NHL rules question about delayed offside and high sticking the puck.

[Fundin]

Hey, where does the faceoff go (in the NHL) if a defender high sticks the puck in his defending zone during a delayed offside?

Assume a player from Team A shoots the puck in while his teammate is caught in the attacking zone. The linesman signals delayed offside. A player on team B plays this puck with a clear high stick, and is next to come into possession and control of the puck. The play is stopped in the defending zone with the team A player still in an offside position.

Does the faceoff go to the neutral zone for the delayed offside, or stay in the defending zone for the high stick? Ie, which violation overrules the other?

In USA hockey, the offside determines the faceoff (neutral zone outside blue line, it's right in their casebook), while in the IIHF, the faceoff apparently stays in the defending zone due to the high stick, which is more logical, since the other way around (the USA way) basically allows the defending team a free high stick with no territorial disadvantage, faceoff wise. Seems completely non-sensical procedurally, and even dangerous since the spirit of the high sticking rule is safety. Under such rules, you could just knock down any high puck on a delayed offside and gain territorial advantage on the ensuing faceoff. Can't see that flying in the NHL. To me, a high stick supersedes the delayed offside in terms of seriousness, therefore the faceoff should occur in the defensive zone. Additionally, the language in the high sticking the puck rule seems pretty clear as far as faceoff location. The USA hockey ruling does make me question it, however.

Anyway, anyone know what the official ruling in the NHL might be?

Here is the USA hockey interpretation for your consideration. I don't think that applies, but it's worth reading to get a sense of where I'm coming from.

"Situation 13 (Classifications With Delayed Off-Sides Only) Team A has a player trapped deep in the Attacking Zone when a Team A player shoots the puck into the zone. The Linesman correctly signals a delayed off-side. A Team B player plays the puck with the blade of his stick two feet over his head, and he is the next player to play the puck. The Referee stops play with the puck in the Defending Zone and the off-side Team A player still in the zone. Where is the face-off?

At the nearest Neutral Zone face-off spot. Rule References 621(c) and 630(d).

Even though the puck was played with a high stick, the original infraction was off-sides."

 

[redcard]

It would be whistled down for the high stick and the face off would be in the defensive zone. Players are allowed to be in an offside position so long as their team doesn't take possession of the puck or the puck isn't shot on goal from outside the zone. A player in offside position doesn't negate the other team committing an infraction.

 

[Seanaconda]

I agree with second person even tho they will sometimes call an offside before a player touches a puck but that's mostly when a player doesn't realize he's offside. But it would be the high sticker at fault for sure so dzone.

Tbh I hate the Highsticking the puck rule tho. Over the shoulder gives giant guys an advantage for knocking down pucks and seeing the handeye is always impressive even tho it normally happens during powerplays and screws the team on the powerplay with a dzone faceoff.

But if you high-stick a goal in and they call it back they don't go back to the dzone do they? Assuming it was over both the shoulders and crossbar

 

[Fundin]

It would be whistled down for the high stick and the face off would be in the defensive zone. Players are allowed to be in an offside position so long as their team doesn't take possession of the puck or the puck isn't shot on goal from outside the zone. A player in offside position doesn't negate the other team committing an infraction.

Incorrect about the shot on goal. In some leagues, like the IIHF, it calls for a stoppage, but not in the NHL. It's mentioned specifically in a rules comparison between IIHF and NHL on the NHL site.

But thanks! I believe you are right otherwise.

 

[Fundin]

I agree with second person even tho they will sometimes call an offside before a player touches a puck but that's mostly when a player doesn't realize he's offside. But it would be the high sticker at fault for sure so dzone.

Tbh I hate the Highsticking the puck rule tho. Over the shoulder gives giant guys an advantage for knocking down pucks and seeing the handeye is always impressive even tho it normally happens during powerplays and screws the team on the powerplay with a dzone faceoff.

But if you high-stick a goal in and they call it back they don't go back to the dzone do they? Assuming it was over both the shoulders and crossbar

Nope, the faceoff goes to the neutral zone, outside attacking blue line, unless the offending team is on the PP, in which case any high stick sends the faceoff to the offending teams defending zone.

 

[Beville]

Whatever is first called; so in this case it would be where the offside faceoff would be.

Same goes for, e.g. an icing is made and there's a high stick etc

 

[Barrie22]

Whatever is first called; so in this case it would be where the offside faceoff would be.

Same goes for, e.g. an icing is made and there's a high stick etc

But it wasn't offside in this case. It was blown dead from the high stick. So it would be in the defensive zone of the player that high sticked the puck.

 

[Fundin]

But it wasn't offside in this case. It was blown dead from the high stick. So it would be in the defensive zone of the player that high sticked the puck.

This seems to be a consensus. Thanks!