2025-2026 Intramural Hockey Constitution
SECTION -1- League Membership Responsibilities
i. Before the regular season begins all teams must provide StFX Intramurals with team contact information. Contact information should include a Team Captain who will represent the team or players in any and all intramural hockey matters during the year, and an Alternative Captain, in case of suspension or unavailability.
ii. Team Captain meetings are mandatory. Your team must be represented at these meetings, or your team will be suspended.
iii. All contact information is due to the Intramural Hockey Commissioner before a team is considered registered.
iv. Jersey color should be declared upon registration, and it will be the team’s responsibility to purchase / provide that colour of jersey. If both teams have the same colour jersey, the onus is on the visiting team to make alternate arrangements.
v. The onus is on the registered team to read and understand the policies and regulations of the league. It is the responsibility of the team captain to ensure that eligibility guidelines are enforced.
vi. Any team member must have a valid student ID on their person while on the bench. Any team member conducting unsportsmanlike behavior or consuming alcohol, or substances will be asked to leave. Game will be paused until team member has left the rink. Addition: Failure to leave the rink in a timely manner will result in a forfeit.
vii. The onus is on the team(s) to provide pucks for the teams warm up. Each team will be asked to provide two pucks to on ice officials prior to the start of the game (totaling in four game pucks), after the game is finished the remaining puck’s will be evenly distributed to both teams, if there is only one puck remaining after the game the one remaining puck will go to the home team.
SECTION – 2 – Registration Requirements Each team shall provide StFX Intramurals:
i. A registration fee of $1825 for XHL, $1850for REC and $1765 for WXHL (tax included and non-refundable) to be collected from each participating team before the predetermined deadline.
ii. A list of players must be provided before the opening game of the Intramural Hockey League season. A second opening for players to join teams will open for a week in January.
iii. There shall be a minimum of 15 team members and no more than 19 skaters and 1 goalie on one team. iv. Teams must have a set of jerseys to participate in the league. The jerseys must have numbers.
SECTION – 3 – Player Eligibility
i. To be eligible to play, all players must be a current student of StFX University.
ii. XHL is a competitive league for players who have previously played competitive hockey. Therefore, no current Junior A, Junior B, Junior C, or varsity players are allowed to play in the league.
iii. A player is only allowed to play in one league of intramural hockey (XHL, RXHL, WXHL)
iv. Any team that is found to be playing an illegal player will forfeit the games that the illegal player participated in.
v. Any team using an illegal player during playoffs will forfeit their series. vi. There shall be no trading of players from one team to another.
vii. Any team that plays against an illegal player and conceals this knowledge from the league until it suits their convenience will be viewed as equally guilty. Therefore, they will not be allowed to make the playoffs.
viii. Before any on ice games, all players must be able to prove their status as a StFX University student via their student ID card. viiii. All participants (including full and part-time students) must have extended benefits.
SECTION – 4 – Affiliations
i. The only affiliations that will be considered legal are goaltenders.
ii. Goaltender affiliations must only be used if necessary (i.e. suspension or injury).
iii. The goaltender that is playing must be affiliated with another team in the league. iv. The Intramural Hockey Commissioner must be notified of the affiliation in advance of the game.
SECTION – 5 – Equipment
i. All Hockey Canada rules apply (full face mask and equipment must be worn by all players) All players must wear certified helmets with full face shields firmly affixed and with a chin strap. Visors or half shields are not permitted. Players must adhere to all equipment rules found in Rule 3 of the Hockey Canada Rule Book
ii. Neck guards are strongly recommended.
SECTION – 7 – Regular Season and Playoffs
i. Intramural Hockey League is solely supported financially on registration fees. The league has to be cost efficient and has the power to create a league that will not go into debt. Therefore, the number of games the league consists of will depend on how many teams register.
ii. Playoff details will be announced at the start of each regular season and will depend on how many teams register for the Intramural Hockey League. The more teams, the more money, equals more teams making the playoffs.
iii. Dates for the start of the regular season and playoffs will depend on the availability of ice time.
SECTION – 8 - League Point System and Tie Breaking
i. In regular season, a win will count as two points, a tie as one, and a loss as zero.
ii. In the case of a tie in team points at the end of the regular season, the tie will be broken by whoever won more games between the two tied teams during the regular season. If they are still tied, the goal average formula will be used.
iii. If there are more than two teams tied, the team that beat all other tied teams will advance. If the tie is still not decided, it will go to which team has the best goal average formula between the tied teams.
iv. If teams are still tied after the goal average formula, the team that has the most goals scored for, in the games amongst the tied teams, will be declared the winner.
v. If the tie is still not decided, it will go to the least amount of goals scored against in games between tied teams. If the tie is still not decided through the entire process it will be decided by a flip of a coin. vi. Goal Deferential Formula: GF - GA= Goal Deferential (Forfeited goals will not count towards deferential.)
