Ice hockey rules
Encyclopedia
The majority of ice hockey
around the world is played under the umbrella of three organizations, Hockey Canada
, USA Hockey
, and the International Ice Hockey Federation
, each with their own set of rules. Hockey Canada and USA Hockey rulebooks are used in most amateur hockey in North America
, and the IIHF rulebook is used in both amateur and professional leagues.
The National Hockey League
has its own rulebook, from which the rulebooks of most North American professional leagues are derived. United States
high school
leagues use the National Federation of State High School Associations
rulebook, and varsity
college
hockey is governed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association
's rules.
These six rules organizations, in addition to their own meetings, gather at a conference, and rule changes significant to game play have traditionally been made "across the board." However, recently, changes have been made at the amateur hockey levels to improve game play, while changes at professional levels have been made to make the game more exciting to spectators.
Hockey Canada and USA Hockey's rulebooks differ primarily in technical matters such as the severity of penalties
handed out for various fouls. IIHF rules differ a bit more due to the differences in the dimensions of North American hockey rink
s from those in the rest of the world. In recent times, both USA Hockey and Hockey Canada have been trying to make their rules more similar to the international rules. The merits of this move toward a more standardized rulebook, however, are debated in amateur hockey circles.
The NHL is very different since they evolved separately from the amateur rules. In recent years, the low scores of NHL games have prompted the league to debate a wide variety of rule change proposals including enlarging the size of the goal, widening the blue and red lines to create a larger offensive zone, restricting where goaltender
s can handle the puck, breaking ties with a penalty shot
shootout, and eliminating the two-line pass
rule, which does not exist in international and most amateur rulebooks.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
around the world is played under the umbrella of three organizations, Hockey Canada
Hockey Canada
Hockey Canada, formally known as the Canadian Hockey Association, is the national governing body of ice hockey in Canada and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. Hockey Canada controls a vast majority of ice hockey in Canada, with a few exceptions...
, USA Hockey
USA Hockey
USA Hockey is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the United States Olympic Committee as the governing body for amateur ice hockey in the United States and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. The organization is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and has...
, and the International Ice Hockey Federation
International Ice Hockey Federation
The International Ice Hockey Federation is the worldwide governing body for ice hockey and in-line hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 70 members...
, each with their own set of rules. Hockey Canada and USA Hockey rulebooks are used in most amateur hockey in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, and the IIHF rulebook is used in both amateur and professional leagues.
The National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
has its own rulebook, from which the rulebooks of most North American professional leagues are derived. United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
leagues use the National Federation of State High School Associations
National Federation of State High School Associations
The National Federation of State High School Associations is the body that writes the rules of competition for most high school sports and activities in the United States. Most high schools, whether public or private, belong to their state's high school association; in turn, each state association...
rulebook, and varsity
Varsity team
In the United States and Canada, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of secondary schools, against...
college
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
hockey is governed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
's rules.
These six rules organizations, in addition to their own meetings, gather at a conference, and rule changes significant to game play have traditionally been made "across the board." However, recently, changes have been made at the amateur hockey levels to improve game play, while changes at professional levels have been made to make the game more exciting to spectators.
Hockey Canada and USA Hockey's rulebooks differ primarily in technical matters such as the severity of penalties
Penalty (ice hockey)
A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,...
handed out for various fouls. IIHF rules differ a bit more due to the differences in the dimensions of North American hockey rink
Hockey rink
An ice hockey rink is an ice rink that is specifically designed for ice hockey, a team sport. It is rectangular with rounded corners and surrounded by a wall approximately 40 inches high called the boards.- Name origins :...
s from those in the rest of the world. In recent times, both USA Hockey and Hockey Canada have been trying to make their rules more similar to the international rules. The merits of this move toward a more standardized rulebook, however, are debated in amateur hockey circles.
The NHL is very different since they evolved separately from the amateur rules. In recent years, the low scores of NHL games have prompted the league to debate a wide variety of rule change proposals including enlarging the size of the goal, widening the blue and red lines to create a larger offensive zone, restricting where goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
s can handle the puck, breaking ties with a penalty shot
Penalty shot (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a penalty shot is a type of penalty awarded when a team loses a clear scoring opportunity on a breakaway because of a foul committed by an opposing player. A player from the non-offending team is given an attempt to score a goal without opposition from any defending players except...
shootout, and eliminating the two-line pass
Offside (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, the current play is offside if a player on the attacking team enters the attacking zone before the puck itself enters the zone, either carried by a teammate or sent into the attacking zone by an attacking player. If a defending player carries, passes, or otherwise intentionally sends...
rule, which does not exist in international and most amateur rulebooks.