EAST-WEST SUBURBAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

CONSTITUTION 2008-2009

Article # 4 (Registration)

A) All players must be registered with the League to be eligible for League play.

B) Each coach, assistant coach, manager, trainer, or stick boy must be registered with the League.

C) Only registered members of a team are permitted to be on the bench during League play.

D) Teams may carry a roster up to a maximum of twenty-two (22) players.  All teams are required to sign two (2) goaltenders to their roster, as a minimum.

E) New players must be eighteen (18) years of age by December 31st of current playing year, or have graduated from high school, with the exception of goaltenders. The League President must be shown proof of age upon request. Goaltenders, if under the age of eighteen (18), must have written parental consent in order to be permitted to play in the League.  Proof of age, parental consent and/or proof of graduation must be presented upon request by the League executive.

 F) The League President and/or Treasurer shall be in charge of all player registration and signing of new players.

G) Each player will register with the League. Players will present a sum of one hundred and ninety dollars ($190) during the first week of regular season play, and a second payment of one hundred and thirty five dollars ($135) during the first week of December. The League on a season-by-season basis will determine the amounts for the checks. Goaltenders will be required to pay sixty percent (60%) of the current League assessment. Any player delinquent in payment will be suspended until such payments are made. Any player who presents a check that is not honored by their banking institution will be suspended until payment is made.  This new payment will include a twenty five dollar ($25) fine imposed by the League.

H) All new players will enter the League via the draft (see article # 5) and are subject to the same registration terms as returning players.

 I) Rosters will be submitted to the League Prior to start of season and will be closed until the mid season draft (see article # 5).

J) Any player in the EWSHL may play in more than one hockey league during the current season, provided it is not the Lancaster Centennial Hockey League, Senior Hockey or Junior Hockey. All EWSHL players wishing to play in more than one league must notify the league executive of their intentions and pay their EWSHL registration in full prior to their first game of the season. Any player failing to do so will be subject to suspension for the remainder of the current season

K) Teams are permitted to make player trades within the League, prior to the first game after the mid-season draft, but are subject to League approval.

L) This League shall honor any and all suspensions by any registered league.  All players will be subject to approval prior to play within the League. Any player coming into the League that may have had discipline problems in the past, may be required to post a performance bond with the League before they are permitted to play. This will be a decision of the Board of Directors.

M) If a team from the previous season folds prior to the start of the current season, then all players, if they wish to play in the EWSHL, must do so via the draft.

N) Each team will be permitted to start each season with a minimum of ten (10) skaters and one (1) goaltender prior to fall draft. Should circumstances require a team to “top up” prior to the draft, then those players added can not have been on an EWSHL team roster the previous season.  As well, players desiring to return to their team will not be cut from that team’s roster in order to make room for “topping up”. Teams requiring players prior to draft will notify the League Executive of their intentions.

O) Teams requiring the use of the “topping up” rule can carry additional players on their roster in order to protect the rights to these players. Any player so carried will be identified on the team roster as non-active and will not be permitted to play during the current season. Should a team request a non-active player to be reinstated, it shall only be done at the Christmas draft and that team will forfeit its first round pick in the Christmas draft.

Article # 5 (Draft)

A) The Draft will be held one week ( if possible) prior to regular season start.

B) All teams, if they so desire, may protect their entire roster from the previous season.

C) All new players entering the League will do so via the Draft.

D) Teams reserve the right to trade draft picks.

E) Draft selection will be based on previous season final regular season standings.  Ex.- last place team has first selection and so on.

F) Protected list of players will be turned into the League president two (2) weeks prior to start of season. Once submitted, no changes will be made to the protected list. That team’s representative will notify any player not protected by their respective team and these players have the option of entering the draft.

G) Any new team entering the League may be permitted to submit a protected roster of ten (10) players plus one (1) goaltender with the remainder being added through the draft system. Any player on the new team’s roster must not have played for or been part of a roster of any team in the EWSHL during the previous season. 

