Rules & Regulations

Facility

• Vacate the dressing room within 30 minutes after the game.
• No smoking anywhere in the facility. Teams caught may be fined or expelled.

Pucks & warm-up

• The OKHL supplies all game and warm-up pucks; return them to the scorekeeper after warm-up.
• Warm-up is 5 minutes.
• Rosters must be completed on the league app before game start, or the team starts with a 2-minute penalty.

Equipment & insurance claims

• Full equipment and CSA-approved helmets are mandatory. Face masks and visors are optional.
• For dental claims, your team must opt in to coverage and the player must wear a mouth guard.
• File injury claims with the League Manager within 24 hours of the game.
• All registered players need a helmet ID sticker.

Ice & after the game

• No one on the ice until the Zamboni gates close; warm-up starts at the scorekeeper's horn.
• Shake hands at centre ice after every regular season game, and after the last game of a playoff series. Leave the ice right after.

Team payments

• The team rep is responsible for the full team payment; player payment plans can be set up through the rep.
• Teams behind on payments may be suspended, and their players restricted from other OKHL teams.

• Register online with a valid email and accept the league waiver.
• Players must be on the app roster at least 5 minutes before game time; unlisted players can't play.
• Games played unregistered don't count toward playoff eligibility.
• All players must be 18+. Underage players need written league approval and separate insurance.
• Jr. A, Jr. B, college, university and pro players are eligible within the skill-level rules.
• Carry valid photo ID with date of birth. No photocopies.
• Maximum 20 active players on a roster, including spares and goalies.
• Late players must be dressed and on the bench before the 3rd period.

Multiple teams & spares

• Players may spare in any division during the regular season.
• Play on two teams only when they're no more than two divisions apart, unless approved.
• No playing for two teams in the same playoff division without approval.
• Franchise player rule: a higher-division player may qualify for a lower team more than two divisions apart by playing over 50% of that team's games. One franchise player per team.
• Teams can't use spares from more than 2 divisions above in the last 5 regular season games unless they've spared at least 5 games that season.

Playoffs

• Play 11 regular season games to qualify. Games missed due to suspension don't count.
• Playoffs are best-of-3.
• Report roster issues or illegal players within 1 week of a regular season game.

Game format

• 1 hour 30 minutes: 5-minute warm-up and three 15-minute stop-time periods.
• All penalties are stop time.

Overtime

• Regular season: 5 minutes, sudden death.
• Playoffs: 5-on-5, 5 minutes stop time, sudden death, line changes on stoppages. Still tied → 3-player shootout, then sudden-death shootout.

Jerseys

• Matching jerseys with permanent back numbers. No taped numbers. Light and dark sets encouraged.
• Home wears light, visitors wear dark.

Playing rules

• Automatic icing (including through the crease). Red line used for icing only. Two-line passes allowed.
• Initial power play faceoffs in the offensive zone.
• Slap shots permitted.
• No body checking (body contact may occur), except in HWY97 contact divisions.
• Puck off the goalie's mask on a shot is an automatic whistle; goals directly off the mask don't count.
• 10 minutes to replace an injured or ejected goalie with a rostered player.

• Coincidental penalties: teams stay at even strength.
• Three penalties in a game = ejection (high sticking / head contact double minors count as one).
• High sticking: automatic 4 minutes; causing injury = major.
• Checking from behind: minor = ejection; major = 1-game suspension and review; match = minimum 4 games.
• Head contact: 4 minutes; intentional with injury = 5-minute major, ejection and review.
• Majors: ejection plus minimum 1-game suspension; second major = minimum 2 games; third = indefinite.
• Fighting: first fight = ejection plus next game; instigator +1 game; second = 3 games; third = 5 games and investigation. Everyone else goes to the bench immediately.
• Game misconduct: ejection plus 1 game; second = 2 games.
• Match / gross misconduct: minimum 2 games and review.
• Referee abuse: minimum 2-game suspension, review, and possible $200 fine.
• Penalty minutes: 50 PIM = 1 game · 75 PIM = 2 games · 100 PIM = rest of season. PIM reset for playoffs.
• Playing while suspended = forfeit and indefinite suspension; the team rep may also be suspended.

• $35 player insurance is mandatory for every player and is paid only once.
• Report injuries for insurance within 24 hours.
• Each team must bring a first aid kit.
• Video (LiveBarn, GoPro, OKHL media) may be used to review suspendable offences, but not minor infractions, and only with a referee call.
• Off-ice altercations (dressing rooms, concourse, parking lot) may mean indefinite suspension.
• No illegal substances or smoking anywhere on arena property.

Forfeits

• A forfeiting team loses that game plus a future regular season game, which goes to the other team.
• If no game can be given after the final schedule is posted, a $100 forfeit fine applies. No fine for playoff forfeits.

Appeals & complaints

• One-game suspensions are final.
• After a 24-hour cooling off, appeals go to the League Manager in writing within 48 hours.
• Complaints about officials: in writing, 24 to 72 hours after the game, signed by the team rep. Fees must be up to date.

Protests

• Regular season: within 1 week of the game.
• Playoffs: before the referees leave the ice, naming the player's number. The player must show valid photo ID.
• Games can't be protested over a referee's call.

All fines must be paid before the team's next game, or players/teams may be suspended.