Sneaky change the NHL made to the hand pass rule.

[timelydewd]

Not sure anyone cares except the most steadfast rules enthusiasts, but in reading the hand pass rules last night, I noticed the NHL made a subtle but significant change to the wording of the rule in recent years (not exactly sure when it changed, but I surmise it was fairly recent, as there are multiple examples of the old wording all over the internet, and they're not all that old). I was looking up whether a self hand pass could theoretically be illegal, and, according to the newer text, it very well could be (apologies for not bolding the text, I'm working off a PS3, which is the internet equivalent of using an abacus instead of a calculator):

67.1 Handling Puck - A player shall be permitted to stop or “bat” a puck in the air with his open hand, or push it along the ice with his hand, and the play shall not be stopped unless, in the opinion of the on-ice officials, he has deliberately directed the puck to a teammate, or has allowed his team to gain an advantage, in any zone other than the defending zone, in which case the play shall be stopped and a face-off conducted (see Rule 79 – Hand Pass). Play will not be stopped for any hand pass by players in their own defending zone.

So, the rule is the same as it has been for years, except for "or has allowed his team to gain an advantage," which, in its ambiguity, is open to interpretation, meaning that a ref could certainly be justified in calling a self hand pass and whistling play down if it allowed the player's team to "gain an advantage." Seems strange, I know, but it could be called now and Tim Peel, er, the ref/linesman, could point to that part of it and tell you to go fly a kite. One of the first search results when you look up this rule takes you to the NHL's site where the old version of the rule greets you (where the only situation covered is directing the puck to a teammate). And we wonder why such confusion arises around rules when something odd happens.

This probably won't get much play here, as there are far more interesting topics to discuss, but don't say I didn't warn you if this ever happens. Thought some of you might be interested though.

 

[LordNeverLose]

Wtf is a self hand pass? Like you catch the puck, throw it over an opponent's head, and skate on to it?

Does that ever happen?

 

[timelydewd]

I must say, it would take quite the pronounced self hand pass (I've never written this so much in my life) for that call to be made. In most cases dudes just swat it down or just slightly forward, which obviously is fine. But hey - now we know it's theoretically possible.

 

[timelydewd]

Wtf is a self hand pass? Like you catch the puck, throw it over an opponent's head, and skate on to it?

Does that ever happen?

I'd say it's more of a swat or bat (i.e. using an open hand). You are allowed to catch the puck but you must immediately place it or knock it down to the ice.In your case that could very well be a penalty for closing your hand on the puck, especially in the case of an out and out throw.

I'd say, if this EVER were called as a hand pass, the puck would have to travel a significant distance.

 

[Straight Fire]

Sounds like a McMatthews adjustment

 

[tarheelhockey]

I’m not 100% sure, but it seems to me the rule adjustment is intended to correct for players who don’t actually close their hand on the puck, but do make a “controlled swat” that gives them an unfair advantage.

The example that springs to mind is if the puck is ramped up into the air like a pop fly, drifting toward a defenseman standing stationary at the point. Just as it reaches him, an opposing forward arrives and “guides” the puck forcefully over or around the defenseman and into the neutral zone. The forward now has so much momentum that he can easily race past the flat-footed defenseman and gather the loose puck in stride. No hand pass, no delay of game penalty, but still it’s something that just isn’t a “hockey play”.

 

[Duke749]

I swear this is why Myers got called for this earlier this year.

 

[Vertain]

I am not sure why, but his thread made me laugh. Maybe it is the 'self hand pass' terminology?

Just what we need - another reason for the refs to blow their whistles...


Anyway, keep up the good work.

 

[BobbyJet]

Not sure anyone cares except the most steadfast rules enthusiasts, but in reading the hand pass rules last night, I noticed the NHL made a subtle but significant change to the wording of the rule in recent years (not exactly sure when it changed, but I surmise it was fairly recent, as there are multiple examples of the old wording all over the internet, and they're not all that old). I was looking up whether a self hand pass could theoretically be illegal, and, according to the newer text, it very well could be (apologies for not bolding the text, I'm working off a PS3, which is the internet equivalent of using an abacus instead of a calculator):

67.1 Handling Puck - A player shall be permitted to stop or “bat” a puck in the air with his open hand, or push it along the ice with his hand, and the play shall not be stopped unless, in the opinion of the on-ice officials, he has deliberately directed the puck to a teammate, or has allowed his team to gain an advantage, in any zone other than the defending zone, in which case the play shall be stopped and a face-off conducted (see Rule 79 – Hand Pass). Play will not be stopped for any hand pass by players in their own defending zone.

