How do major, misconduct, game misconduct, gross misconduct and match penalties differ?

• Major (Rule 4.4): a five-minute time penalty. Any player, goaltender or team official given a Major is also given a Game Misconduct, goes to the dressing room for the rest of the game and is reported to the Member or league. The coach, through the captain, designates a player who was on the ice to serve it. If a player gets a Minor and a Major at the same stoppage, the Major is served first.
• Misconduct (Rule 4.7): a non-time penalty; the team does not play shorthanded. The player is off the ice for 10 minutes of actual playing time, a substitute is allowed immediately, and the player stays in the penalty bench until the first stoppage after the penalty expires. A player given a Minor and a Misconduct serves the Minor first (a substitute serves it) and the Misconduct starts when the Minor ends. A second Misconduct in the same game automatically becomes a Game Misconduct.
• Game Misconduct (Rule 4.8): non-time; the player or team official is removed from the game and ordered to the dressing room, a substitute is allowed immediately, 10 minutes is recorded on the Official Game Report, and the person is reported to the Member or league.
• Game Ejection (Rule 4.8 (b)): non-time; the player is removed with no time recorded. It applies to a player assessed three Minor penalties for stick infractions (butt-ending, cross-checking, slashing, spearing, high-sticking) in the same game, and, in minor and female divisions, three Minor or double Minor head contact penalties in the same game. It does not trigger an automatic suspension.
• Gross Misconduct (Rule 4.9): non-time; the person is removed, ordered to the dressing room, 10 minutes is recorded and the person is reported to the Member or league.
• Match (Rule 4.10): a five-minute time penalty; the team plays shorthanded, the player or team official goes to the dressing room immediately and cannot take part in further games until the Member or league has dealt with the case. The team sends a player who was on the ice to serve the five minutes.

Automatic suspension (Rules 4.8 (c), 4.9 (b)): a Game Misconduct or Gross Misconduct assessed in the last 10 minutes of regular playing time, at any time in overtime or after the game ends carries a suspension of at least the next regular league or play-off game or seven days.

Source: Hockey Canada Playing Rules 2026-2028, Rules 4.4 and 4.7 to 4.10. https://cdn.hockeycanada.ca/hockey-canada/Hockey-Programs/Officiating/Downloads/2026-28-hc-rulebook-e.pdf