|
|
MAJOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
CONSTITUTION AND REGULATIONS
REVISED October, 2009
1 NAME
The organization shall be known as the MAJOR HOCKEY LEAGUE, herein after referred to as
MHL
2 OBJECTIVES
The object of this league shall be to control, improve, and foster amateur hockey in the area which
it embraces, within the framework of the SASKATCHEWAN HOCKEY ASSOCIATION, herein after
referred to as the SHA
3 MEMBERS
( a ) All new teams in a division willing to abide by the Constitution and regulations of the MHL will
make application to be voted on by the membership at the Annual Meeting. All new teams
accepted will be on a one year probationary period.
( b ) The annual membership fee shall be $150.00 per team and must be paid to the Secretary-Treasurer
before such team can participate in the Scheduling Meeting.
Privileges are automatically lost on default of payment of any monies due to the MHL
NEW ( c ) A new ASSOCIATION entering the MHL will pay the $500.00 franchise fee before the scheduling
meeting. Once the center has completed two years in the league they will be reimbursed $200.00 after
year 3 and 4.
( d ) Each team must post or have posted a $100.00 performance bond.
( e ) Any center dropping out of the MHL for one year will be reimbursed their performance bond and
forfeit the franchise fee and must re-apply in writing to be accepted back into the MHL
( f ) Any team who has scheduled and does not finish the season will loose their performance bond.
NEW (g) Any center who schedules and then drops out shall be fined $250.00 and that team will need to reapply
the next year for entry
4 THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
This committee shall consist of the President, Vice-President, and one delegate from each member
club, with an alternate names elected by such club members, which member shall enjoy equal
voting rights except the President, or in his absence, the Vice-President, who shall vote only in the
case of a tie vote of the executive. Any majority of the aforementioned shall constitute a quorum.
Referees and Players are not eligible for election to the executive committee.
5 LEAGUE OFFICERS
The League Officers shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer, a
Commissioner for each division, the Statistician, and the Referee - In - Chief. The League
Officers must be from a member center in Saskatchewan.
6 ANNUAL MEETING
( a ) The annual meeting shall be held the first Sunday of October each year at a place and time to be
designated by the President of which every club member shall have due notice. Centers not
showing up for the Annual Meeting will be charged a $50.00 fine. Constitutional changes will be
sent out one month prior
( b ) The appointment of the Executive Committee, commissioners, referee-in-chief,
will take place at such meetings.
( c ) Only clubs holding franchise in the MHL will be allowed voting privileges at the Annual Meeting.
One per franchise.
( d ) Set the fines to be assessed for different infractions.
( e ) The Annual Meeting and the Scheduling Meeting will be held on different days.
( f ) Any center not staying until the end of the meeting will be fined $50.00
(g) The League officers will divide the teams into divisions (keeping the divisions small) and present
them at the meeting in October.
7 DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
( a ) To conduct the business of the MHL in its entirety between annual meetings and have complete
control of hockey activities within its membership.
( b ) To admit new club members by a majority vote.
( c ) To re-admit or reinstate, by majority vote, any club, coach, manager, player or referee under
suspension, upon application from such suspended club or person.
( d ) To procure and make available a supply of referee reports for the use of all club members.
( e ) To procure and make available a copy of the Constitution and Regulations to each member
center and its teams.
8 DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE LEAGUE OFFICERS
( a ) To deal with business of minor nature which does not require the decision of the Executive
Committee, between meetings of the committee.
( b ) To deal with and rule on all protests.
( c ) To assess fines, suspend or expel any club, coach, manager, player, or referee refusing to accept
and obey the rulings of the Executive Committee or League Officers, for proven foul or for unfair
and unsportsmanlike conduct, individually or collectively, at any place where hockey is being
played or any meeting.
9 PROTESTS
( a ) The League Officers shall be the sole judges as to whether a protest shall be entertained or not.
( b ) Protests on points of rules only as set out in the Constitution and Regulations, will only be
entertained and NOT ON A REFEREE'S DECISION.
( c ) Protest procedure shall be outlined in the SHA Handbook with the fee for protests being $150.00.
Sum deposited with the protest shall be forfeited to the MHL if the protest is not upheld.
(i) The president must be notified within 96 hours of the advertised time of the game a cheque for
$150.00 must accompany this protest.
(ii) Written protest and any third party evidence must be signed by the manager &/or coach and also
the president of the association.
(iii) If the protest is not upheld then the protesting team will loose their $150.00, if it is upheld the team
being protested against will be billed for expenses (example phone calls, mileage if a meeting is
required)
(iv) The president in consultation with the division commissioner will decide if the protest shall be
entertained and then make a ruling based on the material submitted.
