What certification does the bench need under the national rules?

Nationally, Hockey Canada sets the bench minimum and leaves the coaching level to each provincial or territorial Member:

• Playing Rules 2026-28, Rule 2.1 (b): the team officials listed on the Official Game Report must include at minimum one Coach that meets Member certification requirements and one Hockey Canada Safety Person (HTCP in Ontario).
• By-laws 2026-27: a Team must include at least one Coach that meets Member certification requirements and one person qualified in the Hockey Canada Safety Program (or, until no later than the end of the 2027-28 season, the HTCP in Ontario).

So the national documents do not name an NCCP level for assistant coaches. The level (for example Coach 1 or Coach 2) comes from your Member. Two examples are in this FAQ: Hockey Manitoba and Hockey Alberta, for 2026-27.

Sources: Hockey Canada Playing Rules 2026-28 (https://cdn.hockeycanada.ca/hockey-canada/Hockey-Programs/Officiating/Downloads/2026-28-hc-rulebook-e.pdf) and By-laws 2026-27 (https://cdn.hockeycanada.ca/hockey-canada/Corporate/About/Downloads/2026-27-bylaws-e.pdf).