The article outlines a series of new rules and regulations by the Ontario Hockey Federation
(OHF) designed to improve player development, reduce travel burdens, and promote fairness
and inclusivity in minor hockey. Here's a breakdown of the key changes:
● OHF Announcement: https://ohf.on.ca/player-movement/
● OHF FAQ Page:https://ohf.on.ca/player-movement-faqs/
1. Enhanced Player Movement (2025–2026 Season)
● What’s Changing: Starting in the 2025–2026 season, players in the U10 age group and above
will have more freedom to choose which Association they want to play with, regardless of the
team category (AAA, AA, A, BB, B, etc.).
● Purpose: This change allows players greater flexibility in their hockey participation, potentially
fostering more development opportunities.
2. House League for U9 and Below
● What’s Changing: Under the OHF, players in the U9 and younger age groups can continue to
play within any Association.
● Purpose: This allows younger players to participate in local House League programs without
restrictions on Associations.
3. Local Programming for Younger Players in MD and Select (U9 and Below)
● What’s Changing: Players in the U9 and younger age groups will play in their respective
Member programs (e.g., ALLIANCE, GTHL, NOHA, OMHA) following their regulations for Select
and Minor Development (MD) hockey.
● Purpose: This aims to maintain consistent and localized development opportunities for younger
players.
4. Pause on Addition of Representative Teams (U10 and Above)
● What’s Changing: A temporary hold has been placed on creating new representative (Rep)
teams for U10 and above by Associations and OHF Members.
● Purpose: This pause is intended to allow for a review of the number of Rep teams at each age
group and category, ensuring more balanced team structures and resource allocation.
5. Development of Geographically Structured Leagues
● What’s Changing: The OHF will work with its Minor Members to create geographically structured
leagues. This will reduce travel distances and create a more accessible hockey environment.
● Purpose: This aims to minimize the time and costs of long-distance travel, making hockey more
inclusive for players in all regions.
6. Increased Penalties for Tampering
● What’s Changing: Stricter rules and increased penalties will apply to recruiting players from
other teams for the following season. These penalties will also apply to anyone involved in the
tampering process.
● Purpose: This is intended to discourage unethical recruitment practices and ensure fairness and
integrity within the league.
7. Ongoing Review and Adjustments
● What’s Changing: The Player Movement Committee will continue to review and adjust the Rules
and Regulations for the 2026-2027 season, addressing any issues or unintended consequences.
● Purpose: This ensures the regulations evolve to meet the needs of players and the broader
hockey community.
8. Immediate Application of Adopted Regulations
● What’s Changing: The new regulations will take effect immediately, though the current roster
rules for the 2024-2025 season will remain in place for the rest of that season.
● Purpose: This ensures that the changes are quickly implemented but acknowledges that some
rules for the current season need to remain as is for consistency.
9. Commitment to Growing Hockey in Ontario
● What’s Changing: The OHF emphasizes supporting hockey growth and sustainability while
maintaining an accessible, enjoyable experience for all participants.
● Purpose: This highlights the OHF’s ongoing dedication to creating an environment where hockey
can thrive at all levels.
Summary of Key Goals:
● More flexibility for players to move between teams.
● More localized programming to reduce travel and enhance accessibility.
● Fairness in team recruitment with stricter penalties for tampering.
● Ongoing review to adapt the rules as needed in future seasons.
In short, these changes are designed to give players more freedom in where they play, reduce
travel, make hockey more accessible, and address issues like tampering (recruiting players).
The rules are being implemented gradually, and the system will be reviewed on an ongoing
basis to improve it in the future.