What was the rule you struggled without the most?

[blundluntman]

Too many men on the ice. The way a lot of guys go for line changes, you'd think there'd be more calls if you were new to the game. That's if you're being anal about things of course but when you're figuring out the rules, usually that's the case.

 

[jetsforever]

Not sure if this is a rule but one that still gets me is why offsetting penalties are sometimes 4 on 4 and sometimes 5 on 5 or sometimes one of each if there are 4 penalties

 

[Bear of Bad News]

My last year of HS ice hockey our team didn't have enough players so we let everyone who wanted on the team. We're talking guys who had never skated before or knew anything about hockey. I remember one game one of the dudes was standing inside the offensive zone frantically tapping his stick and yelling at everyone else to pass the puck to him for like a solid minute while our bench started yelling back at him... I guess he didn't understand offside lol.

We were playing Black Hills State University in what was their first year of ACHA hockey, and wow, some of their players were not ready. I still remember an offensive zone faceoff where our center had to show their center how to line up.

It looks like they no longer have a team.

 

[jetsforever]

Also the trapezoid

 

[EdJovanovski]

Played & watched since I was little so never had this experience

 

[edevils]

When I was younger, I played roller hockey.

When I was on offense, I would use my leg and skate to kick the defenders stick out of the way on the rush and then use the open space to walk in and score.

When I moved up in competition, I was penalized for "kicking" because the new league used the NHL rulebook.

Since I had player roller, it never dawned on me that if I had been on ice skates, what I was doing was really dangerous.

 

[tarheelhockey]

For me, I never understood why some offsetting penalties ended up 4 on 4 or not. I'm sure it's a simple explanation that if I actually read the rulebook (luckily don't referee hockey anymore) I would get it.

The general topic of coincidental penalties is still confusing to me, even after all these years.

Example scenario in the NHL rulebook:

Team A
#2 - major slashing
#15 - minor roughing
#15 - major fighting

Team B
#12 - minor unsportsmanlike conduct
#12 - minor roughing
#12 - major fighting
#90 - major high sticking
#90 - major fighting

You’re the ref - you need to explain to the team captains who’s on the power play and for how long.

What are you telling them?

You need to tell the captain of Team B to choose between two options:

1) Shorthanded by one man for seven minutes

2) Shorthanded by two men for two minutes, then shorthanded by one man for three minutes

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

This makes too much sense. Game 1's OT goal was decided off an obvious accidental. That shouldnt happen. I get deterring defenders from doing it on purpose, but maybe 1 is icing/cant change and 2 for that specific player in the same game is a penalty.

I think the reason they get treated differently is that throwing the puck over the glass, even accidentally, has the potential of injuring a fan and injuring fans is generally bad for business.

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

The general topic of coincidental penalties is still confusing to me, even after all these years.

Example scenario in the NHL rulebook:

Team A
#2 - major slashing
#15 - minor roughing
#15 - major fighting

Team B
#12 - minor unsportsmanlike conduct
#12 - minor roughing
#12 - major fighting
#90 - major high sticking
#90 - major fighting

You’re the ref - you need to explain to the team captains who’s on the power play and for how long.

What are you telling them?

You need to tell the captain of Team B to choose between two options:

1) Shorthanded by one man for seven minutes

2) Shorthanded by two men for two minutes, then shorthanded by one man for three minutes

If that's the example, I'm not surprised it's confusing. How did this scenario play out to result in those penalties?

 

[Goptor]

I still don't understand what slashing is.

The refs seem to call it when a player's stick breaks while near an opponent, but they don't always call it when the stick breaks.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

None because I’m a hockey genius

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Indeed, I'll never understand hopw anyone could be against this rule, it is one of the best changes they ever made.

The rule as it stands right now has drastically reduced the number of pucks being put into the stands. And that's a good thing. Trying to remove it - or weaken it - is like removing *insert random car safty feature here* because fewer people are dying in car crashes now then they used to. There are less deaths in car crashes because they exist, and removing them won't somehow keep safety at that level. You change the rule about putting the puck over the glass, and you will see a considerable increase in just that happening.

And more to the point: why oh why does anyone want players to be able to take the lazy way out / cheat?
If a player is under pressure, he needs to make a play. Any reasonable hockey-fan should aim to make sure that he has to try and make a proper play, not chuck the puck wherever he wants to get out of pressure. None of the proposed alterntives to the current rule are in any way enough of a deterrent. Players would gladly face any of them compared to the risk of losing the puck in their own zone.

