Constitution

The Ancaster Men’s Hockey League is for players who want to play clean, competitive hockey with other guys who also have to go to work the next day.

Written: April 1984
Revised: August 1989, April 1991, August 1993, January 2003, January 2018, December 2022, April 2024, September 2024

Content of Constitution

  1. Purpose of Constitution
  2. The Ancaster Men’s Hockey League
  3. Membership
  4. League Executive (Members, Duties, Responsibilities)
  5. Other Volunteers
  6. League Policy – League and Team Formation / Player Draft
  7. League Policy – League Rules and Regulations

1. Purpose of Constitution

The constitution depicts the rules by which the Ancaster Men’s Hockey League (AMHL) will operate and the restrictions, powers, and duties of its Executive. The constitution will be used to help promote, supervise, conduct and control the operation of the league.

2. The Ancaster Men’s Hockey League (AMHL)

The AMHL was founded in 1977 for a safe place for aging hockey players in the Ancaster Area to enjoy the game they love. Volunteer members run the League. It includes some 130 + full time members and another 200+ part time spares. The League currently operates with two divisions (Junior and Senior) of six teams each based on age and skill.

3. Membership

Any person who has paid the required annual fee for that year will be deemed a member for that year. Failure to make payments at the prescribed times will result in a forfeiture of membership.
The Executive will endeavor to admit Ancaster residents when openings arise. Priority will be given to members within the league to move divisions when spots are available (i.e., Junior to Senior division).
The League Executive reserves the right to expel any member whose conduct on or off the ice is deemed detrimental to the league.
A one-year leave of absence will be granted to any player requesting one by July 1st. The player will be replaced by a full-time spare for the season. If the player does not return to the league the next season his spot will be filled, and he will be placed on the spare list. Any player, who is absent for an extended period due to an injury, will be given the first opportunity to re-enter the league. Refunds based on the number of games played will be given due to long term injury or other extenuating circumstances.

Goalies will receive a 50% discount in annual fees.

4. League Executive (Members, Duties, Responsibilities)

a) Executive Members

The Executive shall consist of seven full time members: President, Vice-President (Junior Division), Vice-President (Senior), Treasurer, Secretary, Statistician/Webmaster, Chief Timekeeper/Junior Liaison.
The Past President will be asked to provide advice and guidance to the League Executive as required.

b) Executive Duties

  1. To manage the operation of the League as laid out by the League’s Constitution.
  2. To set and administer League Policies.
  3. To rule on matters not covered by the constitution.
  4. To review and amend constitution (as needed) every two years. Amendments to Sections 1-5 of this Constitution must be supported by its membership. Amendments to League Policies (Sections 6 and 7) must be approved by a majority of the Executive.

Proposed changes will be published by March 1st. Unless objected to in writing by 3 or more of the current Team Reps or Executive, proposed changes will take effect May 1st. If objected to, proposed changes will be voted by current Executive and Team Reps with a simple majority (51%) to enact changes.

c) Terms of office

  1. The League Executive will consist of volunteers from the current League membership and will need approval of the current Executive. If there is more than one candidate, the chosen candidate will be based on a vote with current Executive and current Team Reps. Priority will be for the League President to have prior experience as another Executive member.
  2. The President, Vice-Presidents, Treasurer, Secretary, Statistician/Webmaster, Chief Timekeeper/Junior Liaison and will run for a term of two years. No officer shall serve in the same capacity for more than two terms (max. 4 years) unless a suitable candidate can’t be found.
  3. Terms of office shall run from May1st to April 30th.
  4. By the end of each season, the President will send notice to all league players to recruit potential Executive members and Team Reps for the following season. The Executive shall review potential candidates’ interest and approve to fill vacancies, as necessary.

d) Voting Procedure

  1. A quorum will consist of 60% of the Executive.
  2. Each member of the Executive will have one vote and must be present to vote.
  3. A simple majority is necessary for passage of any league matter.

