North Eastern House League
Minor Hockey Constitution
1998-2010
Article #1 Name and Purpose
 The league shall be known as the North Eastern House League. The aim of the League
is to provide a low cost organized house league for members. Member teams shall be
interested in good sportsmanship and in providing a wholesome experience for
players, team management and league officials.
Article #2 Executive Board
 The executive shall be comprised of a representative from each association. Their
duties shall be to organize a schedule of competition, play offs and to look after
discipline as required. The purpose of the board is to ensure that the League functions
with minimal cost and meetings.
Article #3 Meetings
 The executive shall be comprised of a representative from each association.
Associations shall include Sudbury Minor Hockey Association, Copper Cliff Minor
Hockey Association, Capreol Minor Hockey Association, Coniston Minor Hockey
Association, Nickel Centre Minor Hockey Association, Rayside Balfour Minor Hockey
Association, Valley East Minor Hockey Association, Walden Minor Hockey Associations
& Onaping Falls Minor Hockey Association. Their duties shall be to organize a schedule
of competition, play offs and to look after discipline as required. The purpose of the
board is to ensure that the League functions with minimal cost and meetings.
 Each Association shall have voting privileges of one per division represented in the
prior year’s schedule to a maximum of 6. Each division must be represented in order
to have a vote.
Article #4 Referees
 All associations to have a Referee in Chief to assign games. All officials must be
properly certified for the level of hockey they are assigned. The League will adopt a 3
man system for Pee Wee to Midget and a 2 man system for Atom and lower. Referees
and time keepers are the responsibility of the home team. In the event no officials
show up for the game the division convener or President of the League in the case of
a conflict of interest will decide on a reschedule or awarding of the points to the
visiting team.
Article #5 Games
1. Hockey rules as laid out by the Hockey Canada, OHF and NOHA shall govern all
competition. The NOHA (OHF) suspension list will be used.
2. There shall be no tiering of teams. All associations with more that one team per
division will have an equalization draft. A team may protect a maximum of 6 players,
this is to include the children of the coaching and management staff. The purpose
shall be to attempt to avoid “stacked teams”.
3. All teams at Tyke, Novice and Atom must have a minimum 1 hour ice time. Peewee,
Bantam and Midget are to have 1.5 hours of ice per game.
4. Length of games for each category:
a. Tyke
3 periods of 10 minutes stop time
b. Novice
3 periods of 10 minutes stop time
c. Atom
3 periods of 11 minutes stop time
d. Peewee
3 periods of 14 minutes stop time
e. Bantam
3 periods of 14 minutes stop time
f. Midget
3 periods of 14 minutes stop time
5. All teams will have a 4 minute warm up at the start of the game. The referee will blow
the whistle at the 3 minute mark which will indicate to teams to pick up the pucks and
be ready for the start of the game.
6. Teams will shake hands prior to the start of the game.
7. All teams must realize that their obligation is to the League schedule.
8. League play will start on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving Monday. This will be for Atom,
Peewee, Bantam and Midget. To allow for more development the Tyke and Novice
schedules will begin on or about November 1. The Tyke and Novice categories will
play a 20 game schedule. Atom, Peewee, Bantam and Midget will play a 24 game
schedule.
9. Nets are to be pegged for all divisions
10. NEHL will provide a non checking and a checking league schedule for the peewee,
bantam and midget divisions. All member associations will be responsible to identify
their non checking and checking teams to the league. The league will provide a
schedule provided there are a minimum of 5 teams per division.
Article #6 Playoffs
1. All teams will be in playoffs.
2. All categories will use the same format.
3. Teams will start on the first available ice time.
4. There will be no home ice advantage. If a team has no home ice it must play its
home game on the opposition’s ice.