H) New teams will take the last place in the selection for draft picks.  In the event of more than one new team, a draw will be held on draft night to determine selection order.

I)  A mid-season draft will be held to replace players that have left the League or have been injured and are not able to resume play. Draft order will be based on League standings as of December 25th of the current season.

J) All players reserve the right not to be included in the protected rosters of their respective teams of the previous season, but may reenter the League via the draft. No player shall be permitted to quit a team to enter the mid season draft.

K) If a team loses a player due to injury, or a player leaves a team, then that team shall be permitted to select a player from the current draft list to ‘top up’ their roster to a minimum of sixteen (16) players.

L) All players shall register by their given or common name.

M) All players shall be registered for the draft and must appear in at least one draft ice time for a minimum of 30 minutes to be eligible for the draft, unless a legitimate reason for absence is given. If a player cannot make the draft session then a dossier for the player must be made available to the League.

N) Fall Draft- Entry for new players will be $190 (cash or certified cheque). If selected, that player’s money shall be forwarded to the selecting team. If the player refuses to report to the team that drafted him, his entry fee will be forfeited to the League and the team may select a player from the remaining players on the draft list.

      Christmas Draft- Entry fee will be $135.00. The above stated conditions shall apply.

O) Each team may be permitted to pick up one player prior to the draft to add to their roster. All other players will be selected through the draft. Players on an EWSHL roster the previous season may not be selected as this one player.

P) Due to the lack of goaltender ice time during the draft ice times, any goaltender that was acquired in the draft that does not meet current league standards, may be released and replaced by another goaltender from the fall draft list.  A goaltender cannot be replaced if they have played more than three (3) games.

Q) Any EWSHL player may sign a five game affiliate card with the SNBSHL. These five games may be played at anytime during the EWSHL and SNBSHL. Any player signing a card should notify the League of his intention.

Article # 6 (Rules and Bylaws)

A) Fines:

1. All player fines must be paid to the League before the player is eligible to resume play

2. All team fines must be paid within two (2) weeks of assessment of the fine.

3. A ten dollar ($10) fine may be assessed to any team member who incurs a game misconduct (ex.- mouthing off to officials or League representatives). A fine will not be assessed if a player receives an automatic game misconduct for an accidental penalty. Only the referee shall determine if the incident was an accident.

B) Complaints Concerning Referees

1. There will be no verbal complaints to the League concerning referees. Any complaints must be made in writing, with one copy sent to the League executive and a duplicate copy sent to the N.B.O.H.A. area representative. A report will be given to the executive as to the outcome of the complaints.

2. Any player or team official may be subject to fine and/or suspension for using abusive language towards any game officials.

C) Bench Clearing

1. In the event of a bench clearing, the first man over the boards from either team, as determined by the referees, shall be assessed a twenty five ($25.00) dollar fine and a three (3) game suspension. The team shall be assessed a fifty dollar ($50.00) fine if any additional players leave the bench. Fines and suspensions may be increased by the executive if deemed necessary

D) Fighting

1. Any player receiving a fighting major shall be ejected from the game at once.

2. Fines shall be assessed in the following manner:

·        1st fight -  $10.00 fine, no suspension

·        2nd fight -  $20.00 fine, no suspension

·        3rd fight -  $40.00 fine, 1 game suspension

·        4th fight -  $60.00 fine, 1 game suspension

·        5th fight -  $80.00 fine, 1 game suspension

·        6th fight - fine and suspension to be determined by League

3. If a fight occurs in the final game of regular season then only the fine will apply.

4. Instigator or aggressor rules of the C.A.H.A. apply.  If the referees assess an instigator penalty, then the League shall not penalize the defending player.

5. All fighting fines will start at the ten-dollar ($10) minimum after the Christmas draft.

6. Suspensions occurring from fights will remain in effect.

E)Protests

The procedure for the filing & handling of protests is as follows:

1. The protesting team must notify the referee and timekeeper of intent to protest prior to leaving the ice at the end of the game.

