PHN Rules! Reminder and Intro for Rookies

The PHN is all about fast, fun and safe hockey.

As a draft league the guys you are playing against this season could be on your team next season, so play hard but treat every one with the respect of a friend or brother.

Here are the rules that make the league different:  

** Please be aware that this does not constitute the entire revised rules, but highlight key areas**

INDEFINITE SUSPENSIONS

• Any form of fighting.
• Any verbal or physical interactions with a referee.
• The use of racial, homophobic, sexual, or any other language that is meant to demean someone.
• Any repeat actions that a player has been warned about.
• Any action that is deemed detrimental to the safety of the PHN.

THE CREASE RULE

We’re a non contact league and that includes protecting our goalies from injury.

The play will be whistled down and a face off held outside the zone when:

• a player carries the puck into the crease in an attempt to score
• a player stands in the crease in an attempt to screen the goalie
• an opposing player skates through the crease as part of offensive play
• a player contacts or obstructs the goalie in the crease

It’s just a whistle assuming that there was no malice on the play.

A penalty like roughing or interference could be called if the actions of the skater are seen as more deliberate or problematic.

Keep our keepers safe!

PERSONAL PENALTIES

These are infractions called on the player who will sit in the box, but no power play is granted.

High sticking the puck: 2 minutes

Players are not to raise their sticks above their shoulders out of safety for others.  This will be called and blown down by the referee. The player may leave the box after the next whistle once their penalty is done.

Unsportsmanlike Conduct: 4 minutes or more

Any penalty that the referee issues as UNSPORTSMANLIKE is a minimum 4 minute penalty.

There is no tolerance for behaviours like temper tantrums, throwing another player’s stick, kicking a stick away from another player.

Note: There is ZERO tolerance for any arguing with the referee.  The referee at their discretion may issue an UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT penalty up to a GAME MISCONDUCT or more depending on the severity.

Please do not argue with the referee at all.

TRADITIONAL PENALTIES

Delay of game, holding, hooking, interference, tripping:  2 minutes

High sticking, slashing, cross checking: 4 minutes

Roughing, boarding, bodychecking: 4 minutes

PENALTY LIMIT

If you go over six minutes in penalties, you are ejected from the game.  This will also automatically trigger a review by the Disciplinary Committee and may involve further actions taken.

Once you have exceeded 22 minutes penalty minutes in the regular season, you will automatically be suspended for a minimum 1 game and face a Disciplinary Hearing to determine if a longer suspension or removal from the league will occur.

Penalty minutes reset in the playoffs EXCEPT in circumstances in which you have reached the allocated maximum penalty minutes or have been suspended in the regular season.

Playoff limits will be announced prior to the start of the playoffs.

TRADES

Trades are allowed in the PHN when needed to balance teams or as initiated by captains to improve the league.

Trades cannot be made until the teams have all played each other twice, and must be completed at least 3 games before the playoffs begin.

Summer deadline: between game 6 (Aug 10) & 7 (Aug 17).

SPARE RULES

Spare players from outside the PHN must be approved by the league and sign a waiver before they can play.

In the regular season spares are discussed between captains and the general principles are this:

• spare on par or lower
• don’t surprise spare
• spare to create the best game and experience possible for all

In the playoffs, traditionally subs happened from the bottom up.

However, we’ve shifted to the idea subbing in players to make for a good, fair game.

In the playoffs you can only spare to 9 skaters AND must have a minimum of 9 skaters.

If 4 players are absent from a game, and a team needs 2 spares to get to nine, it’s not appropriate to just automatically replace the top 2 guys with “on par” subs.

You have to look at the whole picture with the other team.

If you were missing a 1,2, 3 and 5 level player subbing with a 2 and a 4 might be a reasonable scenario.

Compare the power scores of the teams, given the attendance. On a player to player basis, do the teams stack up fairly given who is coming out?

The captains should have a dialogue and if they cannot agree a commissioner will determine a fair spare scenario.

Get your attendance and roster sorted out as early as possible to allow time for talk and league approval if needed.

PLAYOFF FORMAT

For this summer the playoff format currently is as follows:

1 v 4 and 2 v 3 semi finals.

Winners play in the finals, losers in the toilet bowl.

In the event of a tie game, regular season standings determine the winner.

Tie breakers for the regular season are as follows:

• Wins
• Head to Head
• Goal Differentional
• Lowest PIM

COVID-19

Because COVID remains an ongoing public health issue we expect players who are feeling sick or have been exposed to a known COVID case to stay home, and test negative before returning to hockey.

We also encourage you to mask in the dressing room with an N-95 or KN-95 style mask, and the captains can provide masks.

The WHO says masks should be used by “anyone in a crowded, enclosed, or poorly ventilated space. 

The Canadian government recommends wearing a mask in a crowded or poorly ventilated setting.

The Ontario government also recommends wearing a tight-fitting, well-constructed mask in indoor public settings, and obviously a dressing room is an indoor space that can be crowded and have bad airflow. 

If you have recently been in a high risk situation, like a big indoor party or on plane with people hacking and coughing on you please consider whether you could be putting others a risk by heading to the rink.

Every time you get COVID you reload the revolver on your chances of getting long COVID.  Recent studies indicate your chances of long COVID go up with every reinfection.  So think about that for yourself and others and stay home when sick.

The league may instate COVID safety protocols if needed.