5. Teams will play at the specific time and place scheduled by the League.
6. The regular season standings will seed teams for playoffs.
7. All series will be 2 of 3 or 4 points, limit 4 games. Where a 4th game is required, the
home association must secure an additional ½ hour of ice to allow for overtime if
required. Ten minute overtime periods shall be played until sudden victory or until
normal curfew (buzzed off by city). If no winner is determined, the tie breaking rule
will apply to determine a series winner. The rule is a team with the greatest # of
wins will be given the preference, if wins are the same preference will be given to
the team with the higher goal percentage (goals for divided by goals for plus goals
against). If still tied then first goal between the two teams shall determine the
winner. Overtime is only allowed in a game 4 situation.
8. *Categories will be divided into division to a maximum of 6 teams, they will play a
double round robin. The top 4 teams will advance to a 4 point semi-final.
9. *If there are less than 10 teams then playoff round robin will consist of a single or
double round robin to constitute an 8-10 game round robin. Then the top 4 or 8 (2
divisions of 4) will advance to the semi-final round.
10. Semi-final will by 1 vs 4, 2 vs 3, 4 point series, winners will advance to finals
11. Finals will consist of a 4 point series
12. Regular Season to end by January 24
13. Playoff Round Robin to end by February 28
14. Semi-final to be done prior to the Friday of the March break
15. Final to be done by March 31
*see APPENDIX A for example of splits
Article #7 General
1. All associations must have their game ice times to league by September 24.
2. All teams will share equally the expenses of the League.
3. Suspensions must be served as per the NOHA (OHF) suspension list. It is the
responsibility of the coach to ensure that suspensions are served. If the coach is
unsure the coach is to contact his convener for clarification.
4. Affiliated players may be used. Players must be from a lower category team. For
example a Peewee team may use an Atom player but cannot use another
Peewee player from another team.
5. There will be no body checking below Peewee.
6. Players should play in their age category. Exceptions may be made dependent on
circumstance. (ability, medical, etc.)
7. League play will stop for March break, from the first Friday to the following Sunday
(10 days), unless mutually agreed upon by the coaches.
8. Prior to attending tournaments teams must make arrangements to reschedule
games so as not to delay season completion or a play off series.
9. Reschedules will not be allowed without 14 days advance notice to the convener
and the opposing team via acknowledged fax or email
10. Failure to play a scheduled game will result in a fine of $75 and the forfeiture of the
2 points on the first offence, $150 and the forfeiture of the 2 points on the second
office and a review by the suspension committee for any subsequent offence. The
league secretary will invoice the association the amount of the fine to be paid from
the association bond.
11. Amendments to the constitution will be made only at the first annual meeting.
Amendments to the constitution must be submitted in writing to the secretary of the
NEHL fourteen days prior to the NEHL AGM. The executive committee will inform all
associations the date of the AGM and provide associations with motions that have
been submitted for consideration by the NEHL.
12. There will be an election of President and Vice-President, appointment of a
Secretary/Treasurer and a suspension committee made up of 5 members at the first
annual meeting
APPENDIX A
Play off Round Robin Splits
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4 teams in a category – no split – playoffs to be determined
5 teams in a category – no split (double round robin)
6 teams in a category – no split (double round robin)
7 teams in a category – no split (single round robin + 2 games)
8 teams in a category – no split (single round robin + 1 games)
9 teams in a category – no split (single round robin)
10 teams in a category – 2 divisions of 5
11 teams in a category – 1 division of 6 and 1 division of 5
12 teams in a category – 2 divisions of 6
13 teams in a category – 2 divisions of 4 and 1 division of 5
14 teams in a category – 2 divisions of 5 and 1 division of 4
15 teams in a category – 3 divisions of 5
16 teams in a category – 2 divisions of 5 and 1 division of 6
17 teams in a category – 2 divisions of 6 and 1 division of 5
18 teams in a category – 3 divisions of 6
19 teams in a category – 3 divisions of 4 and 1 division of 5
20 teams in a category – 4 divisions of 5
21 teams in a category – 3 divisions of 5 and 1 division of 6
22 teams in a category – 2 divisions of 6 and 2 divisions of 5
23 teams in a category – 3 division of 6 and 1 divisions of 5
24 teams in a category – 4 divisions of 6
25 teams in a category – 5 divisions 5