1. For a team to play a game it must be able to put on the ice at least five skaters and one goaltender at the beginning of the game.

1. If both teams are on the ice and one team refuses to play for any reason, the referee will warn the captain of the unwilling team that it must begin play within 30 seconds. If the team still refuses to play, the referee will assess it a bench-minor penalty. If there is a recurrence or continuance of the same incident, the referee will stop the game and report the incident to the proper authorities.

2. If a team is not on the ice and fails to go on the ice to start play when ordered by the referee through the captain, manager, or coach, the referee will allow the refusing team not more than two minutes to resume play. If the team resumes play within those two minutes, it will be assessed a bench-minor penalty. If the team still refuses to go on the ice, the referee will stop the game and report the incident to the proper authorities.

3. A team that refuses to begin play with the prescribed number of players on ice will forfeit the game to its opponent.

4. A team will forfeit the game to its opponent if it cannot place the required number of players on the ice during the course of a game because of penalties and injuries.

5. If a team declines to participate in the penalty-shot shootout, its opponent will be awarded the win.

1. A player must meet the criteria of both the IIHF and his member national association before he can play in a game. Specifically, he must meet the nationality and age requirements and be listed in the pre-tournament, pre-event, or pre-game roster of players as well as on the game sheet.

2. The determining factor for a player’s eligibility is his name (not jersey number) being correctly listed in the lineup.

3. No goal will be allowed by a team during a game if one of its players on the ice at the time his team scores is ineligible and the referee has been notified of the error prior to the ensuing faceoff at centre ice immediately after the goal. All previous goals by the ineligible player’s team will count.

4. If a player is assessed a penalty, and during the penalty he is found to be an ineligible player, he will be removed from the game and a skater designated by the coach through the captain must serve the remainder of the penalty.

5. If a player is found to be ineligible during a game he will be removed immediately without penalty.

6. All cases regarding an ineligible player will be reported to the proper authorities.

1. Sixty minutes before the start of the game, a representative from each team must provide the scorekeeper with a lineup (list of names and corresponding jersey numbers for players dressed), including the names of the captain and alternate captains.

2. In IIHF tournaments, not later than two minutes before the start of a game, a representative from each team must confirm the lineup, but players may be added or deleted up to the opening faceoff.

3. With the exception of a third goaltender, no alterations to the lineup are allowed once the game has started.

4. No team official is allowed onto the ice without the consent of an on-ice official except in the case of attending to an injured player.

5. Each team is allowed to dress a maximum of 20 skaters and two goaltenders for a game (see Rule 202 6)-7) for exception).

6. All players must have a player’s stick and player’s skates and be wearing full equipment in order to be considered eligible to play in a game. Full equipment consists of sticks, skates, protective equipment, and team uniform.

7. All protective equipment must be worn entirely under the uniform except gloves, helmets, and goaltender’s pads.

8. No player is allowed to warm up on ice at the end of a period or at any stoppage of play.

9. Only eligible players are allowed to be listed on the lineup sheet and play in a game.

10. Players who are registered for a tournament or event but who are not listed on the game sheet are allowed to participate in the pre-game warmup.

1. Every team must have at least one staff member behind the bench to act as coach and at least one qualified trainer or medical expert to treat players in case of injury.

1. Team officials who stand at or near the players’ bench during the game are allowed to utilize radio-type technology for contact with another team official in an IIHF designated area.

2. Other forms of technology are permitted only for coaching purposes (i.e., tagging and statistics) and cannot be used to try to influence the decisions of on-ice officials in any manner.

1. Game rules will not allow for a team to have fewer than four players (one goaltender and three skaters, resultant of penalties) or more than six players (one goaltender and five skaters or six skaters) on the ice at any time during game action.

2. Skaters may move about freely in any manner and play whatever positions they wish during game action, but the six standard positions of play are goaltender, left defence, right defence, centre, left wing, and right wing.

3. Only one goaltender is allowed on the ice during game action. This goaltender may be removed and substituted by a skater. However, this replacement skater is not allowed to play under rules pertaining to a goaltender, notably in the matter of equipment, freezing the puck, and physical contact with opponents.

1. Each team must appoint a captain and not more than two alternate captains from among the skaters listed on the game lineup. A team cannot forego the naming of a captain by naming three alternate captains for a game.

2. A team cannot change its captain or alternate captains during a game. If a captain is ejected from a game or cannot play the entire game because of an injury, one of the alternate captains must assume his duties.

3. The captain must wear the letter "C" and alternate captains must wear the letter "A" in a conspicuous position on the front of their jersey. The letter must be 8 cm high and in one contrasting colour to the jersey’s primary colour.

4. Only these designated skaters, if they are not penalized, are allowed to discuss with the referee any matter relating to the interpretation of rules during a game.

5. If both the captain and alternate captain are on the ice, only the captain is allowed to talk to the referee about a point of interpretation.

6. If neither the captain nor an alternate captain is on the ice, he cannot come off the player’s bench to discuss any situation with the referee unless requested to do so by an on-ice official. If he does come off the players’ bench uninvited, he will be sent back by the referee, who will then warn the head coach that a second violation will result in a misconduct penalty.

7. A complaint concerning the merits of a penalty is not a matter relating to the interpretation of the rules and is not allowed. A player who argues a penalty call is subject to a misconduct penalty.