Rule 206. Injured Players

1. When a player, other than a goalkeeper, is injured or compelled to leave the ice during a game, he may retire from the game and be replaced by a substitute, but play must continue without the teams leaving the ice.

2. If a goalkeeper sustains an injury or becomes ill he must be ready to resume play immediately or be replaced by a substitute goalkeeper. No additional time shall be allowed by the Referee for the purpose of enabling the injured or ill goalkeeper to resume his position. (See also Rule 205(e)).

3. The substitute goalkeeper shall be subject to the regular rules governing goalkeepers and shall be entitled to the same privileges.

4. If a penalized player has been injured he may proceed to the dressing room without the necessity of taking a seat on the penalty bench.

   Except for Juniors - If the injured player receives a minor or major penalty, the penalized team shall place a substitute on the penalty bench immediately and no replacement for the penalized player shall be permitted to enter the game except from the penalty bench, provided that should the penalized player return to the game before his penalty has expired, he may replace the substitute player on the penalty bench during a stoppage of play.

   For Juniors only - If the injured player receives a major penalty, the penalized team shall place a substitute player on the penalty bench before the penalty expires and no other replacement for the penalized player shall be permitted to enter the game except from the penalty bench.

   The penalized player who has been injured and been replaced on the penalty bench shall not be eligible to play until his penalty has expired.

   For a violation of this rule a bench minor penalty shall be imposed.

   (Note) No substitution on the penalty bench is required under this rule for any player(s) who have been immediately substituted on the ice under Rule 402(f) - coincident minor penalties and/or Rule 403(c) - coincident major penalties.

5. When a player is injured so that he cannot continue play or go to his players' bench, the play shall not be stopped until the injured player's team has secured possession of the puck; if the player's team is in possession of the puck at the time of injury, play shall be stopped immediately, unless his team is in a scoring position.

   (Note) In the case where it is obvious that a player has sustained a serious injury, the Referee and/or Linesman may stop the play immediately.

6. A player other than a goalkeeper, whose injury appears serious enough to warrant the stoppage of play, may not participate further in the game until the completion of the ensuing face-off.

7. A player or goalkeeper who is obviously bleeding shall be ruled off the ice immediately if observed during a stoppage of play. If observed during play, play shall be stopped immediately, and the bleeding player or goalkeeper then ruled off the ice. Said player or goalkeeper shall not be allowed to return to play until the bleeding has been stopped and the cut or abrasion covered. It is required that any affected equipment/uniform be properly decontaminated or exchanged.

   Likewise, if an on-ice official is bleeding, at the next stoppage, said official shall seek treatment to stop the bleeding and cover the cut or abrasion before continuing. It is required that any affected equipment/uniform be properly decontaminated or exchanged.