Rule Changes

2018-2019 Hockey Canada Rule Changes:

New Signal For “Too Many Players”

Rule 2.6 – Injured Players

Added wording to 2.6 (b); see bolded. If a goaltender is injured and there is no back-up goaltender, a player may be dressed in goaltender’s equipment. If this happens and the injured goaltender recovers, they may not return to the game until the next stoppage of play.

If a goaltender goes to the players’ bench due to an injury, he shall retire from the ice and his place shall be taken by an alternate goaltender and no warm-up will be permitted. However, this will only apply where an alternate goaltender is dressed.

In cases where an alternate goaltender is not dressed, the injured goaltender will be allowed ten minutes to recuperate.

If a replacement is necessary for the injured goaltender, an additional five minutes shall be allowed for a total of fifteen minutes. The injured goaltender must remain out of the game until the next stoppage of play. For a violation of this rule, a minor penalty for Delay of Game shall be assessed.

Rule 3.6 – Protective Equipment

Added wording to 3.6 (c); see bolded. In applying this rule, err on the side of protecting the goaltender’s safety.

When a goaltender loses his helmet and/or facial protector, blocker or trapper play shall be stopped immediately, unless there is an imminent scoring chance. Any such deliberate action by the goaltender shall result in a Minor penalty for “Delay of Game”. If this deliberate action of removing the helmet or facial protector (by a player or goaltender) blocker or trapper occurs when an opponent is on a breakaway in the neutral or attacking zone, or occurs during the last two minutes of regular playing time, or anytime in overtime, a Penalty Shot shall be awarded to the non-offending team.

Rule 4.5 (A) – Misconduct Penalties

Officials are no longer required to submit online Game Incident Reports for Misconduct penalties that occur in the last 10 minutes of a game.

Rule 4.10 (C) – Awarded Goals

The goaltender is on the ice but away from his goal crease. A player of the opposing team takes possession and control of the puck and shoots it towards the open goal. As the puck is about to enter the open goal, a defending player knocks the goal off its mooring(s). Do you award a goal?

Answer: No. No goal may be awarded as the goaltender is on the ice except in the scenarios outlined in Rule 4.9 (b), Rule 4.10, Situation 3, and Rule 3.6, Situation 7.

Rule 4.13 – Calling Of Penalties

If a player on the team in possession of the puck commits an infraction of the rules which would call for a Match, Major, Misconduct, Bench Minor, or Minor penalty, the Referee shall blow her whistle immediately and assess the penalty(ies) to the deserving players(s). When this situation leads to a time penalty or multiple time penalties being placed on the penalty time clock, making ONE team shorthanded, the ensuing face-off shall be conducted at one of the two end zone face-off locations in the offending team’s defending zone. There are four (4) exceptions:

When a penalty is assessed after a goal, the face-off will take place at centre ice.

When a penalty is assessed at the end (or before the start) of a period, the face-off will take place at centre ice.

When a gathering is taking place following a stoppage of play leading to a penalty and one (1) or both defensemen, point players, or any player coming from the player’s or penalty benches, enter deeply into the attacking zone (top of the circles) the face-off will take place in the neutral zone and one of the face-off spots outside the offending team’s defensive zone.

When the non-offending team clears the puck and icing is called, the ensuing face-off will take place at one of the face-off spots outside the zone of the team that iced the puck.

NOTE: When a time differential occurs because of multiple penalties, the ensuing face-off will take place in the shorthanded team’s defending zone. In the case of multiple penalties when no time differential occurs, the ensuing face-off will take place at the face-off spot nearest to where the stoppage of play occurred, unless otherwise stated in the rules.

Rule 5.3 – Linesmen

Linesmen now have the authority to report Head Contact and Slew-Footing infractions that call for a Double Minor penalty. Rule 5.3 (d).

Rule 5.5 – Penalty Timekeeper

Added wording to 5.5 (b); see bolded.

If a player leaves the penalty bench before his time has expired, the Penalty Timekeeper shall note the time and signal that to the Referee at thenext stoppage of play.

Rule 6.3 (C) – Charging

Added wording to 6.3 (c); see bolded.

Where a player is charged in such a way that the player is unable to protect or defend himself or the charge is considered a deliberate attempt to injure, a Match penalty shall be assessed.

