What are the key roster dates: November 15, January 10 and February 10?

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Under Hockey Canada Regulations (2026-27): November 15 (5:00:00 pm MST): a player who was on a team's roster after the previous season's Final Registration Date becomes a free agent without needing a release if they have not registered with a team in a non-sanctioned league that season and have not consented to register with the team and been added to its roster by this deadline (E.10). If the player is injured, the deadline can be extended to January 10 with a doctor's statement on the injury and expected return and a written consent to remain on the protected list, both provided by November 15. January 10 (5:00:00 pm MST): Junior teams' rosters must be reduced to no more than 25 (counting players on the roster plus allotted but unused registrations). A team failing to meet this is ineligible for further competition until it does (E.4, E.7). Players deleted or omitted from the roster on January 10 are automatically released (E.8). A player who is injured or medically unfit for the rest of the season can be included on the January 10 roster without counting in the total, with a medical certificate satisfactory to the Member (E.9). February 10: the Final Registration Date, and the last day to file applications for Inter-Member transfers or incoming transfers from another federation (definition 12, H.2).