Rule 23 - Game Misconduct Penalties
23.1 Game Misconduct Penalty - A game misconduct penalty involves the suspension of a player or goalkeeper for the balance of the game but a substitute is permitted to replace immediately the player or goalkeeper so removed.
23.2 Fines and Suspensions - A player or goalkeeper incurring a game misconduct penalty shall incur an automatic fine of two hundred dollars ($200) and the case shall be reported to the Commissioner who shall have full power to impose such further penalties by way of suspension or fine on the penalized player, goalkeeper or any other player involved in the altercation.
Any game misconduct penalty for which a player or goalkeeper has been assessed an automatic suspension or supplementary discipline in the form of game suspension(s) by the Commissioner shall not be taken into account when calculating the total number of offenses under this subsection.
The automatic suspensions incurred under this subsection in respect to League games shall have no effect with respect to violations during Playoff games.
Any request by a Club to have a game misconduct reviewed and rescinded by the League must submit their request in writing to the League’s Hockey Operations Department within 48 hours of the conclusion of the game in which the game misconduct was assessed. Failure to submit the written request within this time frame will automatically result in the game misconduct being upheld and no further review of the incident will be considered or entertained. This does not apply to infractions addressed under Rule 29 – Supplementary Discipline.
23.3 Fines and Suspensions – General Category - In regular League games, any player or goalkeeper who incurs a total of three (3) game misconduct penalties in the “General Category” and exclusive of other designated categories, shall be suspended for the next League game of his team. For each subsequent game misconduct penalty, the automatic suspension shall be increased by one game. For each suspension of a player or goalkeeper, his Club shall be fined one thousand dollars ($1,000).
In Playoff games, any player or goalkeeper who incurs a total of two game misconduct penalties in the “General Category” shall be suspended automatically for the next Playoff game of his team. For each subsequent game misconduct penalty during the Playoffs, the automatic suspension shall be increased by one game. For each suspension of a player or goalkeeper during Playoffs, his club shall be fined one thousand dollars ($1,000).
For a list of infractions involving game misconducts that are included in the “General Category”, please refer to the Reference Tables – Table 10 – Summary of Game Misconduct Fouls Included in the “General Category”. See specific rule numbers for complete descriptions.
23.4 Fines and Suspensions – Abuse of Officials Category - In regular League or Playoff games, any player or goalkeeper who incurs a total of two (2) game misconduct penalties for abuse of officials related infractions penalized under Rule 40 - Abuse of Officials, shall be suspended automatically for the next League or Playoff game of his team. For each subsequent game misconduct penalty, the automatic suspension shall be increased by one game.
23.5 Fines and Suspensions – Stick Infractions, Boarding and Checking from Behind Category - In regular League games, any player or goalkeeper who incurs a total of two (2) game misconduct penalties for stick-related infractions, Boarding – Rule 42, or Checking from Behind – Rule 44, shall be suspended automatically for the next League game of his team. For each subsequent game misconduct penalty, the automatic suspension shall be increased by one game.
In Playoff games any player or goalkeeper who incurs a total of two (2) game misconduct penalties for stick-related infractions, Boarding – Rule 42, or Checking from Behind – Rule 44, shall be suspended automatically for the next Playoff game of his team. For each subsequent game misconduct penalty in this category during the Playoffs the automatic suspension shall be increased by one game.
Prior to the commencement of each Stanley Cup Finals, a player or goalkeeper will have his current stick-related, boarding and checking from behind game misconducts removed from his current playoff record. They will remain part of his historical record.
When a player or goalkeeper has played in 41 consecutive regular League games without being assessed a stick-related major and a game misconduct penalty according to Rule 20– Major Penalties or Rule 22 – Misconduct Penalties, he will have the previous game misconduct penalties removed from his current record. They will remain part of his historical record.
For a list of stick-related infractions, refer to the Reference Tables – Table 11 – Summary of Game Misconduct Fouls Included in the “Stick-Related Category”. See specific rule numbers for complete descriptions.
When a player or goalkeeper has played in 41 consecutive regular League games without being assessed a boarding and/or a checking from behind major and a game misconduct according to Rules 42 and 44, he will have the previous game misconduct penalties removed from his current record. They will remain part of his historical record.
A player or goalkeeper’s total games played will cover a two-year time period from the date of the first game misconduct penalty for each category of foul.
23.6 Automatic Game Misconduct – See 20.4.
23.7 Other Infractions That Could Result in a Game Misconduct – Refer to the Reference Tables – Table 12 – Summary of Game Misconduct Penalties for a list of the infractions that can result in a game misconduct penalty being assessed (see specific rule numbers for complete descriptions).
In addition, the following list of infractions can also result in a game misconduct penalty being assessed:
(i) interfering with or striking a spectator.
(ii) post-game verbal abuse from players, goalkeepers or non-playing club personnel (on or off the ice)
(iii) racial taunts or slurs
(iv) spitting on or at an opponent or spectator
Any player, goalkeeper or non-playing Cub personnel who physically interferes with the spectators, becomes involved in an altercation with a spectator, or throws any object at a spectator, shall automatically incur a game misconduct penalty and the Referee shall report all such infractions to the Commissioner who shall have full power to impose such further penalty as he shall deem appropriate.