e) Responsibilities

  1. The President
    • Preside at all meetings of the Executive
    • Call and arrange meetings of the Executive and set an agenda
    • Act as a spokesperson for the league
    • Act as second signing authority on all League cheques
    • Arrange election of Executive meeting
    • Assign duties to Team Reps
    • Final arbiter of discipline
  2. The Vice-Presidents (Junior and Senior)
    • Oversee the operation of their Division (co-ordinate and communicate with Team Reps, manage player draft, spare list, and player discipline)
    • Perform the duties of the President in his absence
    • Assist the President in his functions
    • Manage schedules and arrange uniforms for teams
  3. The Treasurer
    • General Financial oversight
    • Deposit all league money received in a chartered bank, trust company or credit union in the name of “Ancaster Men’s Hockey League”
    • Authorize all League payments and provide first signature on all League cheques
    • Prepare annual budget
    • Prepare financial statement and bank reconciliation statement at year-end (April 30th) and in the interim as requested by the Executive
  4. The Secretary
    • Take Executive meeting meetings and distribute to Executive
    • Liaise with City of Hamilton Recreation Staff to acquire ice rental
    • Liaise with AMHL’s Insurance Provider (CARHA) and coordinate necessary documentation with league members
    • Arrange for and co-ordinate referees with Chief Referee
    • Update and maintain AMHL Constitution
  5. Statistician/Webmaster
    • To coordinate with Team Reps and post all player and team statistics on the AMHL website
    • Update and Manage the AMHL website at www.AncasterMensHockey.com
    • To assist the Executive as necessary
  6. Chief Timekeeper/Junior Liaison
    • To coordinate timekeepers for all league games
    • To assist the Executive as necessary
  7. The Past President
    • To assist the new Executive as required.

5. Other Volunteers

a) Team Reps

  • Team Reps are league members in good standing. League Executive oversee the selection/appointment of Team Reps with the intention of rotating Team Reps every 3 years
  • Team Reps act as liaisons between league Executive and players
  • Ensure league rules and by-laws are followed
  • Ensure City Rink by-laws are followed
  • Participate in the ranking of players and the drafting of teams
  • Arrange for spares from spare list as required. Shall use as many different spares as possible for the sustainability and growth of the league.
  • Aid in collecting league fees from players
  • Participate in any disciplinary review as required
  • Assist the Executive by relaying information to their teams.
  • Perform any other duties the Executive may bestow.
  • Notify the timekeeper of spares name and number.
  • Distribute uniforms to players. Collect, clean and store all uniforms at the end of the year for next season.

b) Volunteer Compensation

  • League Executive and Team Reps receive a 50% reduction from their annual fees

6. League Policy – League and Team Formation / Player Draft

a) League and Team Formation

The League is currently comprised of two divisions based on age and skill of six teams each. Each of the 12 Teams is made up of 10 skaters and 1 goaltender. Junior Division is age 21-45 and Senior Division is age 45 plus. The League Executive may review a player’s Divisional playing status pending the player’s skill level and/or request based on the best interest of the AMHL.

b) Player Ratings

All full time and spare players are rated within the Division they play in on a scale determined by the Division VP and Division Team Reps. Juniors are rated 1-6 for forwards and 1-4 for defence. Seniors are rated 1-10. A rating of 1 is considered the best/strongest player.

c) Draft Format

The draft will be held separately for each division using the following format:

  1. Each Team Rep is responsible for drafting his own team. Each team must include one goaltender and one player from each of the Division specific ratings (i.e., one #1 rated player, one #2 rated player, etc.) The Team Rep can decide the order to select his team.
  2. The draft order by round is as shown below: (e.g., Team #1 drafts first in round #1, sixth in round #2, third in round#3, etc.)

