Everything you need to know about the Saxoprint Magnus League

Currently, the Saxoprint Magnus League comprises twelve hockey clubs.

The competition has two phases: a regular season and the playoffs. During the regular season, each team plays 22 games (home and away) which results in a total of 44 games.

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The regular season:

12 teams, ranked from 1 to 12 in a single pool play

• Each team play home and away;
• Each match decides a winner;
• In case of a drawn match, at the end of normal time, is played an additional time of 10 minutes;
• If no goal is scored, a penalty shootout decides the winner.

Saxoprint Magnus League - Points system:

• Win in normal time: 3 points;
• Win in additional time: 2 points;
• Win on penalties: 2 points;
• Loose in additional time: 1 point;
• Loose on penalties: 1 point;
• Loose in regulation time: 0 points.

After the 2006 season, the rules say the draws are replaced by a penalty shoot on goal.

For the 2016/2017 season the Saxoprint Magnus League implements an additional time named the Golden Goal.
In case of a draw at the end of normal time, up to 10 minutes is played in search of a Golden Goal.
After 10 minutes, if no goal is scored, a penalty shootout decides the winner.

At the end of the season, the team that ends up being first in its division, is declared the winner and receives the trophy or the Magnus Cup.

On 1st July 2016, the The French Ice Hockey Federation (FFHG) announced the identity of the new Savoyard Ice Hockey club "The Pioneers", born out of the merger of the Chamonix (Chamois team) & Morzine Ice Hockey Clubs.

In the present, the Pioneers of Chamonix-Morzine Hockey Club represents the Haute-Savoie in the Saxoprint Magnus League.

Known in the past as the Chamonix Chamois team, the Chamonix team is the only one that holds the absolut record in the Magnus League. The team has won the trophy 30 times, a number that is still a record in the history of French Hockey. Even though the last victory was obtained in 1979.

Saxoprint Magnus League Playoffs: Rules

At the end of the regular Saxoprint Magnus League championship, the top 8 teams of the standings go in a series of matches, commonly known as the "playoffs".

• Each match decides a winner;
• In case of a drawn match, at the end of normal time, is played an additional time of 10 minutes;
• If no goal is scored, a penalty shootout decides the winner.

The quarterfinals, the semifinals and the final are played in 7 series of matches.

The 1st  and the 2nd matches are held at the highest ranked team home.
The 3rd and the 4th matches are held at the lowest ranked team home.
The 5th match is held at the highest ranked team home, only when necessary.
The 6th match is held at the lowest ranked team home, only when necessary.
The 7th match is held at the highest ranked team home, only when necessary.

The teams play in the following order:

The highest ranked team against the lowest ranked team.
The second highest ranked team against the 2nd lowest ranked team.
The 3rd highest ranked team against the 3rd lowest ranked team.
The 4th highest ranked team against the 4th lowest ranked.

The semifinals winners play in the final and the winner is declared champion of France.

Poule de Maintien: Rules

• Teams ranked from 9 to 12 in the regular season participate in the Poule de Maintien.
• Teams play each other at home and away.
• Points from the regular season, between teams participating in the Poule de Maintien, are retained to create a new Poule de Maintien table.
• Points acquired in the pool games are applied to the new table.

The last classified:

At the end of the season, the team that loses is set back to a lower division and is replaced by the champion of Division 1 (D1)