NSU18MHL Player Eligibility & Tryout Information

 

 

 

Welcome to the NSU18MHL! The following information will help to guide players and families through the tryout process of the NSU18MHL. You will notice that there are some differences in tryout policies between the three teams in HRM and the five teams outside of HRM. These are outlined clearly below under NSU18MHL HRM Zoning.

 

 

PURPOSE OF THE LEAGUE

 

The purpose of the Nova Scotia U18 Major Hockey League (NSU18MHL) is to provide hockey programs for interested athletes within the Province of Nova Scotia in an environment in which the values of participation, team-play, good sportsmanship, and mutual respect can be learned simultaneously with the development of the athlete's hockey skills. To these ends, the following Mission Statement was developed.

 

 

MISSION STATEMENT

 

The NSU18MHL was created to develop and govern the conduct of elite hockey players of U18 age within the Province of Nova Scotia. The league is comprised of volunteers operating a non-profit organization dedicated to this purpose.

 

Hockey is a team sport that provides a means for bringing people together in a healthy atmosphere of competition. Our goal is to become the premiere U18 Hockey Association in Canada. To achieve these goals, the League is focused on:

 

•    Facilitating, supporting and enhancing the educational needs of each player so as to achieve maximum academic results.

•    Promoting and developing participant's skills and abilities.

•    Promoting and developing sportsmanship, fair play, pride and achievement through participation.

•    Promoting and developing participants to be responsible members of their community.

 

 

 

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PLAYER ELIGIBILITY

 

A player’s eligibility is based on age and residency as defined within Hockey Nova Scotia Regulations. As further definition for active U18 Major players, the following residency regulations shall apply:

 

• Sydney Rush - Cape Breton Region as defined by HNS Regulation 15(17.a.i)

• Cape Breton West Islanders - Strait Region as defined by HNS Regulation 15(17.a.ii) plus areas inclusive of the Antigonish Minor Hockey Association and Canso Minor Hockey Association commencing with the 2012/13 season.

• Weeks U18 Majors - Highland Region and Fundy Region as defined by HNS Regulation 15 (17.a.iii and iv) excluding the area the boundaries of Antigonish Minor Hockey Association and Canso Minor Hockey Association commencing with the 2012/13 season.

• Halifax – TASA Minor Hockey Association, Chebucto Minor Hockey Association, Halifax Minor Hockey Association, as defined by HNS Regulation 15(17.b.i), Excluding Bedford and Sackville Minor Hockey Associations.

• Dartmouth – Bedford Minor Hockey Association, Dartmouth Minor Hockey Association, as defined by HNS Regulation 15(17.b.i and ii), Excluding, TASA, Chebucto, Halifax, Sackville, Cole Harbour, Eastern Shore and East Hants Minor Hockey Associations.

• Cole Harbour – Cole Harbour/Bel Ayr Minor Hockey Association, Sackville Minor Hockey Association, Eastern Shore Minor Hockey Association, East Hants Minor Hockey Associations as defined by HNS Regulation 15(17.b.i and ii), Excluding TASA, Chebucto, Halifax, Bedford, and Dartmouth Minor Hockey Associations

• South Shore Mustangs - Western Region as defined by HNS Regulation 15(17.b.iii) Regulations August 2017 (Revised) Page 67 of 95

• Valley Wildcats - Nova Region as defined by HNS Regulation 15(17.b.iv)

 

 

SPRING PLAYER EVALUATION CAMPS

 

U18 Major teams are permitted to conduct player evaluation camps for eligible players from their respective Regions as defined in Regulation 20.1, after the U15 Atlantic Championship has been conducted and the NSU15HL season has ended. Spring player evaluation camps may not be conducted before April 15th or after May 30th. All participants shall be registered on a player roster that must be filed with the League Secretary who shall forward a copy to HNS Coordinator Member Services and HNS Director at Large/Chair Elite Hockey.

 

 

PLAYER SELECTION CAMPS

 

U18 Major teams are permitted to conduct player selection camps for eligible players and any released players that are eligible, commencing August 1st. All participants shall be registered on a player roster that must be filed with the League Secretary who shall forward a copy to HNS Coordinator Member Services and HNS Director at Large/Chair Elite Hockey. Players who are not selected and signed are considered released and may be permitted to tryout with another U18 Major team in accordance with Regulation 20.1(d). Players MUST attend the spring and/or summer camp of the team in their home region, as defined in Section 6.2 above, players not attending camps are not automatically considered to be released.

 

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PLAYER REGISTRATION POLICY

 

 

U18 Major teams are permitted to sign twenty (20) players from those eligible, or approved released players. There is no set date for teams to have final selections and final player rosters registered with the League, however players are not permitted to play in any regular season league game until they have been signed and approved by the NSU18MHL Registrar, HNS Coordinator Member Services and Director at Large/Chair Elite Hockey.