2. The League President or Vice President must be notified within twenty-four (24) hours of the completion of the game under protest.

3. The protesting team shall forward a copy of the protest to the President, Vice President and the opposing team’s coach/representative within five (5) days of completion of game.

4. The sum of twenty dollars ($20) shall be forwarded with the President’s copy of the protest.

5. If the protest is ruled in favor of the protesting team then the twenty dollars ($20) will be returned.

6. The League Executive & Board of Directors shall rule over and decide on any and all protests.

7. Referee decisions are final and cannot be protested. You cannot protest a judgment decision.

F)Appeals

1. The Board of Directors shall handle all appeals.

2. All appeals are to be forwarded in writing, along with a ten-dollar ($10) non-refundable fee, to the League President. The President, upon receiving a written appeal with the fee, shall notify the Board of Directors.

3. Fines and/or suspensions shall stand until the Board of Directors meet and rule on any appeal.

G) Miscellaneous Fines and Suspensions

1. Any match penalty carries a minimum automatic three (3) game suspension, and may include fines and additional suspension if deemed necessary by the League.

2. Alcoholic beverage rule. A team fine of twenty dollars ($20) shall be assessed for any player or team official found in possession of alcoholic beverages in the public areas of the arena. A repeat offender will be assessed a one (1) game suspension. As of the start of the 2001/2002 seasons, all civic arenas have a no alcohol rule, violation of which could jeopardize the League’s ice time. The League will not be held responsible for any player violating this rule.

3. Any team not represented at any League meeting shall be fined a minimum of twenty-five dollars ($25). The Board of Directors shall deal with a second occurrence.

4. The EWSHL, its Executive and its Board of Directors, shall not be held responsible or liable for any injuries, physical or mental, incurred by any player, coach, assistant coach, manager, stick boy, timekeeper, or executive member while performing League assigned duties or playing in any League sanctioned game. This extends to All-Star games, tournaments or exhibition games played throughout the current hockey season.

5.  If a player is ejected from the game and is involved in any other altercation off the ice, there will be an automatic ten (10) game suspension assessed to the player or players involved. If a player wishes to leave the team dressing room and view the remainder of their team’s game, he must be changed from hockey gear to his “street attire”. Any player leaving the dressing room after ejection from a game while still in hockey gear will be assessed a three (3) game suspension.

Article # 7 (Game Format)

A) Games will be played in three (3) periods of twelve (12) minutes stopped time. Time clock will start five (5) minutes after the ice machine leaves the ice.

Article # 8 (Playoffs)

A) Players, except goaltenders, must play in at least five (5) games to be eligible for playoffs. If a player incurs an injury during League play and is unable to play in the minimum number of games, then his eligibility is not in jeopardy so long as his injury is immediately reported to the League.

B) The Board of Directors will decide the playoff format prior to the Christmas draft. The format so adopted shall be attached to and form a part of the constitution.

C) Playoff General Regulations

1. All games shall be played with the same times as the regular season.

2. In the event of a tie after regulation, then a five-minute ‘sudden death’ overtime will be played. If there is no winner after the overtime, then a five-man shootout will take place. The five players will be identified to the timekeeper prior to the start of the game, along with two alternate names in the event of injuries or game ejections. Note: The shootout format will only be used if it is not the deciding game in a series. All series deciding games will be settled using the overtime format.

3. All playoff games will utilize the three-man system for refereeing.

4. Finals will utilize 15 minute stop time periods. All games to be decided by sudden death overtime if tied after regulation. 

Article #9

A) Only team representatives shall make any complaints to the League Executive.

B) Any player ‘bad mouthing’ or complaining about the League shall be subject to fines, suspensions or both, depending on circumstances. This will be strictly enforced.

C) The Executive and Board of Directors of the League are volunteer positions. Anyone who complains about the operation of the League should be prepared to take the place of the existing Executive.