52nd Annual Wayne Gretzky International Hockey Tournament December 27-30, 2023

Rules and Regulations

1. Registration
   

   Prior to December 15th submit a copy of your Travel Permit and Roster to [email protected]
   
   Team officials must register at the Wayne Gretzky Sport Centre Tournament Office at least one hour prior to their first game.  If the team does not play their first game at the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre then registration must take place before their second game regardless of where it is played.  Player gifts are to be picked up at the Tournament Office at registration. 

   Teams must have approved rosters and/or player and coaching cards along with travel permits for tournament staff to review.  Affiliated players must be registered before the first game and may only play for one team in the tournament. Affiliated players can only play for another team if their team has been eliminated AND they can not play more than 3 games in a day.  Please notify Tournament officials prior to using a player who has played on another team in the tournament.
   
   
2. Body Checking
   Body Checking is permitted in U14 A to U18 A contact divisions.
    
3. Playing rules and tournament regulations are those of Hockey Canada, the Ontario Hockey Federation and the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario.  The following rules will also apply:
   Except for the first game of the day and Finals teams MUST BE READY TO START THEIR GAME 15 MINUTES BEFORE the scheduled game time.   Buffers have been built into the schedule and games will start early when possible. Please do do not enter the ice surface until the referees are present.  Note: The referees may need time to document the previous game, or there may be a switch over in timekeepers and referees.
   Home team will wear DARK jerseys.
   All teams must be ready to go on the ice as soon as the ice resurfacer is off and door is shut at which time the two-minute warm up will start.
   At the completion of each game both teams will line up on their respective blue lines.  Teams will shake hands after the game, unless at the discretion of the referee it is inadvisable to do so for reasons of participant safety.
   There will then be a presentation of the Player of the Game awards. 
   Each team is responsible to designate to the referee a player of the game from his or her own team.  Try to make the selection as objective as possible so the same player does not receive the award in multiple games. The designated visiting team will leave the ice first upon direction of the referee and the home team will remain at their bench until the direction of the referee.
   If a game is unable to be played because of a team being removed (for example because of COVID protocols) then the game will be scored 3-0 for the team that was eligible to play.
          
4. Suspensions:
   Alliance rules require suspensions to be served in the next scheduled game. Therefore, a player or coach receiving a suspendable penalty must serve it during the tournament regardless of their league's additional requirements.  It is the responsibility of the team's coaching staff to confirm player/coach eligibility after any suspendable penalty.  Due to variations in league rules, any player or coach under suspension entering the tournament is ineligible to participate in the tournament unless first cleared by the Tournament Committee.  Either of the above violations will cause the offending team to automatically lose the game in which either of the above occurred.  If the offending team loses the game, the score will stand.   If the non-offending team loses the game, the score of the game will be recorded as one goal greater for the non-offending team than the offending team’s score.  Both the offending participant and the head coach of the offending team will be suspended for the remainder of the tournament.
    
5. Timeouts
   NO timeouts are allowed in round-robin and preliminary playoff games.
   One thirty-second timeout will be allowed in Quarter-final, Semi-final and Championship games.
   Timeouts are NOT allowed in overtime.
    
6. Game Lengths:
   U8 and U9: Two, twenty-two and a half (22.5) minute run-time halves.
   U10 to U12: All round-robin and preliminary playoff games will consist of 10-10-12 minute periods; Quarter-finals, Semi-finals and Championship games will consist of 10-10-15 minute periods.
   U13 to U18: All round-robin and preliminary playoff games will consist of 10-12-15 minute periods; Quarter-finals, Semi-finals and Championship games will consist of 10-15-15 minute periods.
   In the event of a 5-goal differential in the 3rd period the clock shall run until the differential is 3-goals.  2-minute penalties will be noted on the clock as 3 minutes.  Players can not leave the box during a stop in play.  (5-goal differential run time rule does not apply in Final games)
   At any time, at the discretion of the officials in conjunction with the tournament committee, running time may be implemented.
    
7. Round-Robin Play and Playoff Format:
   Each division will be in groups with sizes determined by the number of teams entered.
   In all cases the teams advancing to the quarter-finals, semi-finals and championship games will be re-seeded to determine match-ups.
    
8. Standings:
   Two points are awarded for a win and one point for a tie. 
   In the case of a two teams tied in points after round-robin play, the tiebreaker system shall be as follows in the order shown:
   - Head to head winner in the round-robin play will advance.
   - Team with most wins.
   - Best goal percentage based on (total goals for) divided by (total goals for plus total goals against).  A maximum of 5 goal difference will be used in the calculation, example if the score is 10-2 only 7-2 will be used in the calculation.
   - Team that scored the earliest first goal in a head to head game.  If teams did not play each other then earliest goal in the tournament.
   - Team with the least total amount of penalty minutes in all round-robin games will advance.
     - Flip of a coin.
   
   In the case of three teams tied in points after round-robin play the team will be seeded by the best goals for/against average. (Maximum 5 goal difference per game used in calculation)
   Total Number of Goals For divided by the Total Number of Goals (For and Against).
   Note: All games are included
   Example:         Goals For = 10 goals; Goals Against = 4 goals
   Percentage: 10/(10+4) = .714
   Note: After the first team is seeded there is no going back to the two teams tied rules, the team with the best goals for/against average is seeded higher.
    
9. Overtime:
   No overtime in round-robin play.
   A tie existing at the end of regulation time in a quarter-final, semi-final or championship game will be decided by sudden victory and the following shall apply:
   
   • Each team will play with three skaters and a goalie until a winner is decided.
   • Player changes may be made at any time during the overtime and teams may pull their goaltender. 
   • Penalties will carry over from regulation and overtime periods.  Non-offending team will add a skater.
   • No timeouts are allowed in overtime
     
     
10. U8 and U9 (Tier 1 and 2) Division
    • Festival Format
      • Each team will consist of 18 skaters, split into 2 groups of 9 skaters (8+1 goalie).
      • The 2 split groups will play the opposing team’s 2 split groups (each half-ice games).
      • Black pucks will be used.
      • Referee and timekeepers will be used.
      • Foam bumpers or rink dividers will be used to divide the rink.
    • Game Format
      • Teams will be split into 2 groups.  Teams will be divided evenly.
      • Each team will dress 2 goaltenders, one for each half-ice game.
      • Two, twenty-two and a half (22.5) minute run-time halves.
      • There will be a 2 minute warmup.
      • At the end of the first half, visiting team will switch ends and benches (so each group plays each other).
        
        
    • Playing Rules
      • Game will be 4 vs. 4 plus a goaltender.
      • Teams share the same bench.  The Home team will be on the home end of the bench and Visitor team will be on the Visitor end of the bench.
      • Automatic buzzer every 90 seconds.
        • If there are fewer than four players on the bench, the active player(s) designated to remain out must tag up at the bench prior to continuing play.
      • No faceoffs and no offsides, players will change ‘on the fly’ at the buzzer.
        
        
11. Protests
    A Tournament Committee will hear protests.  No protest will be heard regarding a referee's decision. A $200 deposit, that will be returned if your protest is successful, must accompany all protests.  A protest may only be heard if it is brought to the attention of the tournament chairperson or their delegate within thirty (30) minutes of completion of the game in question.  A formal written submission can follow the initial notification.  A hearing and ruling will be completed prior to the team's next scheduled game.
    All decisions made by the Tournament Committee are final.