Parent's Guide to Hockey Québec M9 Hockey 2025-26

• Counting: an association or organization counts its registered M9 players (goalies excluded) on October 15 and uses that number to decide how many teams to form in each recruitment territory the region accepts. The regulations then set the A, B, C and D classification for the division from a table.
• Changing class: an association may ask its region to move one or more teams up or down a class.
• Balanced teams: at the start of the season, M9 players must be spread across the teams in equal numbers or with at most one player of difference between all teams. An association can ask its region for an exception where there are frequent absences or dropouts.
• Class labels: Hockey Québec's M9 classes are M9 (single), M9-1 (A), M9-2 (B), M9-3 (C) and M9-4 (D).

Source: Hockey Québec administrative regulations 2025-26, articles 4.8 and 6.4.

• Maximum: 12 regular players plus one goalie.
• Minimum before the first game: six regular players plus one goalie.
• Recommended: eight players plus one goalie, or nine players. Teams may rotate so that one player takes the goalie position each game.

Source: Hockey Québec administrative regulations 2025-26, article 6.3.

League activities for M9 cannot start before January 1. Games within an association or organization are allowed between the end of the lessons and the start of the regular season, no earlier than November 1. M9 teams must play in a league within their recruitment territory unless the region authorizes otherwise.

Source: Hockey Québec administrative regulations 2025-26, article 6.2.

• Hockey Québec's recommended frequency for M9 is 2 to 3 times per week (1 to 2 times for M7).
• A regular season has a maximum of 26 games per year.
• Every association's initiation program must include 20 hours of instruction a year for M7 and M9.
• Regular-season game start times are limited: an M9 game must start by 19:30 on Fridays and Saturdays and by 19:00 on other days, Sunday included.

Source: Hockey Québec administrative regulations 2025-26, articles 6.1, 6.7 and 6.10.

M9 festivals start in January, and the regulations list three M9 festivals a season. Rules for M9 festivals:

• No games during school hours, except on Fridays that are pedagogical days.
• No game may start before 17:00 on weekdays.
• At most two games per day, with at least one hour of rest between them.
• Each team plays at most four games and at least two.
• The score is not displayed during games.
• No final and no knockout game is allowed.
• Play follows the rules set by the M7 and M9 programs.

Source: Hockey Québec administrative regulations 2025-26, articles 9.2.6 and 6.7.

Playing up: a player in the last age year of M7 or M9 may play in a higher division, within the highest class of their recruitment territory. The association must file a written evaluation of the player with the region and get the region's authorization. The player's skill level must be considered so they are placed in the matching class.

Affiliated players (marked J.A. on the game sheet): an M9 affiliated player cannot play if the team dresses every player on its registration, except a team with seven or fewer players plus one goalie. That team may use affiliated players at any time to reach the recommended eight players. Eligibility follows a table in the regulations that reads left to right: M9 A is followed by M9 B, C, D and M7; M9 B by C, D and M7; M9 C by D and M7; M9 D by M7. M7 affiliated players must be placed in the class that matches their skill level.

Source: Hockey Québec administrative regulations 2025-26, articles 6.5.1 to 6.5.3.

At all times during hockey activities, every player, goalies included, must wear:

• a CSA-approved protective helmet;
• a CSA-approved full face protector; and
• a neck guard approved by the Bureau de normalisation du Québec (BNQ).

Goalies must also wear a rigid throat protector. A mouthguard is optional in all divisions and classes. The official in charge of the game must refuse permission to play to anyone without the required equipment.

Source: Hockey Québec administrative regulations 2025-26, article 7.2.5.

Yes. Hockey Québec requires every head coach, assistant coach, animator, escort or other helper working at an on-ice practice, on-ice training or on-ice activity with players under its jurisdiction to wear a CSA-certified helmet with the chin strap properly fastened. A person who does not comply cannot take part in the on-ice activity, and the body they answer to may impose a suspension.

Source: Hockey Québec administrative regulations 2025-26, article 3.7.

In the initiation chapter of the regulations, any player who accumulates at least three minor penalties in the same game is ejected from that game and must go to the dressing room for the rest of the game.

Source: Hockey Québec administrative regulations 2025-26, article 6.9.

Hockey Québec's administrative regulations (2025-26) require every region, association and organization to adopt Hockey Québec's codes of ethics, including the Parents' Code of Ethics, as its own ethics rule. Members are bound by them from then on.

• The association must have each parent sign the code, either electronically or by hand. The adherence form must clearly state that any breach may lead to a sanction.
• A breach of any obligation under the codes of ethics can be sanctioned by the discipline committee, or failing that, by the board of directors or executive of the body the member belongs to.
• Hockey Québec publishes the parent's code adherence form (French) and agreement (English) for 2026-27 on its Codes of ethics page.

Source: Hockey Québec administrative regulations 2025-26, article 10.4, and Hockey Québec's Codes of ethics page.