Rules You Should Know
Hockey has plenty of rules—on the ice and off it. The tricky part is that many of the off-ice rules aren’t obvious until you’ve been in travel hockey for a while. This guide breaks down the most important ones that affect where kids can play and how clubs are built.
Who’s in Charge?
Here’s the structure:
- USA Hockey is the national governing body for youth hockey. Every player must register with USA Hockey to be placed on an official roster, and every coach must complete certifications to be on the bench. Once a roster is approved, it becomes the “Official USA Hockey Roster” used for league play and tournaments.
- AHAI (Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois) is the Illinois chapter of USA Hockey and oversees all hockey in the state. This includes Tier I (also referred to as AAA), Tier II (this is us), Tier III (commonly referred to as House or Rec), Adult, High School, Girls, and Disabled hockey clubs. Think of USA Hockey as the federal government and AHAI as the state government. AHAI follows all national rules but also sets additional policies specific to Illinois.
Why does this matter? Because AHAI rules directly affect player movement, team formation, and even coaching. These rules are approved by both the AHAI Board and a majority of club presidents to make sure hockey stays consistent and fair across the state.
The complete rules and Bylaws can be found on the AHAI website, but we have summarized some of the most important rules below:
Key AHAI Rules to Know
Two-Choice Rule
Designed to reduce “club hopping,” this rule applies to Tier II players only (Squirts through Bantams).
- Between ages 9U (Squirt Minor) and 14U (Bantam Major), players may roster with only two Tier II clubs.
- Once you pick a club and are placed on an official roster, that’s your first choice. Switching to another Tier II club becomes your second choice.
- After that, you can only play for one of those two clubs
- If you want to play for a third Tier II club during that time you must apply for a third choice with AHAI during the Tier II Choice Application window which is usually from the middle of the summer to the beginning of the season.
- Exceptions: If a club folds or can’t field a team at a player's age level, you automatically get a new choice (though you still need to file the paperwork with AHAI).
- Once players reach Midgets (15U), they are granted a third choice.
Import Rule
This rule limits how many players a team can add from other Tier II clubs in a given year. It’s a team-based limit, not a club-wide one:
- Squirts (10U): 2 imports per team
- Peewees (12U): 3 imports per team
- Bantams (14U): 4 imports per team
- Mites (8U) and Midgets (15–18): no limit
Note: If a player is brand new to Tier II (for example, moving up from Mites), they don’t count as an import. If a player is moving from a Tier I club to a Tier II club, they also do not count as an import.
Coaching Movement Rule
If a head coach leaves one club for another, players who were on that coach’s roster cannot follow them to the new club for the next season. This prevents coaches from taking players with them if they move.
Mites and AAU
USA Hockey does not allow sanctioned full-ice games for Mites. To play full-ice hockey, Mite programs and families must register their players with both USA Hockey and AAU.
That’s why Mite programs often look a little different. They may use a slightly different club name (ours is the Junior Huskies), and they often have distinct uniforms.
Once players reach 10U, they no longer need an AAU membership to play full-ice hockey with the Huskies.
What This Means for Families
When choosing a club, don’t just look at ice time or wins. Think bigger picture:
- Do you like the coaches, directors, and is the club run well?
- Is the rink a place you don’t mind spending lots of time?
- Does the program feel like the right community for your family?
- Does the program offer opportunities for your player to grow and develop as a hockey player and as a person?
These rules are in place to create stability and fairness—but at the end of the day, hockey is about development, teamwork, and enjoying the game.
