The SICHL simulates one season per year, beginning in the fall and running into early summer. Games are simmed daily, usually around 5:00 PM ET. Roster updates and trades should be submitted to the Commissioner prior this time to be reflected in games simmed that evening.
Prior to the start of the regular season, the league plays a short pre-season schedule. Waivers and finances are not in effect during the pre-season.
During the regular season, each team plays a total of 82 games.
The league will simulate an Canadian Conference vs. World Conference All-Star Game at approximately the mid-way point of each season. General Managers will vote for the starting lineups for their conference, and the two teams will be managed by the Continental Cup finalists from the previous season. In the event that the previous finalists are not available, the Commissioner will appoint an alternate manager at his discretion.
The league will halt operations for a pre-determined weekend mid-season so that General Managers may negotiate trades to acquire unrestricted free agents that they may in turn choose to designate as a Franchise Player in the off-season.
The league will halt operations for a pre-determined weekend near the 3/4 mark of the season so that General Managers may make final transactions for their franchises. Once the trade deadline passes, no more trades will be approved until the league begins operations for the next season.
The Continental Cup playoffs is an elimination tournament consisting of four rounds of best-of-seven series.
The first round of the playoffs (Conference Quarterfinals) consists of four matchups in each conference, based on their final standings in the regular season (1 vs. 8, 2 vs. 7, 3 vs. 6, and 4 vs. 5), with the higher-seeded team keeping home-ice advantage. In the second round (Conference Semifinals) the top remaining conference seed plays against the lowest remaining seed, while the two remaining conference teams play each other. In the third round (Conference Finals), the two remaining teams in each conference play each other, with the conference champions proceeding to the Continental Cup Finals.
In the Continental Cup Finals, home-ice advantage goes to the team with the better regular season record.