 

U18 Major teams are permitted to sign ten (10) Special Affiliation Agreements, of whom one (1) must be a goalkeeper. Special affiliated players are not permitted to participate for the selecting team until their player certificate has been approved by Director at Large/Chair Elite Hockey. The Director at Large/Chair Elite Hockey approval will not be provided until written consent by both teams involved in the affiliation agreement is filed with the HNS Coordinator Member Services and Director at Large/Chair Elite Hockey.

 

 

REGISTERED PLAYER RELEASE POLICY

 

Registered players aged 15 may not be released to a lower division team after October 31 unless written permission is granted by the League President and approved by the Chair Minor Hockey Council.

 

Registered players aged 16 and 17 may not be released to a lower division team after December 15 unless written permission is granted by the League President and approved by the Chair Minor Hockey Council.

 

 

PLAYER RELEASE POLICY

 

1) U18 Major aged players released by a U18 Major team in the Halifax/Dartmouth Regions by August 31st may try-out for either of the other two U18 Major teams in the Halifax/Dartmouth Regions.

2) Players released by all three U18 Major teams in the Halifax/Dartmouth Regions may try-out for the South Shore Mustangs or Valley Wildcats with written request from the League President going to the HNS Coordinator Member Services and Director at Large/Chair Elite Hockey for approval.

 

3) Players from the Western Region released by the South Shore Mustangs U18 Major team may try-out for any U18 Major team in the South Conference with written request from the League President going to the HNS Coordinator Member Services and Director at Large/Chair Elite Hockey for approval.

 

4) Players from the Nova Region released by the Valley Wildcats U18 Major team may try-out for any U18 Major team in the South Conference with written request from the League President going to the HNS Coordinator Member Services and Director at Large/Chair Elite Hockey for approval.

 

5) Players from the Fundy Region released by Weeks Majors U18 team may try- out for any U18 Major team in the North Conference or any of the three U18 Major teams in the Halifax/Dartmouth Regions with written request from the League President going to the HNS Coordinator Member Services and Director at Large/Chair Elite Hockey for approval.

 

 

 

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6) Players from the Highland Region released by Weeks Majors U18 team may try-out for any U18 Major team in the North Conference with written request from the League President going to the HNS Coordinator Member Services and Director at Large/Chair Elite Hockey for approval.

 

7) Players from the Strait Region released by the Cape Breton Islanders U18 Major team may try-out for any U18 Major team in the North Conference with written request from the League going to the HNS Coordinator Member Services and Director at Large/Chair Elite Hockey for approval.

 

8) Players from the Cape Breton Region released by Sydney Rush U18 Major team may try-out for any U18 major team in the North Conference with written request from the League President going to the HNS Coordinator Member Services and Director at Large/Chair Elite Hockey for approval.

 

9) Players released by all teams in their respective conference where they reside may apply to NSU18MHL for approval to try-out for teams in other conferences. 20.1(e)

 

10) Any player who played for a NSU18MHL team outside of their home zone must remain with that team for a minimum of 2 seasons, or as such time the player is released per section 6.6 or 6.8 of the League Policy Manual.

 

 

 

NSU18MHL HRM ZONING

 

The three U18 Major teams in HRM will have access to player’s residing in HRM, coming into the NSU18MHL as defined by the following residency regulations, with conditions as noted. This policy shall be effective at the conclusion of the 2020-2021 season.

 

•Halifax – TASA Minor Hockey Association, Chebucto Minor Hockey Association, Halifax Minor Hockey Association, as defined by HNS Regulation 15(17.b.i), Excluding Bedford and Sackville Minor Hockey Associations.

• Dartmouth – Bedford Minor Hockey Association, Dartmouth Minor Hockey Association, as defined by HNS Regulation 15(17.b.i and ii), Excluding, TASA, Chebucto, Halifax, Sackville, Cole Harbour, Eastern Shore and East Hants Minor Hockey Associations.

• Cole Harbour – Cole Harbour/Bel Ayr Minor Hockey Association, Sackville Minor Hockey Association, Eastern Shore Minor Hockey Association, East Hants Minor Hockey Association as defined by HNS Regulation 15(17.b.i and ii), Excluding TASA, Chebucto, Halifax, Bedford, and Dartmouth Minor Hockey Associations.

 

The following conditions shall apply in HRM:

 

• A first-year player coming into the NSU18MHL that has played U15 Major on an HRM team outside of his home residency MHA zone, shall be eligible to try-out for the U18 Major team in the zone of that U15 Major team if he/she so desires. Said player must notify the NSU18MHL President in writing of this intention by April 12th. If the written intent is not received, the player must try-out in his/her home zone.

• Any player coming from Prep school, or a player who has moved to the HRM area, must try-out for the NSU18MHL team in his/her home residency zone, as defined by the residency regulations above, regardless of where the player played U15 Major. Any second or third-year player, who has previously tried-out and not been signed by an HRM NSU18MHL team, shall be eligible to try-out for any of the three HRM NSU18MHL teams.

 

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