The physical side of ice hockey remains one of the reasons for the sport's popularity, but also one of the reasons the sport includes risk. Hockey has strict rules that organizers put in place to keep the players protected. If you plan to play hockey in the near future, you should have an awareness of these rules to keep both yourself and other players safe.
Player Helmets
You must wear a helmet that provides adequate protection. According to the Dallas Morning News, this rule came about because NHL player Bill Masterton died after striking his head on the ice during a game in 1968. While helmets did not become mandatory until 1979, the incident raised awareness on hockey safety issues and led to implementation of the rule.
Stick Infractions
Since you carry a stick while playing hockey, situations will occur where a player will use it as a weapon. According to the National Hockey League, stick infractions like butt-ending, cross-checking, high-sticking, slashing and spearing warrant a penalty because of safety issues. These infractions can bring penalties of two, four or five minutes, depending on the severity of the attack.
Physical Penalties
Physical play occurs frequently in hockey, but you must have awareness of what you can do and what will result in a penalty. The NHL says that boarding, charging, checking from behind, clipping, elbowing, kneeing and roughing all constitute dangerous play and will result in a penalty. Fighting penalties also fall under this category, with a mandatory five-minute penalty accompanying any incident.
Major Penalties
The referee can call a major penalty at his discretion when an incident warrants additional punishment. The NHL says all stick infractions and physical penalties can result in a five-minute major penalty when the player acts overly aggressive toward an opponent.
Sticks
Players can alter their sticks to meet personal preferences, though rules do exist to limit how significantly you can change it. According to USA Today, players cannot curve their sticks more than three-quarters of an inch, as this would lead to shots taking dangerous trajectories. Players standing in front of the net might have trouble getting out of the way of shots without this rule, since the puck will rise faster with a larger curve.
Member Comments