Barn Mice Beer League League Gameplay and Draft Rules
Land Acknowledgement
Barn Mice Beer League is located in the area of the Lenape people, and specific bands like the Canarsie, Matinecock, and Munsee Lenape are recognized for their stewardship of the land in what is currently known as Queens County and the greater Long Island region.
BMBL Hockey Values
Barn Mice Beer League was created for the love of the game of hockey. We created this league to facilitate this love, as well as promote positive competitive culture, inclusive community, respect, and safety.
All players who register are encouraged to maintain this level and behave in a way that upholds these values.
The following actions will not be tolerated in BMBL both on and off the ice:
Physical assault: intentional stick infractions, body checking, fighting
Verbal abuse: degrading, discriminatory, racist or sexist language
Sexual harassment: comments, actions or gestures of a sexual nature
Substance abuse: alcohol or drug consumption in a manner that puts others at risk
BMBL players who play or behave in a dangerous or disrespectful manner will be subject to game ejection, and/or may be subject to additional discipline including suspension or expulsion from the league, based on review by BMBL rules committee.
Draft Rules X Gameplay
Season Logistics
Teams - For the 2025-26 Spring Season, the BMBL will consist of six teams.
Preseason Scrimmage - All players will have one pre-season scrimmage before the
regular season. These scrimmages will not necessarily take place within regular season
teams. Scrimmages will serve to allow players to get into game shape, meet other
players and for league organizers to assess new players and form balanced teams.
Team Draft - The draft will occur before each season. Players will be divided into six color categories based on their skill level. We will conduct an at random selection order of each team that is decided before each draft. Captains will choose players based on color coordinated skill levels. Each team will have the same amount of color “spots” per team. Each team will have 16 players. No team shall have more than others of any color category. Draft selections will happen in 16 rounds. On the chance that a player is required to be with another *romantic relationship, family member, or carpooler, etc. the team can combine picks as long as categories are not abused. The team who chose two players will lose their selection in the next round.
Captains will be selected by The Commissioner before each season based on a particular requirement that will promote fairness and leadership skills.
Each year, new teams will be drafted to promote league parity and develop league community values.
Captains - Captains will be pre-selected by the Commissioner based upon who shows an interest in taking on that role. Captains will pick players during the draft. Captains will help make sure players show up every week and be points of contact for referees and players. Captains are team managers of their teams. Responsibilities include: 1) selecting players in the draft; and 2) ensuring attendance at every game; and 3) submitting player lists for every game. Captains should be the point of contact for the Commissioner as well as referees during the game. Teams will have a minimum of 2 captains and no more than 4. On occasion there can be a goalie captain.
Goalies - Goalies will be assigned to teams in a pair based on the number of goalies that have registered. Will create a fair balance. Goalies will come up with their own schedule on which games they will and won’t attend. For the 2026 season, each team will have 2 goalies.
Team Names - Teams will decide upon their own team name for the season unless there is a sponsor, who will have final say on the name.
Puro Clean
Murphys Bar
Daily Harvest
Joyce Hedgefund
Bae Dental
Green Top Farms
Jerseys - All Barn Mice Players have home (dark) and away (light) jerseys. BMBL teams all wear the same jerseys to enhance the league community and to enable players moving between teams from year to year. Jerseys can be purchased on BarnMiceHockey.com.
Regular Season - Each team will play 1 preseason game and 8 regular season games. and one finals game.
Playoffs - Based on the records of each team. Wins, Losses, Goals For, and Goals Against. The final will be played between the 1 and 2 seeds and consolation final will be played between 3 and 4 and 5 and 6.
Captains/Team Managers
Trades - If due to unforeseen circumstances (injury or severe illness), teams become very imbalanced, a trade might be made from one team to another, after consultation with team reps and affected players. Players can only be traded once per season unless agreed upon by player and captains. Players have until week 8 to be traded; goalies and captains cannot be traded. Captains/Team Managers can stay with teams if they choose, or if they do not, they can relinquish their captaincy but cannot captain another team for at least two seasons. Trades can occur as soon as the draft is over. Trades must be approved by 50% of team managers.
