08/31/2026
🏒 2026 Summer 4-on-4 Wrap-Up & Looking Ahead to 2027! 🏒
Before we wrap up our summer 4-on-4 season, good luck to our **U9 and U13 ORHL teams** as they hit the ice tonight at the Muskoka Lumber Community Centre for their first practices of our inaugural ORHL season! An exciting new chapter for the Muskoka Sharpshooters!
Now, back to 4-on-4...
A huge thank you to everyone who completed our 4-on-4 feedback survey! Overall, the feedback was very positive, and we're already planning to bring the program back next summer.
Here's some of what we learned and what we're looking at for 2027:
🏒 **Divisions**
We're currently considering **U11, U13, U15 and U17**, or we're also exploring the possibility of adding a **girls division**.
One of the biggest factors in any expansion will be goalies! Regardless of which direction we take, we need enough goalies to support the number of divisions and teams.
Our final format will depend on available ice, registration numbers and goalie availability. We expect to know much more once our summer ice is confirmed, likely around January.
📏 **Offsides**
This was one of the closer questions in the survey, but the largest group voted in favour of adding offsides.
Based on the results and written feedback, we're leaning toward introducing offsides in 2027, while continuing with no icing to keep the games moving.
⏱️ **Fair & Consistent Shifts**
One idea we're considering for next summer is a 2-minute buzzer to help keep shifts consistent and ensure everyone gets their share of the ice.
At the buzzer, players would change, with incoming players skating behind their own net before joining the play. If a player still has possession when the horn sounds, the referee would blow the play dead, possession would change, and the half-ice rule would apply.
No decision has been made on this yet. We'll be talking to players, parents and coaches over the winter before deciding if this is something we want to introduce.
👥 **Roster Sizes**
This is one area where we will be making a change.
Next summer, teams will have a maximum of 12 players. No exceptions.
Deposits will also need to be paid promptly to secure a roster spot. If a division fills, we'll use a waiting list rather than adding extra teams.
We tried expanding a division this summer when registrations were high in an effort to accommodate more players. Unfortunately, it created scheduling and roster challenges, so we won't be experimenting with additional teams within a division next summer.
⬆️ **Playing Up**
Players looking for stronger competition will be welcome to register in an older division where appropriate.
📅 **Season Length**
Most respondents felt the season length was about right, although a good number felt it ran a little too long.
We're not planning to split the summer into separate sessions, but we are looking at a 16-game season for 2027.
🔄 **Spare Player List**
We're also planning to introduce a formal registered spare player list.
This will be available for players who missed registration, couldn't secure a full-time roster spot, or simply only want to spare.
Coaches will have access to the list when their team is short.
**ALL spare players must be registered with the Muskoka Sharpshooters before stepping on the ice.** Teams will only be permitted to use spares to bring their game roster up to 8 players.
Most importantly, we're not looking to completely change 4-on-4.
The feedback told us that families enjoyed the fun, fast-paced and lower-pressure summer hockey environment. We want to keep that!
Our goal for 2027 is to improve the organization, consistency, roster sizes and fair ice time while keeping the things that made the program fun.
Thank you again to everyone who played, coached, refereed, volunteered and provided feedback this summer. Your feedback really does help us plan for next year.
And now it's time to start another exciting chapter...
Good luck to our U9 and U13 Sharpshooters as our first ORHL season gets underway tonight! 🏒🎯
