| Section | Coverage |
|---|---|
| Section I: League Administration and Player Eligibility | Rules 1-5 |
| Section II: Roster Management and Substitutions | Rules 6-16 |
| Section III: Competition and Playoffs | Rules 17-20 |
| Section IV: Discipline and Conduct | Rules 21-26 |
All USA Hockey and MAHA rules applicable to recreational hockey will be strictly enforced in all FHL games.
The FHL Board has the authority to interpret and enforce these rules and to address incidents or circumstances not specifically covered by them.
When addressing an unlisted or previously unaddressed situation, the Board will provide affected parties with a reasonable opportunity to present relevant information before making a decision.
Board decisions regarding previously unaddressed situations may be incorporated into the FHL rules for future seasons.
Any player, Team Representative, or team found to be in violation of USA Hockey, MAHA, or FHL rules may be subject to disciplinary action, including:
The FHL Board's purpose in administering and enforcing these rules is to maintain a safe, fair, competitive, and enjoyable league experience for all players.
A player must satisfy all registration and payment requirements before being drafted, playing in an FHL game, or serving as a substitute.
All players must have a valid USA Hockey registration for the current season.
A player may not play in any FHL games unless the player has completed the required USA Hockey registration.
Players are responsible for completing their USA Hockey registration before the draft.
USA Hockey registration: membership.usahockey.com/register/age
A player who has not completed the required registration is not eligible to:
The FHL Board may require proof of current registration at any time.
A player must have their season bill paid in full or have a payment plan confirmed by the FHL Treasurer before being eligible to play.
A player may not participate in an FHL game unless the player's season bill has been paid, or the Treasurer has confirmed an approved payment plan.
The payment schedule is as follows:
The FHL Board will provide Team Representatives with a list of players who are not eligible to play before the season begins.
Each Team Representative is responsible for ensuring that every player participating for their team is eligible.
A player is ineligible to play if:
An ineligible player may not:
An ineligible player may be replaced by an eligible player with a 0.5 downgrade mandatory.
If an ineligible player plays or substitutes in a game, the player and the Team Representative may be subject to disciplinary action, including suspension and game forfeiture.
Players are expected to notify their team when they will be absent.
To receive an excused absence, a player must notify their Team Representative or Alternate Team Representative by 12:00 PM on the day before the game.
A player may be considered removal from the league after four consecutive unexcused absences.
If a team wishes to request the removal of a player under this rule:
Any player who misses more than eight regular-season games for reasons not related to injury will be subject to Board review.
The Board will determine whether the player will be invited to return for the following season.
A $35.00 fee will be charged for each bounced or returned check.
Failure to correct a returned payment may affect the player's eligibility under Rule 2.
If the FHL is invited to participate in an outside tournament, the FHL Board will select the players necessary to create a competitive team.
Player selection will be based on the level, format, eligibility requirements, and competitive needs of the tournament.
Participation in an outside tournament does not modify a player's FHL rating, roster status, or league eligibility unless the Board specifically determines otherwise.
Substitutes may be used when a team is missing an eligible player, subject to the applicable long-term, short-term, goalie, playoff, injury, and suspension substitution rules.
A substitute must:
Only players who are eligible to participate in the FHL may serve as substitutes.
Players who have not completed their USA Hockey registration, have unpaid league fees without a Treasurer-approved payment plan, or are serving a suspension may not substitute.
A substitute may not be used for a suspended player except as specifically permitted under the Suspended Player Replacement Policy.
A long-term substitute may be used when a player expects to miss four or more consecutive games.
The Team Representative must notify the FHL Board before arranging a replacement.
The Team Representative may select an equally rated player from the waiting list provided or approved by the Board.
The original player will remain on the team roster unless otherwise determined by the Board.
The substitute player will reimburse the original player based on the prorated amount paid by the substitute, which is approximately $15 per game. Payment will be made directly to the original player.
Failure to properly report a player's absence, status, or replacement may result in disciplinary action against the Team Representative.
Players who attended an FHL Rate Skate during the current season will receive first consideration as long-term substitutes.
All long-term substitutes are subject to a two-week rating confirmation period.
If the Team Representatives and Board determine that the substitute's rating differs from the rating of the player being replaced, the Board may require the substitute to be replaced by another equally rated player from the waiting list.
