Smaller ice for smaller players.

Hockey Canada's officially made it mandatory that the youngest players are to be introduced to the game on half-ice surfaces, but the newly-announced policy isn't really new in Central Plains region.

"It's a two-fold progression," says John Ferg, Director of Central Plains Hockey for Hockey Manitoba. "The five and six level will stay at modified, or cross-ice, ice surfaces for the entire season, and the seven and eight level will go for half ice from the start of the season until the end of December, then progress into full ice for January to March."

Portage Minor Hockey Association's Squirts have been participating in the half-ice practices for the past year, and they'll be introducing the smaller surfaces to their Novice players as well this upcoming season.

"It's a good portion of the season and I think parents need to come with an open mind because I think it's going to make all the players stronger," says PMHA Vice President Kelly Funk. "The stronger kids figure it out pretty quick that if they go behind their net and get the other team to chase them and it's easy to go through four kids on a large ice surface, it will be tougher when there are five kids on half-ice."

"Hockey USA has done a huge statistical research with this and it's proven that kids stay more involved in the game," adds Ferg. "There are more puck touches, more passes, shots on goal, puck possession, turnovers, and it just keeps all of the players involved. Even the more advanced players have to improve their skill sets to keep the puck on their stick."

Hockey Canada's policy will kick in for five and six-year-olds in the 2017-18 hockey season.