the puck, icing will be waived off.

Jerseys

• Non-matching jerseys are considered jerseys without numbers and/or not the same colour as the rest of the team.
  • Example: a slightly darker red jersey may be approved.
  • Referees may decide what constitutes a non-matching jersey.
  • A jersey does not need to have a team logo.
  • This rule does not apply if a team needs to change jerseys due to same colour as the opponent.
    
    
• Teams must have at least one numbered set (preferably two) of team jerseys.
• Duplicate numbers are not allowed.
• Taped on numbers are not allowed.
• Players with non-matching jerseys may play; upon their first shift they will receive a delay of game penalty.
• Maximum of 2 minor penalties can be given for non-matching jerseys (1 per offending player).
• If both teams have matching or similar coloured jerseys, the AWAY team must change.

Penalties, Thresholds, Suspensions, Probation

• Maximum number of penalties in a game is 3.
• 3 penalties of any kind will result in a Game Ejection.
  • A double minor counts as 1 towards the total.

Penalties

(Assuming each penalty does not result in an injury and is not deemed to be a major penalty by the on-ice official.)

• Minor or Double Minor Penalties at referee’s discretion (2 or 4 minutes)
  • Slashing, Body Checking (based on level of contact), Head Contact, Butt-Ending, Hooking
• Double Minor Penalties (4 minutes)
  • Cross Checking, High Sticking, Clipping
• Minor Penalties (2 minutes)
  • Tripping, Hooking, Holding, Holding the Stick, Roughing, Unsportsmanlike Conduct, Diving
• Major Penalties or Match (5+ minutes, discretion of the official)
  • Charging, Boarding, Kneeing, Butt Ending, Spearing, Slew Footing, Checking from Behind​​​​​​​
• Derogatory Terms (2 minutes, warning from official)
  • If the officials or timekeeper hear the comments, the offending player will be given a 2 min penalty and both teams will be warned, any players heard after the warning by a game official will result in a gross misconduct, ejection from the game and league review. 
  • If the officials and timekeeper do not hear the inappropriate comments, the teams will be warned about making such inappropriate comments (no 2 minute minor), any further offending comments heard by a game official would result in a gross misconduct. 
  • The referees are to submit a game report to the league, detailing the allegation of inappropriate comments.  League review will follow with possible suspension or further disciplinary action

Regular Season, Player Thresholds

• Individual PIM thresholds and suspensions
• 40 PIM – 2 game suspension
• 60 PIM – 4–8 game suspension + player action plan
• 80 PIM – 8+ game suspension + league review for reinstatement

• Team PIM thresholds (teams on probation will receive more strict thresholds)
• 150 PIM – written warning + league review
• 200 PIM – team suspended + league review + action plan from team
• 250 PIM (NEW Rule, effective this season)
  • If a team reaches 250 penalty minutes in the current season, including playoffs:
  • Team will be suspended + league review + league safety meeting
  • Team will be under review for the remainder of the current season and will be on probation the following season

Playoff, Player Thresholds

• Players who receive 15+ penalty minutes in a game will receive a 1 game suspension.
• Players who receive 25+ penalty minutes in one game will receive a 3–5 game suspension.
• Suspensions will carry on into playoffs and into the next season if there are no more playoff games in the current season.

Suspension Guidelines

• Fighting: 7–10 games
• Gross misconduct: 3–5 games
• Major/Game Misconduct: 2 game suspension
• Match: League review before player can return

*All suspensions are treated on a case-by-case basis based on the history of the player and the reports from the league’s officials.

Team Probation

• Teams that accumulate 250 penalty minutes during the season will be placed on probation.
• The league will review the situation with the team manager.
• There are no refunds; games will not be rescheduled for teams on probation.

Suspended Players

• Cannot be around the bench/playing area while serving their suspension.
• Teams caught playing a suspended player will have that game forfeited and face further discipline from the league (a team could be removed from the league without refund).
• Suspended players are ineligible to play on any other teams in the DHL until full suspension is served.
  • Teams violating this rule will be forced to forfeit the game.
  • The suspended player will receive further discipline, and the offending team captain may be suspended.

Powerplays

• To start each powerplay the faceoff is in the offending team’s defensive zone on the bench side of the ice.

Timeouts

• Each team is allowed a 30 second timeout per game.

Puck to Goalie’s Head

• When a goalie gets hit in the mask/head with a shot, an automatic whistle will occur.
  • Example: A shot that hits the goalie’s mask and deflects into the goal is no goal by rule.

End of Game

• Handshakes between teams are expected unless otherwise directed by the officials.
• Leave the ice directly after handshakes to ensure the attendant has time to clean the ice. The dressing rooms must be emptied 30 minutes after games.

Playoffs

• To be eligible for playoffs, players must have played a minimum of:
  • 12 (winter league) regular season games
  • 5 (spring league) regular season games
  • 8 (summer league) regular season games
• Teams caught with ineligible players will be given a forfeit loss and face further discipline from the league.

Team Rosters

• Teams must submit a full roster with jersey #’s prior to the first game of the season.

Alcohol

• Absolutely no alcohol permitted on the benches.
• The referee can eject a player if alcohol has been spotted on the bench and/or the player appears to be intoxicated.
• The offending team may be removed from the league without refund.