SECTION – 9 – Rules of Competition
i. Teams can dress a maximum of 19 skaters and 1 goaltender.
ii. A minimum of 8 skaters and a goaltender will be necessary to begin any game. Failure to do so will result in a forfeit by a 5-0 score.
iii. All games will have a 3-minute warm up. All leagues will play (2) 10 minute periods, and (1) 12 minute stop time period. iv. All competition rules will be the same as CHA standards. One exception is that there is absolutely no body checking in Intramural Hockey. All leagues will follow the Hockey Canada Rule Book with the following provision: No league allows any form of body checking
(6.2b). There is a zero-tolerance policy and body checking may result in supplementary discipline.
v. In the event of a five-goal spread at the beginning of the third period, the third period shall be straight time. The goal differential must be 3 or below for the clock to revert back to stop time.
vi. Ties will stand at the end of regular season games. If playoff games are tied at the end of regulation time the game will be decided by a 5-minute 3 vs 3 sudden death overtime period. If there is no winner at the end of overtime, the winner will be determined by a NHL style shootout. All regular season games will end after 3 periods regardless of the score. The Home Team will elect to shoot either first or second, and players who are currently serving time penalties are eligible to shoot.
vii. Any player with 3 or more penalties in one game will be ejected from the game. *A double minor penalty counts as 2 penalties. Any player who is assessed 3 or more penalties in one game will be assessed a game ejection penalty. Double minor penalties assessed for 1 infraction will count as 1 penalty (Tripping, Kneeing, Head Contact, Butt-Ending, Spearing,), a player assessed 2 minor penalties separately that are served as (4) minutes will accrue 2 penalties towards a game ejection. A minor penalty and a misconduct penalty also count as 2 penalties.
SECTION – 10 – Suspensions and Fines
i. All suspensions and fines are effective immediately following the end of the game when the incident occurred. Players assessed for a Game Misconduct, Match Penalty, or a Gross Misconduct are spending indefinitely pending a review, they cannot participate in any games until receiving word from the Intramural Hockey Commissioner.
ii. No fighting is permitted in any league. A failure to do so will result in an immediate ejection from the league. Furthermore, if the player wants to re-enter the hockey league the following year, they will have to pay a $100.00 fine. Fighting is not permitted. Fighting will result in a Major Penalty and a Game Misconduct (HC 6.7) at a minimum. Fighting is defined as “Whereas a number of punches have been thrown and/or the officials have difficulty separating the two players” (Situation 19,
6.7a). A Fighting Major may be assessed to only 1 player in an altercation if the other player makes no attempt to engage in a fight. In this case, the player assessed the Fighting Major will be assessed a Major Penalty, a Minor Penalty for Instigator and a Minor Penalty for Aggressor along with a Game Misconduct Penalty. iii. Any game that contains a bench clearing brawl will result in both teams being suspended from the league and further punishment may come from the StFX University administration. Any team who’s player is assessed a Game Misconduct penalty for Leaving the Bench or 2nd, 3rd, etc., Fight Same Stoppage, or any team that incurs more than 2 Fighting Majors in separate points in a game will be indefinitely suspended from the league and all players will be referred to the University for further action.
iv. Suspensions will be dealt out after sufficient time is given to collect information after the incident occurred. The suspensions will be administered in writing by the commissioner to the team captain.
v. Any player or team who fails to comply with the decision of the on-ice official shall also receive discipline. This includes giving false names if requested by the on-ice official. Such actions are a violation of and will be dealt with under the community code. Players caught playing under a pseudonym will be indefinitely suspended and the game in which they appeared will be a forfeit.
vi. Any team that plays a suspended player will be ineligible to make the playoffs. vii. Any team reported by rink management to have caused severe damage to the rink facilities (i.e. dressing rooms) will automatically be removed from the hockey league and will have to face punishment from the KMC and StFX University administration. viii. The intramural coordinator, official’s coordinator and commissioners of the hockey leagues have the power to collaboratively distribute other additional suspensions to league players in situations that were not foreseen.
ix. Any player who has been indefinitely suspended in previous years may rejoin the league the next year, however they must pay a $100.00 fine. x. The following chart is a guideline of minimum suspension that will be assessed to any player who violates the given rule. The length listed below is simply the minimum number of games that will result from the infraction as a guideline. Players may be suspended longer or indefinitely based on a review conducted by the Intramural Hockey Commissioner, Intramural Coordinator and Officials Coordinator These parties reserve the right to suspend any player for any conduct at any time.