(v) The president or his/her designate shall assume delivery of a copy of the protest to the team
being protested against as soon as possible after the receipt of the protest.
(vi) The team being protested against shall have 24 hours from receipt of the protest to file a defence
along with a settlement fee of $150.00.
(vii) The president shall render a decision in writing as soon as possible and not later than seven (7)
days after receipt of the defence.
10 DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE PRESIDENT
( a ) The president will have the right to represent any or all of the Executive Committee on any occasion
and will be responsible to his executive for same.
( b ) To call meetings where ever deemed necessary or by request of any majority of club members.
( c ) To give a full report to the SHA Executive Director regarding any suspensions of Clubs, Managers,
Coaches, Players, Referees, or any other Officials.
( d ) The president has the authority to add or impose suspensions in the cases of dangerous play and for
repeat offenders.
11 DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY /TREASURER
( a ) To record all minutes of the meetings, attend to all correspondence, record all receipts and
payments, deposit all monies received in a bank of the MHL'S choice, pay all accounts of the
MHL as directed by the Executive Committee and prepare a statement of receipts and payments
for information at each meeting.
( b ) To pay honoraria of $1500.00 to the President and $2500.00 to the Statistician.
( c ) To send notices to club members of all meetings when directed to by the President.
( d ) To supply, at the expense of the MHL, a copy of the Constitution and Regulations, a list of
players of each club, a supply of referee reports, game sheets, and envelopes for game sheets and
any other information to each club.
( e ) To supply a copy of all amendments to the Constitution and Regulations as approved by the MHL
to the SHA
12 QUALIFICATIONS AND DUTIES OF A COMMISSIONER
( a ) A commissioner shall be neutral and not be connected with any club member in any way.
( b ) He or she shall be interested and have a good knowledge of hockey.
( c ) He or she shall act in an advisory capacity to the MHL Officers, and assist on rulings on matters
such as protests, fines, and suspensions, etc.
( d ) Commissioners will be appointed annually on from each center in alphabetical order of
the centers.
2009 - 2010
Ochapowace
Melville
Indian Head
Fort Qu'Appelle
Moosomin
2010 - 2011
Preeceville
Roblin
Rocanville
Springside
Swan River
2011 - 2012
Whitewood
Winnepegosis
Yorkton
Bredenbury
Canora
13 AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
The Constitution shall be amended only at the Annual Meeting and the intended amendment must
be given in writing to the MHL one month before the meeting and can be adopted only
by 2/3 majority vote of the voting delegates present.
14 OFFICIALS, SCOREKEEPERS, AND TIMEKEEPERS
( a ) It shall be the duty of the home team management to appoint and assign a registered referee and
two linesmen, an official scorekeeper, timekeeper, and penalty timekeeper, who once named are
league officials and are responsible to the MHL President. They must conduct themselves as
such and carry out their respective duties according to the rules.
( b ) It shall be the duty of the Official scorer to obtain the player roster on the provided MHL score
sheet and deliver same to the referee before the start of the game, record all goals, assists, and
penalties and hand same to the referee at the completion of the game for his signature.
( c ) A $10.00 fine will be levied against the association that has a team that submits score sheets
that are filled out incorrectly.
15 REFEREES
( a ) Only referees registered with the SHA/M.A.H.A. referees division shall be allowed to referee
games in the MHL
( b ) A three man system is to be used in all league and play-off games. In games not assigned by the
Referee-in Chief of the MHL , failure to comply with this rule will result in a $50.00 fine for the first
offense and a loss of points for the second and subsequent offenses
( c ) The home team shall supply and bear the costs of referee and the linesmen.
( d ) Referees shall be 2 years older than the maximum age of the players in the group playing.
( e ) Linesmen can be of the same age or older.
( g ) Once a referee and linesmen are named, they are league officials and are responsible to the
referee-in-chief. They must conduct themselves as such and are expected to go by the rule book
all the way. ROUGH OR DIRTY HOCKEY MUST NOT BE TOLERATED.
( h ) It shall be the duty of the referee and linesmen to sign the score sheet after the game is completed,
and if the referee has any remarks relative to the game, this must be written on an official game
report and forwarded to the MHL President, not later than the following morning.
( I ) If there are penalties such as a match penalties or any other disturbance that may call for
immediate action by the President, the referee must phone and report same to the President that
same night, if possible, or the first thing in the morning. Following the phone call an official
referee's game report must be faxed in.
