Rules

2025 Confederation Hockey Christmas Tournament December 28-30, 2025

Information Package and Rules

Welcome to the 2025 Annual Confederation Hockey Christmas Tournament. Our tournament is for the enjoyment of everyone involved and we want to emphasize good fun, fair play, and sportsmanship.

Please respect players, coaches, referees, parents, volunteers, facility staff and members of the public and abide by the rules listed below throughout the tournament. Inappropriate behaviour or unsportsmanlike conduct will result in your team's immediate removal from the arena and could result in your team’s expulsion from the tournament.

GENERAL

Except where otherwise stated, all Hockey Canada, Hockey Alberta, Hockey Edmonton, and EFHL rules apply.

Coaches/managers must check in at the arena tournament table prior to the start of each game. Player swag items will be provided to the coach/manager at their first game in the tournament (pick up at the arena tournament table).

COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION

The Confederation Hockey Club is supporting the Bissell Centre. Our focus will be on new and gently used winter clothing (toques, mittens, coats, snow pants, etc.) for kids of any age and any size. Please consider bringing to the tournament to support. Boxes will be available at all arenas at the sign-in tables to deposit. 

We will also be donating 10% of the net 50/50 raffle proceeds to them. Please help us support our community by purchasing a 50/50 raffle ticket each day. 

REFEREES

Coaches are NOT required to pay the referees at the start of the game; referees are paid by the tournament. Referees will receive payment directly from the tournament.

SCOREKEEPERS

The home team is required to provide two volunteers per game to scorekeep, run the clock, manage penalty boxes and record game details (using RAMP Gamesheets app).

GAME PUCKS

The home team is responsible for providing the game puck.

TOURNAMENT ARENAS

AFFILIATIONS AND TEAM ROSTER

Team Rosters must be present (paper or digital) with the team for all tournament games. Participating eligible players and affiliates will only be those listed on the official Hockey Canada team roster provided by the coach/team manager prior to the start of the tournament. Hockey Edmonton and EFHL affiliation rules apply with a reminder that teams may not dress more players than listed on their Hockey Canada Team Roster.

DISCIPLINE

Any match or fighting penalty will result in players or coaches immediate suspension for the duration of the tournament. Abuse directed toward the players, coaches, tournament officials or volunteers will not be tolerated. Abusive individuals will be asked to leave the arena, and may be suspended from the tournament.

Disciplinary matters will be referred to the Disciplinary Committee through our tournament organizers (xmasconfed@skevents.ca) who will rule on the matter as soon as possible. Disciplinary Committee decisions are final.

TEAM COLOURS

In all cases, the home team is dark and the visitor team is white.

GAME LENGTH AND FORMAT

• If a team is unable to start the game five minutes after its scheduled start time (based on the arena clock), they will forfeit the game.
• Warm up is a maximum of two minutes in length and referees have the discretion of a shorter warm up if required.
• Between periods, breaks are one minute in length.
• Playing time will drop to two minutes when there are five minutes left in the scheduled time.

*This rule still applies even if a game starts late due to a previous game going over (i.e. due to a shootout).

• Games ending in a tie will be recorded as a tie, unless it is a final game. Refer to games Tied at End of Regulation for final game tie procedures.
• In the event a game has a goal differential of 6 or higher, the score clock should only display a 6 goal difference.
• Excluding U9, all goals scored shall be recorded on the e-game sheet and shall count towards a team’s goals for and against total to be used in a tie break situation in the standings.
• At the end of each game, it is recommended for players to line up on their respective blue line and raise their sticks to each other, in lieu of shaking hands (players must keep helmets and gloves on). Following this will be the Player of the Game Awards (see below for details).

GAME FORMATS

U9 Division:

• 1 hour time slot
• 2 - 25 minute run time periods for all tiers
• 2 minute warm up, 1 minute between periods
• Please use the same board set up and take down procedures as followed in league play.