The league will stop using waiting-list players as long-term substitutes two weeks before the end of the regular season.
During Pool Play, a team requiring a long-term substitute may select an equally rated player from one of the two teams that did not qualify for the playoffs.
Once Pool Play begins, the player being replaced is no longer eligible to return for the remainder of the season.
After Pool Play is completed, teams may no longer obtain long-term substitutes and must use the short-term substitution rules.
For the 2026-27 season, substitutions are based on player ratings and the number of players being replaced.
When a team is missing one player:
When a team is missing multiple players:
Players rated 2.5 or lower are exempt from the 0.5-point reduction.
Therefore:
If a player's rating changes after the draft:
Team Representatives must obtain substitute goalies from within the FHL.
Goalies will be assigned to tiers.
A team must use a substitute goalie from:
A team may not use a goalie from a higher tier unless the opposing Team Representative gives permission.
The current goalie tiers will be listed on the Goalie Stats page.
A goalie may play as a skater only if the goalie has a confirmed FHL skater rating.
If the goalie is playing as a skater, the team may substitute for the goalie/skater position using the normal substitution rules.
A skater may serve as a substitute goalie only if the skater has a confirmed FHL goalie rating.
If a skater is playing as a goalie, the team may substitute for the skater/goalie position using the normal substitution rules.
If a player is injured during a game and cannot continue, the team may replace that player in a future game using the normal substitution rules.
The injury does not permit the team to add another player during the game in which the injury occurred unless specifically authorized under an applicable USA Hockey, MAHA, or FHL rule.
If the player is expected to miss four or more consecutive games, the team may request a long-term substitute under Rule 7.
A suspended player may not play or substitute for any team during the suspension.
The suspended player's team may obtain a substitute rated 1.0 rating point below the suspended player's draft rating, subject to the following requirements.
If the team is missing one or more players in addition to the suspended player, it may use one of the following substitution arrangements.
The exception for players rated 2.5 or lower continues to apply where appropriate.
If a player receives a suspension while substituting for another team, the player's drafted team may use the normal substitution rules to replace that player.
If a player leaves the league due to work, injury, or family reasons:
A player who permanently replaces a player who leaves the league:
If a player leaves the league for any other reason:
If a player on the waiting list is offered an active roster position at the beginning of the season and declines the opportunity, the player will be moved to the bottom of the waiting list.
Playoff substitutions will follow the established playoff substitution rules:
All other substitution and eligibility requirements remain in effect, including:
The Pool Play long-term substitution provisions in Rule 7.2 will apply when appropriate.
A team may be subject to a forfeit for using an ineligible player, using an illegal substitute, or violating another rule for which a forfeit is authorized.
If a team forfeits a game, the opposing Team Representative may choose either:
If the opposing Team Representative selects the 1-0 victory:
A Team Representative who intentionally uses an illegal substitute and causes a game forfeiture will receive a one-game suspension for the first offense.
Additional offenses may result in further discipline, up to and including expulsion from the league.
The following rules apply to all FHL games:
If two teams finish the regular season with the same number of points, playoff seeding will be determined in the following order:
If three or more teams are tied in both points and wins, playoff seeding will be determined in the following order:
The playoffs will use an Olympic-style Pool Play format.
All teams will qualify for Pool Play.
The teams will be divided into three pools of four teams. Each team will play every other team in its pool once.
Following Pool Play, eight teams will advance to a single-elimination bracket.
The final two remaining teams will play a best-two-out-of-three championship series to determine the FHL Champion.
The following teams will advance to the eight-team bracket:
All fourth-place teams will be eliminated.
In all playoff bracket games, the higher seed will be the home team and should wear its designated home-color jersey.
For the championship series:
If a playoff game is tied at the end of regulation, the game will immediately proceed to a five-player shootout.
The Home Team will determine which team shoots first.
After taking a shot, the player must line up on the side of the rink opposite the benches, between that player's blue line and center ice.
If the game remains tied after five shooters from each team, the shootout will proceed to sudden death.
All eligible players must shoot once before any player may shoot a second time.
If one team has fewer eligible players than the other, the team with fewer players will continue its shooting order until the team with more players has completed one full rotation.
Once all eligible players on both teams have shot at least once, the shooting rotation may begin again.
