How does an Inter-Member Transfer work, and what are its deadlines?

A player moving to a team in another Member must follow Regulation H.

1. The player first obtains a Release from the last team or MHA they were registered with. The player or their Parent then endorses the transfer application.
2. The Inter-Member Transfer is initiated in the HCR with the application form, the player's registration and the Release attached.
3. The player must hold a fully approved Inter-Member Transfer before registering with a team in the new Member.
4. The Member receiving the application must approve or reject it within 3 business days. A rejection must state reasons, and a rejection without reasons is deemed an approval. The 3-business-day period does not apply from May 1 to July 31 each year.
5. The final date for filing Inter-Member Transfer applications, or incoming transfers from another Federation, is February 10. For outgoing IIHF transfers it is February 15.
6. A transferred player cannot be held idle: they must be placed on the team's roster within 2 weeks of the approved transfer date, or the Member or Hockey Canada may release them.

A player who does not need a Release under the Regulation G.9 exceptions still needs an Inter-Member Transfer before playing for any team in the new Member. In general, a player of U18 eligibility or under cannot be transferred between Members, or from another Federation, to play other than Major Junior hockey, unless Regulation G.9(b) or (c) applies, with limited exceptions in Regulation H.1.

Source: Hockey Canada By-laws and Regulations 2026-27, Regulation H.1 to H.9.