Draft Order

Team #1   1-6-3-4-2-5-1-6-3-4-2
Team #2   2-5-1-6-3-4-2-5-1-6-3
Team #3   3-4-2-5-1-6-3-4-2-5-1
Team #4   4-3-6-1-5-2-4-3-6-1-5
Team #5   5-2-4-3-6-1-5-2-4-3-6
Team #6   6-1-5-2-4-3-6-1-5-2-4

d) The League Executive and the team reps may rebalance teams after ten games if it is the consensus that any teams are at a significant advantage or disadvantage.

7. League Policy – League Rules And Regulations

a) The Game

  1. AMHL is governed by Hockey Canada rules with a few exceptions as noted below.
  2. Prior to each game the teams will be given a two-minute warm up from the time the Zamboni leaves the ice surface. No extension is to be given. The clock shall start immediately after the warmup period.
  3. All games will consist of two 16-minute stop-time periods.
  4. Once the game has started the on-ice officials have absolute control of the game and the clock. The clock can only be adjusted by the referee. Any decision made by the referees regarding the clock will be final.
  5. Lost time due to a late start, or injury may result in the second period of the hockey game being reduced in time or cancelled. If the Arena staff needs to curfew the game early, the captains should be notified. The game will be considered final. Note: Playoff games may be rescheduled if the final result of the game makes a difference in the standings.
  6. No slap shots are allowed in the Senior Division only using the knee as a height guide. If a player takes a slap shot the referee whistles and stops the play. There is no minor penalty however play resumes with a face-off in the shooter’s team defensive zone.
  7. The AMHL is a non-contact / no body check League.
  8. “Icing” the puck will be called from inside the defending teams blue line.
  9. There will be no stick or equipment measurements allowed.

b) Penalties/Suspensions

  1. AMHL is governed by Hockey Canada rules.
  2. All minor penalties shall be two minutes in length.
  3. Any player receiving three minor penalties in one game shall be suspended for the remainder of that game.
  4. Any player that accumulates twenty (20) minutes of penalties over the course of the regular season will be given a two-game suspension. If the player then accumulates an additional 10 minutes before the end of the regular season, they will be suspended another 3 games and their return to the league will be reviewed by the Executive.
  5. Bench minor penalties do not add to the penalty minute total of the player who is serving the penalty. Ten-minute misconducts as well as game and gross misconducts will add two minutes to the player’s penalty total.
  6. Fighting majors will carry a game misconduct as well as the player’s suspension from the league for the remainder of the season. The possibility of the player returning for the next season will be reviewed by the Executive. In the case where there is an obvious instigator of the fight, the player who did not instigate the fight may have his suspension reduced to a minimum of 5 games by the Executive.
  7. Any player deliberately attempting to injure another player will result in the player’s suspension from the league for the remainder of the season. The possibility of the player returning for the next season will be reviewed by the Executive.
  8. All Major, Match and Gross Misconduct penalties will be reviewed by the Executive and be subject to a minimum suspension based on the guidelines in the current OWHA Discipline Policy for Minimum Suspensions. Second infractions within a two-year period will result in the minimum suspension being doubled. Any spare receiving a suspension under this rule will have the minimum suspension automatically doubled. In any case, the Executive may decide to suspend a player for the remainder of the season. The possibility of the player returning for the next season will be reviewed by the Executive.
  9. Any protest or appeal of suspensions must be made in writing and given to the President. The Executive will discuss the protest or appeal and make a final decision. Protest or appeal must be made within 24 hours.

