Under-7 (U7) Games
REGULATIONS
All games played under the jurisdiction of Hockey Saskatchewan/Hockey Canada will be played Cross-Ice.
- All U7 Teams can not play Tournament or exhibition games until December 1st.
- Hockey Saskatchewan recommends a maximum of 35 games played during the season.
RINK STRUCTURE:
- Below are some different you can set up U7 games in your community.
Basic Rules:
- Games can be played 5-on-5 or 4-on-4 or 3-on-3 depending on the number of players.
- Each game will be played with a Blue 4oz puck.
- Mini nets are recommended, but regular ones are accepted.
Game Length:
- Warmup for 3 to 5 minutes.
- For a 60-minute ice allocation; play two (2) twenty-five (25) minute straight time periods.
- For a 75-minute ice allocation; play two (2) thirty-minute (30) straight time periods.
Shifts:
- Clock can be stopped after each two-minute shift change, then start the clock when the puck is dropped for the next shift.
- Player benches, penalty boxes or neutral zone may be used for players not in play. Please also consider using the different skill zones if only one game is being played.
Faceoffs
- Start of each shift.
- There will be NO face-offs after a goal is scored. In this instance, the ref or coach will place the puck behind the net or in the corner and the team that got scored can bring the puck up the ice while the team that scored goes back to their net.
- Frozen pucks or pucks out of play will see the officials blow the whistle, back the attacking team off to half and put the puck beside the net to resume play.
Considerations
- Coaches should try to match lines so the stronger players from both teams are on the ice at the same time.
SKILL STATIONS
- Lead by Hockey Saskatchewan / Skate Canada Instructors.
- Drills are taken from Hockey Canada Drill Hub (U7).
- Blue 4oz pucks will be used.
- PROMOTION OF SAFE & FUN!!
Reminders
- NO permanent goalies.
- NO specific skater positions.
- NO KEEPING SCORE!
- PROMOTION OF SAFE & FUN!
Rink Dividers
Hockey Saskatchewan is NOT making Cross-Ice dividers mandatory for associations to purchase, but they can be very useful and come in many different forms. They are used to help stop pucks from crossing into different “zones”. They also form a barrier that defines where kids should be concentrating their efforts.
If associations are looking to purchase dividers or mini-nets, Hockey Saskatchewan can provide a list of approved vendors.
Dividers:
- Standard size is 85’.
- Each set contains 9 sections. (8 @ 10’ and 1 @ 5’)
- Made from a flexible non-tear tarpaulin material.
- High-density polyurethane foam padding.
- Velcro on each end to connect the sections together.
- Available in these colors; black, red, royal blue, navy blue, kelley green, light charcoal grey
Options:
- Advertising pockets
- Custom sizes
- Individual sections
- Volume discounts
Mini-Nets:
- 36" x 24" x 12"
Under-7 Regulations
6.04.05
iv) U11 and Lower
Players must play with the closest center that has a team for them to register with.
NOTE: If players do not wish to register in the closest center with a team of their age group they will require a release from that center in order to play in the next closest center, etc. A player cannot play with a center that is more than 80 km from their parent’s residence.
6.04.13 U7
a) All Minor Hockey Associations must constitutionally adopt and implement the U7 curriculum for hockey in the age classification of 6 years and under.
b) All U7 games and practices must be in the cross-ice format.
c) There will be no U7 games sanctioned by Hockey Saskatchewan until December 1st annually.
NOTE: All U7 “play” until December 1st is practices.
d) The maximum number of games a U7 team can play is thirty-five (35) per season. (See 6.04.15 Note)
NOTE: Any coach, team and/or association found to be non-compliant with the U7 Cross-Ice format at any time during the season; or the U9 Half-Ice format; or the seasonal maximum game limits for U7, U9 and U11, will be subject to sanctions from both the Minor Hockey Association and/or Hockey Saskatchewan.
Sanctions may include but are not limited to:
- Head Coach suspension
- Minor Hockey Association (and members) not being able to enter Hockey Saskatchewan Provincial Playoffs.
- Minor Hockey Association (and members) not being able to host any Hockey Saskatchewan sanctioned event.
- Minor Hockey Association (and members) not being able to attend any Hockey Saskatchewan sanctioned event.
- Minor Hockey Association’s Hockey Saskatchewan membership reviewed.
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