What are the national rules on affiliated players for a team?

The purpose of affiliation in the Hockey Canada By-laws 2026-27 (Regulation F) is to let higher division or category teams dress the maximum number of players allowed for a game under the Playing Rules.

• How many: in all categories other than Senior AAA, a team may select up to 19 affiliated players. If it selects the maximum, at least two must be goaltenders (F.1).
• From where: only from lower division or category teams operating in the same geographic subdivision, and the players and teams must be properly registered in the Hockey Canada Registry (F.2).
• Not within a league: teams from different divisions or categories competing in the same league cannot affiliate between themselves (F.8), apart from a Senior league exception.
• Imports: a player transferred in from another Member or federation (including USA Hockey), other than a Non-North American Import, may move up as an affiliate only if the total number of active Imports on the higher team does not exceed the number allowed for it in any game (F.11). A Non-North American Import cannot advance as an affiliate (F.12), nor can a player who transferred to play minor hockey after a successful appeal (F.13).
• Game day: a team can dress at most 20 players (18 skaters and 2 goaltenders) per game, all registered under Hockey Canada Regulations (Playing Rules, Rule 2.2 (a)).

How to record an affiliate and the game limits are in the next answer.

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