The top teams from the regular season will advance to the 2023-24 Winter Playoffs. The playoffs will be held April 12 through April 21.
Playoff Schedule & Standings
2023-24 Winter Playoff Schedule
2023-24 Winter Playoff Standings
Format
A:
Top four teams advance to playoffs
One pool of four teams, round robin (3 games each)
Top two pool play records advance to Tier Championship
Free post-season tournament berth to regular season and playoff champions (playoff runners-up if same team)
B1:
Top four teams from each division advance to playoffs
Two pools of four teams, round robin, cross-divisional play (3 games each)
See below for pools/seeds
Each pool winner advances to Tier Championship
Free post-season tournament berth awarded to each team in the Tier Championship
B2:
Top six teams advance to playoffs
One pool of six teams, round robin (3 games each)
Top two pool play records advance to Tier Championship
Free post-season tournament berth to regular season and playoff champions (playoff runners-up if same team)
B3:
Top five teams from each division advance to playoffs
One pool of ten teams, round robin, cross-divisional play (3 games each)
See below for pools/seeds
Top three pool play records advance
First place in pool standings advances to Championship; second and third place play semi-final game to advance to Championship
Free post-season tournament berth awarded to each team in the Tier Championship
C1:
Top five teams from each division advance to playoffs
One pool of ten teams, round robin, cross-divisional play (3 games each)
See below for pools/seeds
Top three pool play records advance
First place in pool standings advances to Championship; second and third place play semi-final game to advance to Championship
Free post-season tournament berth awarded to each team in the Tier Championship
C2:
Top five teams from each division advance to playoffs
One pool of ten teams, round robin, cross-divisional play (3 games each)
See below for pools/seeds
Top three pool play records advance
First place in pool standings advances to Championship; second and third place play semi-final game to advance to Championship
Free post-season tournament berth awarded to each team in the Tier Championship
C3:
Top five teams from each division advance to playoffs
One pool of ten teams, round robin, cross-divisional play (3 games each)
See below for pools/seeds
Top three pool play records advance
First place in pool standings advances to Championship; second and third place play semi-final game to advance to Championship
Free post-season tournament berth awarded to each team in the Tier Championship
D1:
Top four teams from each division advance to playoffs
Two pools of four teams, round robin, cross-divisional play (3 games each)
See below for pools/seeds
Each pool winner advances to Tier Championship
Free post-season tournament berth awarded to each team in the Tier Championship
D2:
Top four teams advance to playoffs
One pool of four teams, round robin (3 games each)
Top two pool play records advance to Tier Championship
Free post-season tournament berth to regular season and playoff champions (playoff runners-up if same team)
Seeds for B1, D1 Tiers:
| Pool/Seed | Team | Pool/Seed | Team | |
| A #1 | East 1st Place | B #1 | West 1st Place | |
| A #2 | West 2nd Place | B #2 | East 2nd Place | |
| A #3 | West 3rd Place | B #3 | East 3rd Place | |
| A #4 | East 4th Place | B #4 | West 4th Place |
Seeds for B3, C1, C2, C3 Tiers:
| Seed | Team | Seed | Team | |
| #1 | East 1st Place | #2 | West 1st Place | |
| #3 | East 2nd Place | #4 | West 2nd Place | |
| #5 | East 3rd Place | #6 | West 3rd Place | |
| #7 | East 4th Place | #8 | West 4th Place | |
| #9 | East 5th Place | #10 | West 5th Place |
Regular Season Tiebreaker
The following criteria will be used to determine seeding for the playoffs.
1) Total points in the regular season
2) Number of wins in the regular season
3) Head-to-Head record between teams in the regular season (Applicable only if equal amount of games have been played between tied teams.)
4) Fewest total penalty minutes in the regular season
5) Fewest goals allowed in the regular season
6) Most goals scored in the regular season
7) Coin toss
(Note: If three teams are tied, once a team is determined as the higher seed, the tie breaker reverts to step 1 of the criteria between two remaining teams if necessary.)
Playoff Rules/Tiebreakers
- There will be no overtime in round-robin pool play. Pool play games will end in ties and will count in the standings.
- In Championship games, if at the end of the three periods the score is tied the teams shall play one overtime period of five minutes, running time. If at the end of the overtime period the score is still tied a shootout will take place. Shootout rules are as follows:
- Following a scoreless five-minute overtime, three players from each team participate in the order the Captain selects. The Home team will elect whether to shoot first or second.
- Each team takes three shots in alternating fashion. The team with the most goals after those six (or less) shots is the winner.
- If the score remains tied, the shootout will proceed to a "sudden death" format. No skater may partipate more than once until all other skaters have participated.
Tiebreakers for pool standings:
1) Most points in pool play
2) Wins
3) Head-to-head record between teams in pool play (Applicable only if equal amount of games have been played
between tied teams.)
4) Goal differential for all pool play games (6 goals per game max.)
5) Fewest goals allowed in all pool play games
6) Fewest minor penalties in all pool play games
7) Fewest total penalty minutes in all pool play games
8) First goal scored in pool play games
9) Coin toss
(Note: If three teams are tied, once a team is determined as the higher seed, the tie breaker reverts to step 1 of the criteria between two remaining teams if necessary.)
For complete rules, refer to the AHA Rules Addendum
Qualifications
• Players must play a minimum of five regular season with the team to be eligible for playoff games.
• Players may only play on one team per tier. If a player is rostered on multiple teams in a tier, the Captain must declare, by notifying AHA prior to the playoffs, which team the player will participate with in the playoffs. Players are not eligible to participate with the other team, even if his/her declared team is eliminated from contention.
• Captains must notify AHA in advance if a sub goalie will be used. Sub goalies may not participate with more than one team in a tier in the playoffs unless previously authorized by AHA.
• Uniform compliance, as described in the AHA Rules Addendum, will be strictly enforced during the playoffs.
Post-Season Tournament Berth
At the conclusion of the Winter Playoffs, two teams from each tier (A-D2) receive a post-season tournament berth.• Teams can select a tournament of their choice; AHA will pay for the tournament.
• Tournament must be identified within six months of the conclusion of the Winter League Playoffs.
• Tournament berth may be used in AHA Hockey Tournament Series.