ACCEPTANCE OF THE FOLLOWING GUIDELINES IS A CONDITION OF ACCEPTANCE INTO THE NORTHERN INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE.
1.The league shall consist of Squirt, PeeWee, Bantam and Midget as MAHA AA and A teams where possible. Teams shall play in their respective age divisions unless a request is made and approved to allow a team to play “up” an age division.
2.The league executive shall consist of three elected positions. The elected positions will be: Commissioner, Vice Commissioner/Statistician and Secretary/Treasurer. These positions will be elected only by a vote of the committee. The committee will consist of the executive as well as one director from each association registered with the league. Voting privileges will be limited to one vote per association.
3.The bond in whole shall be held in escrow to cover the entrance for the subsequent year, after payment of any penalties or forfeits incurred during the season. All money is payable in American funds. These fees will be reviewed annually “post season” and adjusted if necessary and are due by December 1st. The NIHL may choose to modify the amount or type (i.e., Canadian) of payment on an annually reviewed basis.
A. Bond: $250/Association (1 team); $500/Association (2 or more teams).
B. Team Fee: $600/team; AA or A with playoffs.
C. Administrative Fee: $80/association.
4.Each team is obligated to play four games with each of the teams in the same division. Two games are to be scheduled at home and two games away. Divisions with 7 or less teams will play in one conference: (6 x 4 games) = 24 games. 8 or more teams may be in two conferences; (3 x 4 games) + (4 x 2 games) = 20 games. Divisions with only Four or Five teams may play 6 (18/24) or 8 (24/32) games per opponent. No Four(4) point games allowed in any division.
5.Failure to play scheduled league games will result in a payment of penalty from the association’s performance bond equal to the following:
A. If a team stands up an association’s team without notice and good reason (weather conditions), the association whose team is in violation will have the operating costs (ice and referees) of the scheduled game deducted and awarded to the injured association from the violator’s association bond money. If accumulated violations exceed the bond money in escrow, none of the association’s teams will be allowed to compete in the league until the full amount of the bond money is restored.
B. If a team cancels games with another team under a mutual agreement and does not reschedule games at the accommodating team’s convenience AND at the time of cancellation, the team that cancelled the games will forfeit the games and forfeit the association’s entire bond money. The association/team will be billed for replacement of the association’s entire bond money and none of the association’s teams will be allowed to compete in the league until the full amount of the bond money is restored.
C.Teams canceling games will automatically be billed by the NIHL and the “canceled” association/team will receive payment from the NIHL. Fines must be paid by January 31 of current year to be eligible for the NIHL tourney and the following season.
All associations shall be required to have the appropriate bond money in escrow at all times during the course of the season. If the association is notified by the Commissioner of a violation, the replacement of bond money (due to a fine) is due the NIHL treasurer upon such notification.
Bond Fees from Inactive Associations shall roll over into the General Fund after 5 years of inactivity.
6.Any scheduling not completed at the summer meeting must be finalized within 30 days of the meeting. Each team must send a copy of the confirmed schedule involved to the NIHL Statistician for recording and distribution. Any changes in schedule are to be confirmed in writing (e-mail or fax) between the two teams involved, with copies sent to the NIHL Commissioner and Statistician for recording.
7.In case of a schedule conflict, it is the responsibility of the team with the conflict to arrange alternate dates to the satisfaction and acceptance of the other team. The commissioner and association NIHL directors may be called upon to mediate where necessary.
8.All games are to be of 90-minute duration with a minimum of three 13-minute stop time periods. The ice will be cleaned after (2) consecutive periods of use. Any variation from this rule must be agreed upon between the coaches before the start of the game. If coaches cannot trust each other, get the agreement in writing before the start of the game. If an organization does not think it can get (3) 13-minute stop time periods with 1 resurface after (2) periods of use in a 90-minute time frame, increase to 105 or 120 minute time slots. It is recommended that Pee Wee, Bantam and Midget divisions use 15 minute periods.
9.The home teams are responsible for securing MAHA/OHF referees and linesmen for all games. The two- man system will be utilized for Squirts and PeeWee divisions. The two-man or three-man system will be utilized for the Bantam and above divisions. The Canadian Minor and Major Associations will be using a (3) man system.
10.The home team is responsible for all expenses related to ice time, referees and timekeepers.
11.A league statistician shall be elected. It is the responsibility of the HOME and AWAY teams to submit ALL game scores to the statistician within one week of the final game of the series. All scores shall be e -mailed to the statistician within one week of the final game of the series. Failure to do so will result in a penalty of $25 being assessed, which will be deducted from the bond.
12.All games will be played following MAHA and CHA rules. It is recommended that each organization obtain a copy of these policies and supply each coach with a copy before the start of league play. Equipment rules will be enforced for American teams under MAHA rules and Canadian teams under CHA rules.
A. Time Outs: One (1) time out of one (1) minute duration allowed per team per game in USA. No time outs allowed during games played in Canada.
13.Suspensions and protests are to be directed to the NIHL Commissioner. The normal MAHA and CHA process for each appropriate league district is to be adhered to by the teams involved.
14.All players of teams must wear the NIHL crest on the upper left sleeve of their jerseys.
15.There will be no gate charge allowed for regular season games.
16a.The league championship (except with league playoffs, see B.) in each division will be declared on standings determined by points at the end of the regular game schedule. There will be no overtime in any league games. Points will be awarded as follows: Win-2; Tie-1; Loss-0. In case of a positional tie, standings shall be determined by the current “USA Hockey
Annual Guide”, “Method of Determining Champion”. No Four (4) point games allowed.
16b. League playoffs will be scheduled by the league on an annual basis for the top four (4) teams per division. (Applies to Squirt AA, PeeWee AA and Bantam AA only).
“A” Playoffs may also be scheduled.
16c. In case of an uneven number of games played by teams a in two conference setup within a division, final standings shall be determined by percentage. Percentage shall be calculated by points earned (see 16(a) divided by the number of games played times 2 points per game.
1.
The overall league champion, runner-up and 3rd
place team in each division will be awarded individual medals for players (18) coaches (2) and manager (1), provided by the league, which will become the property of that team. Banners, suitable for arena display, shall be provided for league and playoff champions. Playoff participation medals may be given to the 4th
place teams.
2. All teams participating in or applying for acceptance into the Northern International Hockey League must be deemed competitive in their respective division. The league will be reviewed for imbalance. The league reserves the right to review membership and conduct of associations. The league reserves the right to approve or deny membership to the league based on a vote of the current membership in good standing.
