Fair Play Point

Fair Play Point (or Franc Jeu in French) is a method of awarding additional points for playing hockey while meeting some discipline levels set up by the governing body of the sport.

The concept is designed so that players, coaches, and fans are there for the love of the sport.

The main governing bodies that use this concept are Hockey Québec, Minnesota Hockey. The concept also appears to be used in the state of Pennsylvania for youth hockey programs.

The threshold levels for player penalty minutes in Quebec is as follows:
 * Novice: 8 minutes or less
 * Atom: 10 minutes or less
 * PeeWee: 12 minutes or less
 * Bantam: 16 minutes or less
 * Midget: 20 minutes or less
 * Junior: 22 minutes or less

note: This concept is not used in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League or the Quebec Junior Hockey League. It is used in the provinces Junior AA (Junior B for the rest of Canada), Junior A (Junior C for the rest of Canada), and Junior B (junior D for the rest of Canada) level leagues.

Some youth/minor leagues in Quebec also use what is called a league point. This appears to give a point to each team when a game is played and the game is not forfeited due to a lack of players.

An example of this is a follows: A team plays 8 games they have not forfeited any games, did not exceed the threshold of penalty minutes and had a playing record of 1 win 4 losses and 3 ties would have a league standings line looking like this:

GP W L T PT FP LP TP 8 1 4 3= 5 +8 +8=21 (2 pts. for wins and 1 pt. for ties)

They system is designed to encourage fair play and encourage players to show up for games as they would lose two additional points if they do not show up with enough kids to play the game. This system also hurts teams that "stretch the rules" by not giving them points due to having too many players getting penalties. Some teams end up losing as much as 12 points (the equivalent of losing 6 wins during the season) due to going over the thresholds established.

The threshold levels for player penalty minutes in Minnesota are as follows:
 * Squirt: 10 minutes
 * Pee Wee: 12 minutes
 * Bantam: 14 minutes
 * 16 & Under: 16 minutes
 * Junior Gold: 16 minutes
 * Girls 10& under: 8 minutes
 * Girls 12& under: 10 minutes
 * Girls 14& under: 12 minutes
 * Girls 16& under: 14 minutes
 * Girls 19& under: 14 minutes

Also for playoffs and many tournaments if a team goes over this limit they are assessed a five minute penalty to start the overtime.

Teams can also lose their Fair Play point if:


 * a spectator for the home team becomes abusive and it requested to leave the arena
 * A team coach is assessed a Game Misconduct or Match Penalty.
 * An off-ice official (timekeeper, scorekeeper, penalty box attendant) exhibits conduct that results in the the person being removed from their position by the referee(s).

Hockey Minnesota using the following allotment for the various genres of penalties:
 * Minor or bench minor penalty: 2 Minutes
 * Major Penalty: 5 Minutes
 * Misconduct Penalty: 10 Minutes
 * Game Misconduct Penalty: 10 Minutes
 * Match Penalty: 10 Minutes
 * Check from behind: 12 minutes (2 minute minor & 10 Misconduct)
 * Misconduct for no mouth guard: 2 minutes
 * Penalty Shot: Equivalent minutes to penalty assessed