( j ) Home teams must pay the cost of referees as per SHA handbook for play-off games.
( k ) The Referee-In-Chief will appoint neutral out of town referees for all division finals. Clarification
as per meeting Oct. 6/96 . . . . The referee-in-chief will appoint neutral out of town referees
for all "A" division final series only, and as a result the League will pay mileage only for
the "A" final series in each division. He will also appoint neutral out of town referees for
all midget playoff games, mileage to be paid by the home team until the "A" final.
( l ) A parent , guardian, or sibling of a player cannot ref that player's games. A team official
cannot ref or lines for his or her team. If either situation should occur, due to unforeseen
circumstances both coaches must sign there consent to the back of the game sheet.
Failure to comply will result in the offending team losing their points for that game.
No protest will be required to take the points away,
(m) If a team request a neutral referee then the team requesting will pay the referee the mileage and
the going SHA referee fee ($50.00 at present)
16 REPLACEMENT OF EXECUTIVE
( a ) The league will hire a President and Statistician.
The league has hired Brian and Brenda Maclean for 2007 - 2012, this will be reviewed annually.
17 PLAY-OFFS
The play-off structure for all divisions will be determined at the MHL Playoff Meeting by the first Sunday in
December. The MHL executive will meet and draw up a playoff format for each division as well as determine
the time frame for completion of each round.
NEW Adult goal judges are required for Bantam and Midget playoffs
RULES AND REGULATIONS
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THOSE RULES AND REGULATIONS SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED
AND COVERED HEREIN, THE SHA RULES AND REGULATIONS SHALL PREVAIL IN ITS
ENTIRETY.
1 All teams in the MHL shall be a member of the SHA or M.A.H.A. as applicable.
2 Each club member shall submit to the MHL statistician, a copy of the SHA or M.A.H.A.
certification form listing eligible players as per SHA or M.A.H.A. regulations.
N.B. The copy of the certification to be sent prior to your first league game. Also a typed player
roster with players numbers must be sent in.
Any team failing to comply with this rule will be fined $50.00 per game
NEW (a) All teams must fax in their AP sheet to the league by Dec. 15. This list can be added to
and deleted from. Any player can only be affiliated to one team. As o Jan 10the most
recent AP list the league has is the one that will be used, no other players can be added
3 Each center shall post a $100.00 per team performance bond with the MHL Secretary/Treasurer
before teams can participate in any scheduled league games. The amount of the bond posted may
be refunded to the teams upon request at the conclusion of the regular season league games and
play-off games.
4 The amount of the fine assessed against any team, coach, manager, or player for infraction of any
rules, foul play, etc. by the MHL officers shall be taken out of the performance bond posted by
the team, which amount must be replaced with the MHL Secretary/Treasurer before that team
can participate in any further scheduled hockey games.
NEW 5 Postponement of scheduled League games, except in the case of adverse weather conditions, must
be arranged between the two teams concerned (within 72 hours) before the scheduled hockey
game time. Any cancelled/postponed games must be rescheduled and played within
4 WEEKS OF THE ORIGINAL SCHEDULED DATE, Except for the month of December where teams
will be allowed 6 weeks to reschedule due to Christmas, These games may only be reschedules
once failure to comply with this rule will result in a $50.00 fine for each team. This fine will be
taken from their bond and must be replaced within two weeks or the team will not be able to play.
Any team postponing a scheduled league game to participate in an exhibition game at home or away shall
forfeit $100.00 to the MHL, unless the two teams involved agree to a postponement.
Ice fees and referees must be paid by the offending team to the home team if this rule is broken.
offending team to the home team if this rule is broken.
NEW The league must be notified of all game changes. A new date for those game must be to the
league within 7 days. There will be a $50.00 fine for both teams for failure to comply with this rule.
Games must be completed by the season deadline. THERE WILL BE NO FORFEITS
(i) In the case of illness on a team, the team may find it impossible to give the other team 72 hours notice. If the
opposing team does not agree to the postponement then the team with the illness must get permission from
their commissioner or the president. If neither is available another commissioner can make the call. The
commissioner or the president that makes the decision shall not reside in the community of either team
involved
6 Any team cancelling a league playoff game within 36 hours of the scheduled game, must
have the consent of the President (or Past President, if there is a conflict of interest) and
the division commissioner. They will be responsible to pay the ice and official fee, if
applicable to the other team. If the cancelling team does not have the consent of the
President (or Past-President) and the commissioner, they will also default the game.
