BCHL Roster Rules & Other Regulations:

This is posted on Brian Wiebe's Blog:

BCHL Roster Rules & Other Regulations:

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

I thought I'd recap some of the BCHL rules and regulations ahead of the start of the 2015-16 season on Friday.

My comments are in italics after the rule.

- The BCHL Roster limit is 22 players at any time, 20 of which are eligible to dress and participate in any regular season or playoff game. (Same as it was in 2014-15)

- An injured player can be placed on long-term injured reserve and another brought in to fill that spot. (Same as 2014-15)

- Teams must have a minimum of four rookie players, which is defined as those entering the season with less than 30 games of Junior A experience. (Same as 2014-15)

- Teams must have a minimum of two players 17-years-old or younger on their active roster (This is a rule last in effect during the 2013-14 season)

- A team may only have six import players on their roster at any one time. An import is defined as an American-born player. No Canadian-born players who are age-eligible to play in any Junior A leagues across the country are considered imports. (Same as 2014-15)

- Once a player has signed a CHA playing certificate (also known as a "card"), players are bound by the regulations of Hockey Canada and movement to other teams is restricted. (Same as 2014-15)

- There is a "not-in-good-standing" list for players refusing to report to a team after a CJHL Player Transfer Agreement. (If players don't report after being traded, they'll receive this designation, but I have no idea what the repercussions are. This rule is the same as it was in 2014-15.)

- Any player who’s dealt as futures can’t play for his original team the following year. (Basically any team transferring a player to another team as futures means the player can't return to the team which transferred him the following season. In simpler terms, this eliminates the potential of a player being a playoff "rental" for one team, only to see him return to the team that transferred him. Same as it was in 2014-15)

- The number of CHA playing certificates available to each team is 35. (Every time a team adds a player to its roster, the team is required to "card" the player with Hockey Canada. Now with only 35 cards available between June 1st and January 10th, teams must be more efficient when it comes to signing players. A regular season roster is 22 players (or cards), which leaves just 13 additional cards to make changes with.)

- Players playing in the BCHL Showcase are required to pay a $100 per game played fee (to a maximum of $200). (This is a new regulation for 2015-16 as far as I know.)

- BCHL teams may require carded players to pay a Team Registration Fee. The fee is administered at each team's discretion and not to exceed $800. Teams that do  administer a fee must do so to all carded players and be in compliance with NCAA Regulations. Fee refunds must be pro-rated with a schedule of refund amount to release date clearly spelled out on team letterhead. Teams that do charge a fee must also submit to the league a copy of the team form letter and refund schedule. Individual player forms must be available upon league request. (This is a new regulation for this season. It's something similar to what has been administered in the past by the league, which was a BCHL Registration Fee. My guess is that this replaces that.)

- The BCHL has an agreement with Bauer that extends to the end of the 2015-16 season. The compliance points are as follows: Bauer pants, gloves, helmet/visors, game and practice jerseys/socks, off-ice apparel (including warm-up gear), Bauer Supreme Team stick, each new player is provided with new exposed gear each season (helmet, visor, gloves and pants), each player is provided with a minimum two sticks per month during the regular season and playoffs, and returning players are permitted to wear their previous year's exposed gear, as long as the gear meets a reasonable safety standard

- The league has also implemented a number of travel, meal, and gym regulations.

-Maximum three players per room when travelling on the road

-All team travel must be, at the minimum, by bus

-Minimum three meals per game day

-Minimum three meals per travel day to include breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

-The amount of meals provided by the team on the road is pro-rated by the amount of time the team is travelling. For example, an in-division game within an hour’s distance equals a post-game meal

-No fee gym access for players

-Travel to and from Wenatchee. For Canadian players, 3rd party out of country travel insurance is provided by the BCHL. American players are to provide their own family insurance while traveling in the USA.