So, the rule is the same as it has been for years, except for "or has allowed his team to gain an advantage," which, in its ambiguity, is open to interpretation, meaning that a ref could certainly be justified in calling a self hand pass and whistling play down if it allowed the player's team to "gain an advantage." Seems strange, I know, but it could be called now and Tim Peel, er, the ref/linesman, could point to that part of it and tell you to go fly a kite. One of the first search results when you look up this rule takes you to the NHL's site where the old version of the rule greets you (where the only situation covered is directing the puck to a teammate). And we wonder why such confusion arises around rules when something odd happens.

This probably won't get much play here, as there are far more interesting topics to discuss, but don't say I didn't warn you if this ever happens. Thought some of you might be interested though.

It happened last night in Chicago; and worse the whistle didn't get blown until Hawks scored - then it was called back using this dumb rule as their excuse. The result: Hawks were robbed of a win.

 

[Mrfenn92]

PR baby.

 

[flamesforcup]

The real question is: Why are you using a PS3 to browse the internet and make an HF post?

 

[LokiDog]

Um... by definition, any time a player knocks a puck down with his hand to his stick has he not just gained an advantage? He just gained possession of a puck he wouldn’t otherwise have had possession of. So wouldn’t every instance of playing a puck from your hand to your own stick be considered “gaining an advantage” and be deemed a “self hand pass”? So all playing the puck with your hand outside of the defensive zone should always result in a whistle based off of this wording.

 

[Dr Pepper]

The Rangers scored a goal against Dallas earlier this week, where it was batted down with a glove, towards the net, and then deflected in off a stick.

Refs had to review to see if the contact was made prior to the puck crossing the line, and it was

 

[x Tame Impala]

So all playing the puck with your hand outside of the defensive zone should always result in a whistle based off of this wording.

My lady basically asked me this last night when we were watching the Hawks/Bruins together. She asked (in regards to the Maatta to Caggiula passs and disallowed goal) "Well why can they do that at all if they can't do it there? Why can they sometimes jump up and grab the puck with their hands"

I didn't have an answer for her. It's such a strange rule to me. I get that they don't want people essentially throwing the puck up and down the ice but that's not even close to what happened last night against Boston.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

It happened last night in Chicago; and worse the whistle didn't get blown until Hawks scored - then it was called back using this dumb rule as their excuse. The result: Hawks were robbed of a win.

That was a hand pass. No official will not call that in real time. Only with HD slow motion zoom does it even appear to possibly touch his stick.

 

[BruinsBtn]

It was publicized at the time.

The change is for situations like a team shooting a puck down the ice and a defending defensemen tries to glove it down but only gets a piece of it and the puck goes down the ice. Since his team didn't get an advantage, it's not ruled a hand pass and the defensemen's teammate can play it.

It happens regularly and results in fewer whistles

 

[lakai17]

Can you bat it in the net in any way then or would not make sense?

 

[HTFN]

If I’m not mistaken this is for batting it around defensemen to yourself, playing the puck into space instead of directly downward. My memory is failing me but I want to say James Neal has a goal like this?

 

[jaysoneil]

That was a hand pass. No official will not call that in real time. Only with HD slow motion zoom does it even appear to possibly touch his stick.

Apparently, the use of HD slow motion is only used for offsides and goaltender interference.

I'm curious as to why the league doesn't allow for a coaches challenge in a situation like last night during the BOS/CHI game.

 

[Mr Fahrenheit]

Can you bat it in the net in any way then or would not make sense?

 

[Glove Malfunction]

It happened last night in Chicago; and worse the whistle didn't get blown until Hawks scored - then it was called back using this dumb rule as their excuse. The result: Hawks were robbed of a win.

I know getting the play blown dead sucked, given what happened immediately after it was blown dead. BUT, the play was blown dead. Hawks weren't robbed of anything. It's also not a dumb rule. The hand pass gets called in at least 80% of games played.

 

[Ctrain2k]

The real question is: Why are you using a PS3 to browse the internet and make an HF post?

I think this is one thing Flames and Oilers fans can agree upon.

 

[Boltswin]

Wtf is a self hand pass? Like you catch the puck, throw it over an opponent's head, and skate on to it?

Does that ever happen?

Can’t remember who but recently I saw a player grab the puck out of the air and throw it behind his back to himself (kind of like dribbling a basketball behind your back)

 

[robsenz]

Wtf is a self hand pass? Like you catch the puck, throw it over an opponent's head, and skate on to it?

Does that ever happen?

I caught a high puck during a game once and there was a guy coming at me, in a swift motion without closing more so hooking my hand, I swooped it around my back to open ice I was heading towards so the skater hard a harder lane to get to it instead of dropping it directing in front of me...probably should have been called as the opposing team argued it but the ref saw and let it slide, It was smooth and kind of not against the rules. Probably counts as a self pass

 

[LakeLivin]

Wtf is a self hand pass? Like you catch the puck, throw it over an opponent's head, and skate on to it?

Does that ever happen?

This play from a couple years ago was pretty darn close.


Prompted an entire thread. Was Krejci's glove-down legal?