Minimum Suspension Guide
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Minor Penalties + Game Misconduct
Interference from the Bench…….1 Game
Checking from Behind…….1 Game
Major Penalty + Game Misconduct
Boarding…….1 Game
Body Checking…….1 Game
Charging…….2 Game
Cross-Checking…….1 Game
Elbowing…….1 Game
High Sticking…….1 Game
Holding…….0 Game
Hooking…….0 Game
Interference…….1 Game
Kneeing…….2 Game
Roughing/ R.A.W.…….1 Game
Slashing …….1 Game
Tripping…….0 Game
Charging goaltender in the crease……2 Game
Cross Checking goaltender in the crease……2 Game
Fighting ……Indefinite
Head Contact……2 Game
Checking from Behind……2 Game
Match Penalties
Deliberate Attempt to injure……Indefinite
Spearing……2 Games
Threatening an Official……Indefinite
Physical abuse of official- intentional contact……Indefinite
Physical abuse of official- deliberate striking……Indefinite
Pulling hair/grabbing cage, helmet or chinstrap……Indefinite
Kicking……3 Games
Spitting ……3 Games
Butt Ending……2 Games
Fight with a spectator……Indefinite
Boarding……3 Games
Body Checking……3 Games
Charging……3 Games
Cross-Checking……3 Games
Elbowing……3 Games
High Sticking……3 Games
Holding……3 Games
Hooking……3 Games
Interference……3 Games
Kneeing……3 Games
Slashing ……3 Games
Tripping……3 Games
Butt-ending……3 Games
Head Contact……5 Games
Checking from Behind……5 Games
Head-Butting……5 Games
Game Misconducts
Disputing Call of official……1 Game
Disputing call-obscene language / gesture…….1 Game
2nd Fight same stoppage……Indefinite
3rd, 4th, 5th etc man in fight……Indefinite
Leaving the bench or penalty bench……Indefinite
Goalie leaves crease to join fight……Indefinite
Leaving bench without clearance of referee……1 Game
Refusing to start play……Indefinite
Second misconduct-same game……0 Games
Game ejection-Head contact…….1 Game
Game ejection- stick infractions……0 Games
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Gross Misconducts
Goaltender refusing to remove mask for identification……Indefinite
Discriminatory Slur……Indefinite
Travesty of the game……Indefinite
Fighting with a spectator……Indefinite
Removing helmet or chinstrap for the purposes of fighting……Indefinite
Team Strike System The hockey leagues have a 3-strike suspension approach. In the event of a suspension to any participating player on a team, that team will be given 1 strike against their record. If a team hits 2 strikes to their record, a meeting with the entire team, intramural coordinator, official’s coordinator, intramural hockey commissioners and other relative representatives will be held to discuss potential discipline if these behaviors continue. Any member not in attendance will be suspended indefinitely. If a team manages to accumulate 3 strikes, they shall be removed from the hockey league without reimbursement, with no chance at an appeal. Supplemental discipline may also be applied from other sources.
SECTION – 11 – Appeals and Protests
i. Protests and/or appeals must be passed into the hockey commissioner within 24 hours after the player received the fine or suspension.
ii. The protest and appeal committee will consist of the recreation coordinator, intramural coordinator, official’s coordinator and intramural hockey commissioner.
iii. The appeal committee will hear any case stemming from an intramural hockey commissioner suspension that is over two games in length.
iv. The onus is on the appellant to provide evidence and proper witnesses (i.e. referee, or players).
v. The player will receive a decision from the appeals committee within a day of all appeal/protest meetings information being collected.
vi. The player suspended is not allowed to play until he has been contacted by the appeals committee, who will deliver the result to the team captain.
SECTION – 12 – Schedule Obligations
i. Once a game has been scheduled, it must be met.
ii. Games can be rescheduled by intramurals if necessary (i.e. facility problems, weather etc.)
iii. Re-scheduling of games will not happen unless the team who cannot make the game gives intramurals sufficient notice (48-hours) iv. Commissioners have the final say on the schedule