Rule 6.5 – Head Contact

Game Ejection penalty added for any player who incurs three (3) head contact penalties in a game.

In Minor and Female, any player incurring three (3) head contact penalties that do not meet the criteria of a Major and Game Misconduct or Match penalty shall be assessed a Game Ejection.

Note: A double Minor penalty assessed under 6.5 (c) will be treated as one (1)penalty.

Rule 6.6 – Elbowing And Kneeing

Added wording to 6.6 (c); see bolded.

A Match Penalty could also be assessed under this rule.

Rule 7.4(B) – Tripping

The options for penalizing a slew-footing infraction have changed. The options are now a double Minor penalty or a Match penalty. The Match penalty is no longer automatic if the offending player is in motion but at the referee’s discretion. The Match penalty remains automatic if injury occurs.

A double Minor penalty or Match penalty, at the discretion of the Referee based upon the degree of violence of impact with the ice, shall be assessed to any player who slew foots an opponent. Slew-Footing occurs when one player uses a leg or a foot to knock or kick an opposing player’s feet from under him, or pushes another player’s upper body backward with an arm or elbow and at the same time with a forward motion of his leg, knocks or kicks that player’s feet from under him. An automatic Match penalty shall be assessed to any player who injures an opponent with a slew foot.

NOTE: Serious consideration for a Match penalty should be paid when an offending player is ‘in motion’ (skating) while committing this foul. The ‘degree of violence of impact with the ice’ criteria and intent of offending player will provide valuable impact with the ice’ criteria and intent of offending player will provide valuable warranted under this rule.

Rule 7.4(D) – Tripping

Added wording to Rule 7.4 (d); see bolded. If a situation meets all other criteria for a penalty shot, a foul by the goaltender will result in a penalty shot being assessed.

Criteria for a Penalty Shot when an attacking player is on a breakaway:

Possession and control of the puck

In the neutral or attacking zone

Tripped or otherwise fouled from behind, or fouled by the opposing goaltender

Thus denied a reasonable scoring opportunity

Having no other opponent to pass besides the goaltender

Rule 10.2 (E) – Face-Offs

When a second face-off violation includes contact with an official, the player must be assessed a penalty.

A team committing a second violation of any of the provisions of Section (a) during the same face-off and subsequently contacts the linesman before the linesman has had reasonable time to vacate the face-off location will be assessed a Minor penalty for “face-off violation” by the Referee.

NEW FACEOFF LOCATIONS AFTER PENALTIES

2018-2019

1. Play in Team B defending zone or Neutral zone. Team A takes a time penalty causing Team A to be shorthanded. The face-off will be in the Team A defending zone.

Stoppage of play could be for offside, shooting puck out of play, possession and control by Team A or premature substitution of the Team B goaltender. The outcome is to penalize the team taking a penalty.

1. Team B is shorthanded and Team A takes a time penalty now making both teams short but not shorthanded, (equal numerical strength on the ice) the face-off still goes down into the Team A defending zone.

2. Both teams take coincidental minor or major penalties. Face-off takes place where the stoppage of play occurred.

3. Team B takes a minor penalty, Team A takes a major penalty and GM on the same stoppage of play (neither team shorthanded). The face-off takes play where the stoppage of play occurred.

4. Team B assessed a misconduct penalty, Team A is assessed a minor penalty on the same stoppage of play causing Team A to be shorthanded. The face-off takes place in in the Team A defending zone.

5. Team A has a time penalty on delay and play is stopped due to Team B icing the puck. The face-off takes place in the neutral zone outside the Team B blue line.

6. Play is in the Team B defending zone and Team B takes a penalty. At the stoppage of play there is a gathering in front of the net with the Team A defensemen coming into the gathering. (They cross the limit of the top of the end-zone face-off circle) The face-off takes place in the neutral zone outside the Team B blue line.

8. Play is in the Team B defending zone. Team A is penalized making them shorthanded. The face-off will take place in the Team A defending zone. Prior to start of play Team B takes a time penalty. (Minor, Bench Minor, Major or Match) The face-off goes back into the Team B defending zone. In this situation, if the penalty call to Team B is not a time penalty (Misconduct, Game Misconduct or Gross Misconduct) the face-off would remain in the Team A defending zone.