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Fair Play

Minnesota Hockey's Fair Play system holds all stakeholders in youth hockey accountable for their actions by rewarding proper behavior and penalizing improper behavior. 

When using the Fair Play system, each team can earn an extra "Fair Play" point in the standings for playing the game with good sportsmanship. To earn its Fair Play point, none of the following can occur:  exceed the penalty minute threshold established for that level of play, a coach is assessed a Game Misconduct or Match Penalty, a spectator/game official is requested to leave the arena by a referee, or a player receives a Match penalty for an obscene gesture or offensive/hateful/discriminatory language.

Research has shown that Fair Play increases sportsmanship, accountability and player safety without compromising hockey's competitive aspects.

Fair Play will be implemented for all league games this season.   Fair Play points will count in league standings and will be used to determine final league standings.  Fair Play can also be used for invitational tournaments, although this isn't required.

Fair Play PIM Threshold Chart

Level Minutes Level Minutes
Squirt 10 min Girls 10U 8 min
Peewee 12 min Girls 12U 10 min
Bantam 14 min Girls 15U 12 min
Youth 16U 16 min Girls 16U 14 min
Junior Gold 16 min Girls 19U 14 min

Note:  The minimum penalty for head contact, charging, checking from behind and boarding is a two-minute minor and 10-minute misconduct. For Fair Play purposes, these penalties count as 12 minutes towards each team’s PIM threshold.

Fair Play PIM Equivalent Chart

Penalty Classification PIM Equivalent
Minor or Bench Minor 2 minutes
Major 5 minutes
Minor & Misconduct (2 & 10) 12 minutes
Misconduct (10) 10 minutes
Mouthguard Misconduct 2 minutes
Game Misconduct 10 minutes
Match 10 minutes
Penalty Shot Equivalent to penalty assessed

Fair Play for Invitational Tournaments

The Minnesota Hockey Tournament Committee strongly encourages all Invitational Tournaments to incorporate “Fair Play” into their tournament rules.

Bracket Format

For bracket format tournaments, in the event of a tie at the end of regulation play, if one of the tied teams has earned their Fair Play point and the other team has not, the team having earned the Fair Play point will be designated the winner of the game.  If both teams have earned their Fair Play point or both teams have not earned their Fair Play point, the next tiebreaker will be determined by the tournament.  This shall apply to all games except the final “Championship” game.

Round Robin Format

For round robin format tournaments, pool play standings will be determined by including the Fair Play point along with any other points awarded in pool play including points for a win or a tie.

Fair Play Scoring

Minnesota Hockey scorebooks with a section for Fair Play Points are available - contact your district director.  The game scorekeeper will total Fair Play PIM equivalents at end of game and circle on scoresheet whether each team earned their Fair Play point.  Fair Play points will be reported through the normal league reporting process in each district/league.

Fair Play Rules

For the complete set of Fair Play rules, please see Section VIII. Playing Rules, R. Fair Play located in the Youth Rules and Regulations section of the Minnesota Hockey Handbook.

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