7 The management of each team shall make every effort to prevail upon rink management to improve
facilities and conditions of skating rinks in the province where it is deemed necessary for the
safety and comfort of the players and spectators, such as adequate lighting over the ice area and
throughout the rink, adequate time and penalty keepers boxes, players boxes, visible time clock,
fire exits properly constructed and lighted, keep puck fences in good order of repair, which shall be
constructed of lumber materials and away from any cement walls, see that gates in the rink open
out and not onto the ice surface, and the such gates are equipped with adequate latch and fastener.
Ice shall be cleaned between each period.
8 That there be NO overtime played in REGULAR SEASON GAMES, which are tied at the end of
regulation time.
9 At the completion of all league games, the teams shall commence their play-off series without delay.
10 Overtime shall be played in all play-off games (other than a two game total point series) ending in a
tie at the end of regulation time, according to the Hockey Canada overtime rule. (Rule 83)
(i) Following the end of the game the teams will take a 2 minute break on the ice. The clock will be
set for 10 minute sudden- victory overtime period. Teams will not change ends.
(ii) If still tied the teams will go to the dressing room while the ice is resurfaced. The clock will then be
set for a 20 minute sudden-victory period. Teams will change ends.
11 The play-off structure shall be reviewed annually at the MHL playoff meeting.
12 In the case of a tie in team standings at the end of regular season league games, SHA tie -
breaking rules will apply.
13 The team finishing in a top position shall have the choice of playing the first play-off game at home,
and if an odd game is necessary to declare a winner, this too shall be played on the home ice of the
team in the top position.
14 The league will provide banners for the A-side B-side and C-side winners in each division.
15 When an individual player has accumulated three major penalties and/or three misconducts, the
player will be suspended by the league President for one game, upon a second accumulation the
suspension will be two games, upon a third accumulation the suspension will be for three games,
etc. CLARIFICATION: WILL APPLY TO ALL GAMES EXCLUDING PROVINCIAL PLAYOFFS
AND WILL CARRY OVER FROM THE REGULAR SEASON. If a player accumulates three
checking from behind penalties an extra game will be added to the above suspension.
If a player has been infraction free for a period of one month then one infraction will be removed
from his/her record.
NEW The month starts from the time the player returns from his/her suspension. Fights will not be deleted.
In The Midget division for every player that accumulates 3 infractions he/she will sit 2 games.
NEW (a) All suspensions will be posted on the web page rather than be faxed out
16 All game sheets are to be faxed to the statistician within 24 hours of game time. Failure to do so
will result in a $25.00 fine. Playoff games must be faxed in the same night.
17 Zero tolerance will be practiced by the MHL Team officials and who violate the zero tolerance rule will
be suspended for a minimum of one game.
18 Any player who accumulates three checking from behind penalties will receive an extra game in
addition to his/her 3 infraction suspension.
19 All teams in all divisions are to be allowed to participate in play-offs.
20 Any team that does not show for a scheduled game or shows up without enough players to
ice a team, will compensate the opposing team for ice costs as well as the cost of the
officials. The opposing team will inform the President of the forfeit and with the President's
permission, will send the offending team a bill. If the offending team has not paid the bill
in 2 weeks, the opposing team will inform the President and he will pull the offending
team's bond and that team will not play until both are paid.
THIS GAME MUST BE RESCHEDULED!
21 Once a player has been given full goaltender privileges, he cannot return to the game as a player
but must remain classified as the goaltender, even though the regular goaltender is back playing in
the game. Novice and Atom Divisions will be exempt from this rule.
22 OVER AGE POLICY (PASSED AT OCTOBER, 2004 PRESIDENTS MEETING)
a) A first year player who is a first year player in a division may ask for a concession to play in the
next lower division.
b) Over age concessions should be voted on at the FALL meeting and the names
submitted to the League President seven (7) days prior to the meeting.
c) Overage concessions after the annual meeting may be granted by the president provided they follow the
constitution. The president will inform the teams in that division of any new overages,
d) The ten (10) game rule still applies (this is a maximum of ten games). Any coach or president
that has a concern with an over age player who has been allowed a concession should submit in
writing, a letter to the President of the MHL.
e) In the case of a player having a physical handicap each case will be dealt with on an
individual basis by the president and the division commissioner.
NEW f) There will be no overages in the midget division
NOTE: HOME TEAM WILL BE RESPONSIBLE TO PROVIDE THE WARM-UP PUCKS BEFORE
GAMES.
The Major Hockey League will follow the SHA and only recommend that a mouth guard be worn for games.
No penalty will be assessed for not wearing one. Manitoba teams will follow Saskatchewan rules for this
There will be no penalty called for this in league games played in Manitoba.
|