In an exciting move to foster teamwork and accountability, Sackville Minor Hockey Association is proud to introduce a pilot project for a groundbreaking rule change: Penalty Sharing.

Starting immediately, any player who receives a penalty will be given the option to share their time in the box with a teammate of their choosing. The rule applies to all minor penalties and is designed to reinforce the importance of supporting one another—on and off the ice.

“We believe this rule will bring players closer together and help them develop important life skills,” said SMHA’s President Rob Nurnber. “If you take a tripping penalty, now you’ll have to think about who’s got your back—or who owes you one!”

To ensure fairness, players cannot select the same teammate more than once per game. Additionally, goalies will not be allowed to participate in penalty sharing—except in cases where there are no other players available. 

The SMHA Board is looking forward to reviewing the new rule in action at the upcoming Day of Champions games involving our very own U13B CMHL Champion Team on April 5 in Truro. The Association is confident it will be a game-changer for minor hockey.