A player who is still serving a penalty at the end of regulation may not participate in the shootout.
Every player, Team Representative, substitute, and league participant is expected to conduct themselves in a safe and sportsmanlike manner.
Conduct that is injurious, reckless, threatening, abusive, violent, or inconsistent with the recreational purpose of the FHL may result in discipline.
Discipline may be imposed in addition to any penalty assessed by a referee or imposed by USA Hockey or MAHA.
A referee's failure to assess or correctly apply a penalty does not prevent the FHL Board from reviewing the conduct and imposing league discipline.
The FHL is a non-checking recreational hockey league. Fighting, attempts to fight, deliberate acts of violence, and conduct resulting in a Match Penalty will not be tolerated.
Any player involved in a fight or assessed a Match Penalty will be immediately removed from the game and suspended from all FHL play pending application of this rule and any required Board review.
The minimum discipline listed in this rule does not limit the Board's authority to impose a longer suspension or expulsion.
Any player that is assessed a Fighting Major under USA Hockey rules will be immediately removed from the game and automatically suspended.
The Board may impose an expulsion from league based on the severity of the incident or the player's disciplinary history.
A player assessed an Aggressor Penalty, Instigator Penalty, or equivalent penalty associated with a fight will receive, at minimum, the same suspension that applies to a Fighting Major.
The Board may impose additional discipline where the player initiated, escalated, prolonged, or re-entered the altercation.
Any player assessed a Match Penalty will be:
Unless the Board determines that extraordinary circumstances exist, a Match Penalty will carry:
The Board may increase the penalty to a season-long suspension or permanent expulsion.
A player assessed a Match Penalty is not automatically reinstated when the minimum suspension period ends. Reinstatement requires approval by the Board and compliance with all applicable USA Hockey and MAHA requirements.
A player may be disciplined under this rule even if no punches are thrown.
Conduct subject to discipline includes:
The Board may discipline an attempt to fight as though a fight occurred.
A physical altercation occurring during or after an FHL game or activity may be treated the same as an on-ice fighting incident.
This includes altercations occurring:
Off-ice or postgame conduct may result in additional discipline because it occurs outside the normal course of play.
When reviewing an incident, the Board may consider:
Any Board member who was directly involved in the incident will not vote on the disciplinary decision.
The Board may impose additional discipline, including suspension or expulsion, regardless of whether the incident is the player's first offense.
A player who receives three penalties in a single game will be immediately removed from that game.
The Board will review the incident and determine whether an additional suspension is required.
Referees are responsible for enforcing this rule. A referee's failure to remove the player will be addressed with the referees but will not, by itself, result in a game forfeiture.
Any player ejected from a game by a referee will serve at least a one-game suspension during the following week.
An ejected player's team must finish the remainder of that game without using a substitute for the ejected player.
A suspended player may not play or substitute for any team during the suspension.
Suspensions apply to scheduled FHL games and not merely to games involving the player's drafted team.
Replacement of a suspended player is governed by Rule 12.
If an ejection, Game Misconduct, Fighting Major, or Match Penalty is subject to stricter suspension under another provision of these rules or under USA Hockey or MAHA rules, the stricter requirement will apply.
A Team Representative has the right and responsibility to report an opposing player's conduct when the Team Representative reasonably believes the conduct was:
The complaint should identify the incident and provide any relevant information available to the Team Representative.
The Board will review complaints and may take appropriate action, including:
The Board may consider repeated complaints involving the same player, including substantiated complaints or disciplinary incidents from previous seasons.
A complaint does not automatically establish that a violation occurred. The affected player will be given an opportunity to provide relevant information before the Board makes its decision.
When reviewing a disciplinary matter, the Board may gather relevant information from:
Affected parties will be given an opportunity to present relevant information before the Board reaches a final decision.
A Board member who participated in the game, was directly involved in the incident, or has another direct conflict of interest may not vote on the disciplinary decision.
The Board may consider prior similar conduct when determining the appropriate discipline.
The Board may impose discipline beyond the minimum stated in these rules when necessary to protect players' safety, league integrity, or the recreational purpose of the FHL.
Board discipline may include:
The FHL Board's decision will be final unless the Board establishes a separate reconsideration or appeal process.