2006-07 USA Hockey Standards of Play and Rules Emphasis

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The principles of this new enforcement standard include the following:

• The use of the stick will be limited to only playing the puck.
• The stick will not be allowed to in any way impede a player’s progress.
• The use of a free hand/arm will not be allowed to grab or impede a player’s progress.
• Players who use their physical skills and/or anticipation and have a positional advantage shall not lose that advantage as a result of illegal acts by the opponent.
• Players will be held accountable for acts of an intimidating or dangerous nature.

The following penalties will be strictly enforced:

Hooking

A player cannot use his/her stick against an opponent’s body (puck carrier or non-puck carrier) to gain a positional advantage.

Examples include:

• Tugs or pulls on the body, arms or hands of the opponent, which allow for the space between the players to diminish
• Placing the stick in front of the opponent’s body and locking on – impeding the opponent’s progress or causing a loss of balance
• Stick on the hand/arm that takes away the ability
for the opponent to pass or shoot the puck with a normal amount of force

Tripping

A player cannot use his/her stick on the legs or feet of an opponent in a manner that would cause a loss of balance or for him/her to trip or fall.

Examples include:

• Placing the stick in front of the opponent’s legs for the purpose of impeding progress, even if on the ice, with no effort to legally play the puck
• Placing the stick between the legs of the opponent (can opener/corkscrew) that causes a loss of balance or impedes the progress of the opponent

Holding

A player cannot wrap his/her arms around an opponent or use a free hand to clutch, grab or hold the stick, jersey or body on the opponent in a manner that impedes his/her progress.

Examples include:

• Wrapping one or both arms around an opponent along the boards in a manner that pins him/her
against the boards and prevents him/her from playing the puck or skating
• Grabbing the opponent’s body, stick or sweater with one or both hands
• Using a free arm/hand to restrain or impede the opponent’s progress

Interference

A player’s use of the body (“pick” or “block”) to impede the progress of an opponent (no puck possession) with no effort to maintain normal foot speed or an established skating lane.

Examples include:

• Intentionally playing the body of an opponent who does not have possession or possession and control of the puck
• Using the body to establish a ”pick” or “block” that prevents an opponent from being able to chase a puck carrier
• Reducing foot speed or changing an established skating lane for the purpose of impeding an opponent from being able to chase a puck carrier

Slashing

The use of the stick will be limited to only playing the puck. Any stick contact, as a result of a slashing motion, to the hands/ arms or body of the opponent will be strictly penalized. In addition, hard slashes to the upper portion of the stick (just below the hands) of an opponent, with no attempt to legally play the puck, shall also be penalized.

Other Infractions

In addition to the above-mentioned enforcement standards, all other infractions, including contact to the head, checking from behind, cross checking, high sticking and roughing (including late avoidable check) shall be penalized to a strict-enforcement standard.

Allowed Actions

• A player is entitled to the ice he/she occupies as long as he/she is able to maintain his/her own foot speed and body position between opponent and puck.
• Players are allowed to compete for body position using their strength and balance in front of the goal or along the boards.

Conclusion

All members of USA Hockey are equally responsibility for ensuring the integrity of the game.

• Administrators are expected to hold players, coaches, officials and parents accountable for their actions in an effort to promote a safe and positive
environment for all participants
• Coaches are expected to teach proper skills and hold their players accountable for illegal and dangerous actions, regardless as to whether they are properly penalized, or not
• Parents are expected to support the decisions of the officials and support the coaches in teaching the proper skills in a safe and positive environment.
• Officials shall enforce a strict penalty standard according to the guidelines that have been established
• Players are expected to compete within the playing rules