Substitute Players - Teams with less than 10 skaters and 1 goalie are permitted to add a substitute player to their game roster to bring their roster to 10 skaters and 1 goalie. Substitute players should not be added to significantly increase the skill level of the team, but should match the skill level of the absent player. Substitute players should be selected from our BM sub list and or members, as far in advance as possible. The BM sub list players are members of our community and aware of league values. This sub process is to ensure parity among teams and players and to uphold the values of our league.
Game and Season Format:
Game Time - Each 60 minute ice time will consist of a 3 minute warmup followed by
3 12-minute stop-time periods with 1 minute intermissions.
Running Time - If the game is running late, or if the goal differential is 5 or greater, the game clock will run. Referee will make a decision.
Overtime - If the game is tied after regulation, one 5 minute running time 3 on 3 over
time period will take place.
Point System - 2 points per win, 1 point per tie
Tie Break - Ties in the standings will be broken as follows:
a) Least penalty minutes
b) Most penalty-free games
c) Head to Head score between the tied teams
d) Most wins
e) Least Goals Against
f) Most Goals For
g) Coin Toss
Rules
Officials will enforce typical USA Hockey rules of play, as can be found here.
Some highlights or exceptions to these rules can be found below:
Penalties
Major/Misconducts and 5 minute infractions:
Intent to Injure - Any infraction that is intended to injure (intentional stick infraction,
body checking, fighting), will result in a 5 minute major penalty and game misconduct
Roughing and Unsportsmanlike Conduct - Will result in a minimum 4 minute double
minor penalty and could result in 5 minute major penalties or 10 minute misconducts
Stick Infractions - High sticking, cross checking and slashing will result in a minimum 4 minute double minor penalty
Body Checking - Incidental or accidental body checking will result in a minimum 4 minute double minor penalty
2 minute penalties are chaser penalty shots (penalties are still recorded) - learn more
Tripping and Hooking -
Too Many Players or Delay of Game -
Penalty Limits - 3 penalties per player - if exceed, player will be awarded 1 game misconduct and a disciplinary hearing
Offsetting Penalties - Results in two two minute penalties, players go in the box.
Suspensions - Any player ejected from a game will be reviewed to decide whether
a suspension or expulsion is necessary by the rules committee. BMBL reserves the right to expel anyone for any intolerable act or increase suspensions when warranted.
a) If a player receives a major penalty in the last 5 minutes of a game s/he is
automatically suspended for his/her next game. Or 3 minor penalties during the duration of the game.
b) After a player has received two game ejections, they are automatically suspended
for a minimum of two games.
Game Play Logistics:
Playing Equipment - Players must wear full equipment to play, and all equipment must
be in safe and adequate condition. Players must wear skates, shin pads, protective
pants, elbow pads, shoulder pads, hockey gloves and a USA approved helmet with full visor or cage. The League also recommends the use of neck guards, mouth guards, and jocks. A player losing their helmet during play must either immediately skate to the
bench or stop and put the helmet back on.
Team Roster - Team reps must submit a game sheet roster with a maximum of 16
players to the scorekeeper before warmup begins. Only players on this roster are
eligible to play in the game.
Minimum Roster - A game will not begin unless both teams have at least 5 skaters and
1 goalie eligible to play. If officials are ready to begin the game and a team cannot
comply with this rule, the clock will run and continue to run until 15 minutes has expired
and the game will end in a forfeit or; if the offending team is in compliance 7:30 into the
game time one minor penalty will be assessed, or between 7:30 and 15:00, a double
minor penalty will be assessed.
Goalie Injury - In the event a goalie is injured during the game; the team may be given
15 minutes to dress a substitute. They may also play with 6 skaters. In the event the
goalie is ejected from the game, there is no time given to dress a substitute.
Timeouts - Each team may take one 30-second timeout per game. No timeouts are
permitted in overtime.
Two-line passes are permitted
Automatic Icing - Is called when the puck is iced from behind the defensive zone blue line.
High Stick - When the puck is contacted with a stick above the shoulders, the play is
immediately whistled, and the ensuing faceoff is in the offending teams zone.
Goalie Helmet - The play will automatically be blown dead when the goalie gets hit in
the helmet/mask.
Crease Infraction – If a player remains in goalie crease for three seconds, the play will
be stopped and face-off will occur outside the zone.
Rules are subject to change after review from the Rules Committee and Commissioner.
Rules committee is made up of 6 captains from each team and the Comissioner.