Affiliated Players (AP) (Erin-Hillsburgh Minor Hockey Association)

OMHA rules and regulations for Affiliated Players (APs)

What is an AP player?

• An affiliated player (AP) is a player who is eligible to play on their own registered team, plus one other team of a higher age division or category

• A player can affiliate for no more than one other team; once they have been rostered as an AP they cannot switch to affiliate for another team in that season

• Note for local league players:  Select does not count towards an AP; a player can be rostered to their own team, as an AP for a higher age division or category team, plus be rostered on a Select team

Who can affiliate for a given team?

• In accordance with OMHA policy, affiliated players can come from either the same age division, lower category or the same category, lower age division

• For example, from a team perspective, PeeWee BB can AP from PeeWee AE or PeeWee LL (same age; lower category); or from Atom BB (same category, lower age). PeeWee AE cannot AP from Atom BB (lower age, higher category)

• From a player perspective, a PeeWee LL player can AP for any of Bantam LL, PeeWee BB or PeeWee AE.  A PeeWee BB player could also AP for the PeeWee (or Minor PeeWee) Halton Hurricanes AAA

• A player must fulfill their obligations to their rostered team before participating as an AP

AP paperwork

• In order to play as an AP in a game, a player must be rostered as an AP for that team.

• An OMHA Offer of Affiliation form must be completed and signed by all of the following individuals: the coach offering the AP position, the coach of the player’s registered team, the player, the player’s parent and the association OMHA delegate (VP Operations)

• The player is then added to the affiliating team’s roster for approval by the OMHA

• The deadline for rostering an AP is January 15th

• Please note: these two forms must be given to potential AP player - AP Cover Letter and Offer of Affiliation Form

 

EHMHA guidelines for APs

Guidelines on offering AP positions

• AP positions provide assistance to teams to fill in for injured or absent players

• The EHMHA strongly encourages the signing of APs such that it maximizes opportunities for all players, and recognizes that teams have access to different pools of players dependent upon their division

• With this goal in mind, where an AE team exists, the EHMHA encourages coaches of BB teams to consider selecting APs from the AE team in the same division as a primary source.  A secondary source of APs would be the BB team from the lower division.

• This approach will help to ensure that AE teams have reasonable access to local league players should they also require the assistance of APs

Communication before signing

• Most players are in a position where they are eligible to sign as an AP for more than one option of team (i.e. a PeeWee LL player could AP for Bantam LL, PeeWee AE or PeeWee BB)

• Before the OMHA delegate (EHMHA VP Operations) signs an offer of affiliation, he/she will ensure that the player and the player’s family understands all options available to them before committing to a specific team

• In the end, the parents and players have the right to choose to affiliate for any eligible team who gives them an offer

Participation in games

• APs are to be used to fill gaps, not to augment lineups

• The primary use of APs is to fill in for absent or injured players

• For games, teams will only be allowed to call up APs to match the number of players listed on their OMHA approved roster sheet.  The only exceptions are as follows:

  • A rep team rostering only one goalie is affiliating a backup goalie
  • For tournaments, where a team may wish to augment their bench in case of an injury or suspension

   

• In all cases, the EHMHA Fair and Equal Ice Policy and Rep Ice Time Guidelines shall apply

Participation in practices

• Potential APs are permitted to attend practices of a higher division/category team without being signed as an AP

Charges for AP participation

• When an AP participates in a game or practice, they are assisting the team in avoiding a short bench, but they are also receiving additional ice time which is not covered by their registration fees

• EHMHA matches player revenue with ice costs:

  • For rep teams this is managed at the team level: A rep team with a roster of 16 players generates more revenue than a rep team rostering 13 players, and therefore receives a larger practice ice budget
  • For local league - because decisions about team size are directly dependant on overall registration, and not at the discretion of the teams themselves – this is managed at the overall local league level

• For rep teams, any potential fees levied towards affiliated players must be discussed with and agreed to by a vote from the parents of the rostered players during the initial team meeting with the parents.  Any revenue received to cover ice time must be reported in the team budget statement.  As a general guideline:

  • If a player is called up for one or two games as an acute stop gap, an ice time fee would not be expected as they are assisting the team in avoiding a short bench
  • If a player is required on a more regular basis due to extended injury or suspension, or is given the opportunity to regularly attend practice with the affiliate team, a reasonable ice time fee may be expected per the decided team policy and should be agreed to by the AP and their parents at the time the offer of affiliation is presented

• For local league teams, any decisions about ice time compensation will be decided at an association level.