U11 Division:

• 1 hour time slot
• 3 - 13 minute stop time periods for all tiers
• 2 minute warm up, 1 minute between periods

U13: Division

• 1 hour 30 minute time slots
• 1st period is 15 minutes stop time; 2nd & 3rd periods are 20 minutes stop time for all tiers
• 2 minute warm up, 1 minute between periods

DIVISION STANDINGS (U11 & U13)

• Divisions with 4 teams will play a three game round robin format. The top two teams after round robin play will play in the “A” final and the last two teams will play in the “B” final.
• Divisions with 5 teams will play a three game round robin with one team playing a fourth round robin game. Only the first three round robin games will count towards the standings. Following the round robin, the top two teams will play in the “A” final, the next two teams in the “B” final and the last team will play a “C” final against the lowest-ranked Confed team.
• Divisions with 6 teams will play a three game partial round robin. The top two teams will play in the “A” final, the next two teams in the “B” final and the last two teams in the “C” final.
• Divisions with 7 teams will play a three game partial round robin with one team playing a fourth round robin game. Only the first three round robin games will count towards the standings. Following the round robin, the top two teams will play in the “A” final, the next two teams in the “B” final, the next two teams will play a “C” final, and the last team will play a "D" final against the lowest-ranked Confed team.

POINTS (U11 & U13)

Points will be awarded in the round robin as follows:

• 2 points for a win
• 1 points for a tie
• 0 point for a loss

TIE BREAK POINTS FORMAT (U11 & U13)

1. Head to head record
2. Best goals for minus goals against, overall
3. Most goals for, overall
4. Least penalty minutes, overall
5. Coin toss (the team that is first alphabetically by team number will be heads)

GAMES TIED IN FINALS (U11 & U13)

All games tied at the end of finals will proceed to a 3 player shootout

• The home team shall commence the shootout.
• All players except the shooter and opposing goalie must be on the bench.
• If the game is still tied after 3 shooters, the teams continue to take alternate shots until there is a winner.
• Every player on the team must shoot once before any player shoots a second time.
• In the event that the game is still tied after all players on a team have had a shootout opportunity, players will then shoot a second time until the game is decided. The original order does not have to be followed.
• Only one goal will be added to the final score of the winning team.
• Timekeepers must record each shootout goal on the game sheet as “SO” in place of time scored.

GAME RESULTS

All game results will be available online at https://confedhockeytournament.org following each day of play.

PLAYER OF THE GAME AWARDS

• Following each game, players are to line up on their respective blue lines.

• At centre ice near the time keeper box, a coach from each team will award one “Player of the Game” toque to a player from the opposing team at center ice.
• No player shall be awarded more than one “Player of the Game” toque during the tournament. Please consult with the opposing coach before finalizing your selection to avoid a player receiving the award twice. *Player of Game includes best sportsmanship, effort & fair play

MEDAL PRESENTATIONS

Each player in the tournament will receive a tournament medal at the end of the tournament’s final game. Coaches do not receive a medal.

EXTRAS (available online and in person)

Loonie Sticks - each rink will have a loonie stick available to win. Entries are $2 each. Loonie Sticks will close at 1:00 pm on December 30th. Sales are cash only for this activation. 

Online Auction - available for online or in person (at Terwillegar Arena) viewing. All bidding online. Online Auction will close at 2:00 pm on December 30th. 

Tournament Raffle - Confederation Hockey Club teams and partners have provided a prize for people to enter to win. These prizes will be on display at Terwillegar Arena. Raffle tickets will be available for purchase throughout the tournament. Raffle items will be drawn at 3:00 pm on December 30th. Sales will only be available in person at Terwillegar, cash, credit and debit will be accepted.

50/50 Raffle - will run for the duration of the tournament, with a draw each day. 10% of net proceeds will be donated to the Bissell Centre. Final ticket purchases will be available until 8:00 pm on each day with the draw at 9:00 pm. All prize winnings will be distributed on January 6, 2026. 

Tickets packages are:

Series C - 1 Ticket - $10

Series B - 5 Tickets - $25

Series A - 25 Tickets - $50

TOURNAMENT INQUIRIES

Please direct all tournament inquiries to xmasconfed@skevents.ca