Updated Player Pathays: U7, U9, and U11
In the continued
implementation process of the Hockey Canada Player Pathways for U7
(Initiation), U9 (Novice) and U11 (Atom) for the 2020-2021 season, the Ontario
Minor Hockey Association has received the complete finalized versions of
the Player Pathway documents originally released in December.
As a reminder the key changes at U7, U9 and U11 are as follows.
U11 Player Pathway
Download the U11 Player Pathway Policy - FINAL (2020-02-23)
- Player Evaluations, Selections, Tryouts (REQUIREMENT)
- No tryouts prior to or during the first week of school.
- No tryouts during the off-season phase (previous season, including March
through August).
- No tryouts during the first week of school where school starts the week after
Labour Day.
- Where school starts prior to Labour Day, there must be four skates/practices
starting the week following Labour Day before tryouts commence.
- Must offer a minimum of four practice/skill sessions prior to formal evaluation starting.
- Must have a minimum of three formal evaluation sessions:
- One skills session, one small-area games session, one formal game.
(RECOMMENDATION)
- Players should not try out based on a specific position, but should be
encouraged to play both forward and defense in tryouts. (RECOMMENDATION)
ONTARIO HOCKEY FEDERATION
- Players should be selected for teams based on skill, not positional preference. (RECOMMENDATION)
- Fair and Equal Ice Time (REQUIREMENT)
- All players and goaltenders should receive fair and as close to equal as possible ice time.
- Positional Rotation:
- All players play all positions (RECOMMENDATION)
- Goaltender Rotation:
- Full-time goaltender allowed.
- Goaltenders rotate for equal amount of playing time throughout the regular season and playoffs. (RECOMMENDATION)
- Seasonal Structure (REQUIREMENT)
- Preparation Phase (up to 2 Weeks)
- See Player Tryouts above.
- Development Phase (up to 4 weeks)
- Teams must have a period of development time following tryouts prior to the start of the regular season.
- Development and Regular Season Phase (Up to 22 weeks)
- Recommended maximum of 45 games per year (includes exhibition, league, tournament and playoff games).
- Seasonal Breaks
- Playoff Phase (up to 4 weeks)
- Offseason Phase (end of season to August)
- Position-Specific Training
- Small-area games in practice/station-based practices/skill-focused drills
- Only 15% of practice time should be spent on team play and strategy/systems with 85% of practice time spent on skills and tactics.
- Limit position-specific specialization (except for goalies).
U9 Player Pathway
Download the U9 Player Pathway Policy - FINAL (2020-02-23)
- Playing Surface (REQUIREMENT)
- All U9 (Novice) will be played at half-ice or a maximum size of 100 feet by 85 feet (100x85).
- Eight-year-olds and mixed programming may transition to full ice from January 15 to April.
- Player Evaluations, Selections, Tryouts (REQUIREMENT)
- No tiering or evaluations during the off-season phase (previous season, including March through August).
- Must offer a minimum of four (4) practice/skill sessions prior to formal tiering or evaluations beginning.
- Must have a minimum of three (3) formal evaluation sessions.
- Half-Ice Game Play Rules (REQUIREMENT)
- 4-on-4 format.
- 60-minute game length. Two periods with a run-time clock.
- Timed buzzer or whistle for line changes, shift length not to exceed two minutes.
- Minimum of one official.
- No score, standings or stats are kept.
- Blue or black puck used.
- Net size – 3x4 or 4x6.
- Fair and Equal Ice Time (REQUIREMENT)
- All players and goaltenders should receive fair and as close to equal as possible ice time.
- Positional Rotation:
- All players play all positions (RECOMMENDATION)
- Goaltender Rotation:
- No full-time goaltenders. (RECOMMENDATION)
- All players have the option to play goal at least once. (RECOMMENDATION)
- Playoffs (REQUIREMENT)
- There are no playoffs in U9.
- Seasonal Structure (REQUIREMENT)
- Preparation Phase (up to 4 Weeks)
- See Player Evaluations/Tryouts above.
- Development Phase (up to 8 weeks)
- Teams must have a period of development time following tryouts prior to the start of the regular season.
- Development and Regular Season Phase (Up to 20 weeks)
- Recommended maximum of 40 games per year (includes exhibition, league and tournaments) (RECOMMENDED)
- Seasonal Breaks – season should allow for two seasonal breaks of a minimum of five days without a scheduled game or mandatory practice. (RECOMMENDED)
- Tournament are Jamboree Format
- Jamboree engages players in a fun environment. Games may or may not be competitive and the emphasis is on fun and fair play, no standings are kept.
- Offseason Phase (end of season to August)
U7 Player Pathway
Download the U7 Player Pathway Policy - FINAL (2020-02-23)
- Playing Surface (REQUIREMENT)
- All U7 (Initiation) will be played at cross-ice or a maximum size of 100 feet by 60 feet (100x60) for the entire season.
- Player Evaluations, Selections, Tryouts (REQUIREMENT)
- No tiering or evaluations during the off-season phase (previous season, including March through August).
- Must offer a minimum of four (4) practice/skill sessions prior to formal tiering or evaluations beginning.
- Must have a minimum of three (3) formal evaluation sessions.
- Cross-Ice Game Play Rules (REQUIREMENT)
- 4-on-4 format.
- 60-minute game length. Two periods with a run-time clock.
- Timed buzzer or whistle for line changes, shift length not to exceed two minutes.
- Minimum of one official.
- No score, standings or stats are kept.
- Blue or black puck used.
- Net size – 3x4 or 4x6.
- Fair and Equal Ice Time (REQUIREMENT)
- All players and goaltenders should receive fair and as close to equal as possible ice time.
- Positional Rotation:
- All players play all positions (RECOMMENDATION)
- Goaltender Rotation:
- No full-time goaltenders. (RECOMMENDATION)
- All players have the option to play goal at least once. (RECOMMENDATION)
- Playoffs (REQUIREMENT)
- There are no playoffs in U7.
- Seasonal Structure (REQUIREMENT)
- Preparation Phase
- See Player Evaluations/Tryouts above.
- Development Phase (up to 12 weeks)
- Teams must have a period of development time following tryouts prior to the start of the regular season.
- Development and Regular Season Phase (Up to 14 weeks)
- Recommended maximum of 25 games per year (includes exhibition, league, tournaments and jamborees) (RECOMMENDED)
- Seasonal Breaks – season should allow for two seasonal breaks of a minimum of five days without a scheduled game or mandatory practice. (RECOMMENDED)
- Tournament are Jamboree Format
- Jamboree engages players in a fun environment. Games may or may not be competitive and the emphasis is on fun and fair play, no standings are kept.
- Offseason Phase (end of season to August)
These Policy Documents will be implemented consistently across both the Hockey Canada Members and OHF Member Partners.
The OHF and its Member Partners will continue to support Local Hockey Associations to ensure that the implementation of the U7, U9 and U11 Player Pathway policies are administered consistently across the OHF to provide players with the best possible experience within hockey.
Download the U7 Player Pathway Policy - FINAL (2020-02-23)
Download the U9 Player Pathway Policy - FINAL (2020-02-23)
Download the U11 Player Pathway Policy - FINAL (2020-02-23)