c) Sparing For Absent Players

  1. It is the responsibility of each player to notify his team rep if he is going to miss a game. Continuous failure to notify the team rep will result in a written warning from the League Executive and expulsion from the League if problem continues.
  2. Team reps must find a spare for all absent players. The spare player must be of the same rating or lower as the absent full-time player. Spare players are to be chosen from the spare list provided by the Division VP. Players not on the spare list cannot be used. New spare players can be added to the list by the Division VP after they are rated. If a player fails to show up or cancels on short notice, a full-time player of equal or lower rating from another team may be used provided the team rep from the opposing team has been notified and has given his approval. Every effort must be made to find a spare, however if a replacement cannot be found, the team may play shorthanded. The Team Rep needs to ensure that it is noted on the time sheet. The Division VP and Executive will monitor the number of shorthanded games for the players and/or teams that are frequent offenders. Teams using ineligible spares or over sparing may result in a forfeit of the game i.e., if a missing player is a #3, a spare must be from the appropriate category for #3, or may be a #4, or #5 etc., not a #1 or #2. If a player fails to show up or cancels on short notice, a full-time player of equal or lower rating from another team may be used provided the team rep from the opposing team has been notified and has given his approval. Every effort must be made to find a spare, however if a replacement cannot be found, the team may play shorthanded. The Team Rep needs to ensure that it is noted on the time sheet. The Division VP and Executive will monitor the number of shorthanded games for the players and/or teams that are frequent offenders. Teams using ineligible spares or over sparing may result in a forfeit of the game i.e., if a missing player is a #3, a spare must be from the appropriate category for #3, or may be a #4, or #5 etc., not a #1 or #2.
  3. Team Reps should not use the same spare two weeks in a row during the regular season for the same player. This rule must be followed with no exceptions during all playoff games.
  4. If a full-time player will be absent for an extended period of time, a full time spare of equal rating taken from the spare list will be assigned as a replacement as approved by the Division VP after consulting with the Team Reps. This spare may be used on a trial basis for up to three weeks in a row, then there must be approval to use this spare as the replacement player by at least three of the remaining five team reps.
  5. Spares must play at least 2 season games to be eligible to play in the Round Robin.
  6. Registered spares pay a game fee as determined by the League Executive. Full-time players who play as a spare on another team do not pay a spare fee. Spare Goalies do not pay a fee.

d) Playoffs

  1. Playoffs begin with a Round Robin format against all five of the other teams in the same Division. The top four teams from the Round Robin will advance to the Semi Finals (1 vs 4 and 2 vs 3) while the 5th and 6th placed teams may play an exhibition game. The winners of the Semi Finals will play in the Championship Final and the losers of the Semi Finals will play in a Consolation Final for third place.
  2. Any ties at the end of the round robin will be broken using the following format.
    1. Team vs. team in that round
    2. Team with most wins in that round
    3. Team with greater goal differential (i.e., goals for minus goals against) in that round
    4. Team with most goals scored in that round
    5. Team with fewest goals against in that round
    6. Team vs. team in regular season
    7. Coin flip
  3. All rules from the regular season remain the same except as noted below.
  4. Semi Final and Consolation Final: If the score is tied at the end of regulation time, there will be a 3 man shoot out. If still tied, this will be followed by a sudden death shootout where a shooter may not shoot twice unless all players have taken a first shot.
  5. Overtime in the Championship games will be sudden death until a winner is determined. Teams will play the regular 6 vs 6 format unless there is a penalty.

e) Playoff Penalties

  1. All players penalty minute total will return to zero at the start of the playoffs.
  2. Any player who accumulates 14 minutes in penalties will serve a one game suspension. If the player also received a similar suspension during the regular season the suspension will be 3 games.
  3. Misconduct penalties in the playoffs count as five minutes to the player’s penalty total.
  4. Fighting and gross misconducts will be handled the same as the regular season.

f) Playoff Sparing

  1. The spare list will be reviewed and revised, if necessary, by the Division VP and Team Reps prior to the playoffs.
  2. In both the Junior and Senior Round Robin games, spares must be from the same rating group or lower as the absent full-time player.
  3. Spares for the semi-final and championship games must be selected from the teams not participating (i.e., the 5th and 6th place finishers of the round robin). The spare must be from the same rating group or lower as the absent full-time player. If a suitable replacement is unavailable, a player from the spare list can be used given the prior approval of the Division VP and Executive.
  4. Throughout the playoffs, prior to each game, team reps must notify the other team rep and division VP about any spare replacements and their rating.
  5. Violation of any of the spare rules for the playoffs will result in a 2-0 loss of that game if the opposition or any other team that feels they may be affected by the outcome of the game protests the game.