The bolded part is what brought me around to this rule. Yes it can be annoying but if a player wants to avoid getting a delay of game penalty because of a fluke, then make a play on the ice.

It encourages players to make skilled hockey plays instead of just high and hard off the glass.

 

[tarheelhockey]

If that's the example, I'm not surprised it's confusing. How did this scenario play out to result in those penalties?

Tim Peel called the game.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

How a reverse hit is legal.

 

[Hockey2Hockey]

I struggle with what happens if a team commits a penalty down 5 on 3.

For instance, Perry gets penalized. Five seconds later, Draisaitl gets a penalty. Fifteen seconds later McDavid commits an infraction.

Does the ref call the play dead when McDavid touches the puck. Or, is McDavid allowed on the ice until Perry's penalty expires. Then, McDavid goes to the box?

I've never seen it happen live.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

I grew up playing with two line pass. Man was I glad they removed that ridiculous rule

The extra line is a great rule when you turn 40 years old.

 

[PistolPete]

Instigator penalty. If they removed it chicken littles like Bennett and the rat pack would not be throwing the people's elbow every chance they get because a goon would settle it like McCarty did on the other chicken little claude the Lemieux Turtle. Cheap shot artist actually get protection with this rule and has the opposite effect.
View attachment 1048899

Because there were no dirty plays or players before the instigator rule?

And of course the goons were the most honourable and noble of men who never engaged in anything dirty themselves

 

[PistolPete]

Delay of game. Stupid that a legit accident causes a game to be decided. Refs can make a judgment call live if they think a dude air mailed it on purpose.

Have an example handy?

EDIT: Nevermind. Didn't realize you were referring specifically to puck over glass.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

We were playing Black Hills State University in what was their first year of ACHA hockey, and wow, some of their players were not ready. I still remember an offensive zone faceoff where our center had to show their center how to line up.

It looks like they no longer have a team.

If that last sentence is true they should be ashamed and embarrassed

 

[PistolPete]

It should just be treated as an icing imo. Or maybe delay of game after back-to-back flipping-into-the-crowds.

Nope. Defenders would do it constantly again. Pressure is too high, better to just go to a FO then allow the pressure to continue

 

[zar]

I’ve played hockey most of my life.

I have can not figure out, half the time, why the NHL linesman is kicking a guy out of the FO circle nowadays.

I was a center.

 

[PistolPete]

Funny you mention Floorball (it's the same as floor hockey, right?) because it's what led me to a mini-crisis with regards to slashing. I was a hockey fan first and picked up floorball via University sports. My floorball friends would cry slashing all the time when watching a hockey game with me since obviously in that sport any tap on the opponent's stick is a slash. I tried to explain that it has to be forceful in hockey by pointing examples in play, but the way it's called has made it difficult to pinpoint what is and what isn't acceptable beyond the obvious cases

This is what has always annoyed me about the NHL.

It' slashing...but it's not....but is is if the referee thinks that was just a wee bit too hard.

This goals for hooking, holding etc

Look at the supposed great defenders....Langway...Harper...they literally pinned opponents against the boards or bear hugged them

 

[PistolPete]

My memory of the rulebook back then is fuzzy, but when they did that in the 90s a line change for the defensive team was still allowed, right?

If you changed it to an icings equivalent punishment, that tired defender would be stuck with a draw in the defensive zone against a fresh top line for the opponent, which is waaay worse than if both teams change and the defending coach sends out his faceoff ace

That still wouldn't deter.

A FO and a chance to get back possession of the puck is still much more preferable to chasing the opposing team with all kinds of pressure on your defense.

And the new icing rule reduced icing, but there are still about a half dozen or more per game

You want to add at least another half dozen or more stoppages to the game today?

 

[PistolPete]

dumbest rule in the sport was the 2 line pass.

It's history is interesting.

It was a way of allowing defenders to pass the puck outside of the defensive zone rather than being forced to carry it out.

Why not just anywhere into the neutral zone? Heaven forbid there be any offense!

 

[landy]

Have an example handy?

EDIT: Nevermind. Didn't realize you were referring specifically to puck over glass.

Yup. I get it, it needs to be a thing so tired defenders dont get a free pass, but then make it the same as icing and if player A does it twice in a row, its a delay of game penalty.

Nocek in game 1 OT wher Draisaitl scored soon after is the example. A great game decided by an accident.