USA HOCKEY Rule Change Summary
Points of Emphasis:
Fair Play and Respect/Zero Tolerance Policy - USA Hockey has a zero-tolerance policy for abusive behavior by players, coaches, parents, fans, and officials. Players and coaches can be penalized with a bench minor up to a match penalty for various degrees of unsportsmanlike conduct. Spectators displaying inappropriate or disruptive behavior may cause the officials to stop the game until the offending spectators are removed. Please help us keep the game enjoyable for everyone. The updated policy strongly recommends that each team designate a volunteer act as a parent/spectator monitor during all team games so that disruptive behavior does not escalate to the point at which it has an impact on the game.
Player Safety - The focus of a body check must be to gain possession of the puck, not to punish or intimidate the other players. In “competitive contact” (formerly “body contact”) categories the player can use their body position to angle a player off the puck, but a deliberate body check (overt use of hips, shoulders, or arms, will be penalized. In body checking categories, the focus of the check must be on gaining possession of the puck, be done with the trunk of the body, and with the blade of the stick below the knees.
Playing Rule Changes:
Icing 624(b) - Teams are prohibited from legally icing the puck during shorthanded situations except at the high school level and Adult Level. Note: This rule was already in place at the Bantam/15U age levels and below.
Offside 630(d) - Removes tag-up offside - Offside is now ALWAYS automatic the moment the puck crosses the blue line. (This has been the rule at 12u and below and was the rule for EVERYONE about 15 years ago) - for adults the rule is unchanged - still tag-up delay offside.
Abuse of Officials and Other Misconduct 601(b) - bench minor penalty for banging boards with stick, skates, or arms to celebrate a body check whether the body check is penalized. This was implemented last year in-between rule change cycles and is now officially in the rulebook. Celebration of goals and saves is allowed and will not be cause for a penalty.
Calling of penalties 409(a) - Faceoff location after a penalty that affects the on-ice strength of a team is in the defending zone of the penalized team with exceptions when the stoppage for the penalty was caused by an action of the non-offending team (off-sides/icing/high sticking/hand pass)
Roughing 640 - requires a penalty for roughing when a player body checks an opponent who is no longer in possession of the puck, makes a body check with no intention of playing the puck, or delivers an avoidable hit after a whistle. The stick must be below the knees when delivering a body check. Calls for a penalty when a 3rd player delivers a body check when two players are already physically engaged.
All playing rules - removes reference to “injury” and replaces it with “reckless endangerment” as the standard for assessing a 5 + GM. Adds match penalty as an option for most playing rule infractions if the action “recklessly endangers” an opponent.
Administrative Rule Changes:
Penalties 401(b) - A player is assessed a game misconduct after receiving 4 penalties (used to be 5). A team that accumulates 12 penalties (used to be 15) in the same game will be suspended for the team’s next game. Players or team officials serving a suspension for a game misconduct violation or disciplinary suspension may not have any interaction with the team 45 minutes prior to the game, during the game and for 30 minutes after the game. Prohibited activities include any communication, being in the locker room or in the vicinity of the bench area. Violations may result in supplementary discipline.
Minor Penalties 402 (note) - minor penalty lengths “SHALL” be prorated for shorter periods - We will need clarification from the league on how that rule should be applied when using a running clock.
· Periods less than 12 minutes - 1:00 minor penalty
· Periods between 12 and 17 minutes 1:30 minor penalty
· Periods greater than 17 minute - 2:00 minor penalty
Major/Misconduct/Match penalties 403(a)/404(note)/405(a) – gives options for a league to prorate the length of major, misconduct, and match penalties based on period length of game.
For example:
· Periods less than 12 minutes - 3:00 major, 6:00 misconduct*
· Periods between 12 and 17 - 4:00 major, 8:00 misconduct*
· Periods longer than 17 - 5:00 major, 10:00 misconduct*
*THIS WILL BE LEAGUE DIRECTED ONLY. IF NOTHING STATED WE FOLLOW USA HOCKEY GUIDELINES FOR MAJOR AND MISCONDUCT TIME.
Major Penalties 403 - ALL major penalties now come with an automatic game misconduct. The GM is in addition to the major penalty
Progressive Discipline 411(c) - adds progressive suspensions for coaches who get multiple game-misconducts for abuse of officials/unsportsmanlike conduct in the same season. 1st GM = 1 game, 2nd GM = 3 games, 3rd GM = suspension until hearing by the “proper authorities”
Composition of Teams 201(b) - Rostered players who are unable to play due to injury may sit on the bench if they wear their jersey, helmet, and face cage. They should not be listed on the game sheet (or if they are, they should be crossed out)
Composition of Teams201(c)/401(c) - Suspended or ejected coaches may not be near the bench of their team, nor communicate or attempt to direct their team in any way nor may they be present in the locker room. The suspension will commence 45 minutes prior to game time and conclude 30 mins after game time.
Misc Rule Changes:
Sticks 301(b) - Max stick length is now 65” to accommodate taller players
Appointment of Officials 501(c) - Allows use of 4 official system in 14U
Abuse of officials601(d.1) - allows for a game misconduct for a coach for repeated abuse of officials after an initial bench minor has expired.
Face-off locations 612(c) - a puck that deflects off the goal frame, board, or glass is an end-zone face off.
The face-off location following a penalty call that causes a team to be shorthanded shall be an end zone face-off in the defending zone of the penalized team unless: the penalty is assessed after a goal is scored, the penalty occurs at the end of a period or the non-offending team causes a stoppage of play (offsides, icing, etc.).
High Sticks 621(d) - Eliminates “slap-shot” restriction in 10u and below
These items haven’t changed:
Mouth-guards - All players 12u and above must have their mouth guard in whenever their skates are on the ice. The first violation from any player on a team is a warning for the whole team, any other violations = a misconduct
Coincident penalties - If both teams receive an equal number of minor penalties in the same stoppage
DO NOT put those penalties on the scoreboard. Make note of the time their penalties end and release those players on the next whistle after their time expires.
Misconduct penalties - these NEVER go on the scoreboard - make note of the time the penalty expires and let the player out at the next whistle after the penalty expires. If a player is assessed a minor and misconduct penalty, they must serve the minor penalty first before the misconduct. Even if there is another player in the box serving the minor, the 10 minutes doesn’t start until the minor penalty has ended whether by time expiration, or a goal being scored.
Official’s Errors on icing - result in a face-off in the end zone where the puck crossed the goal line – (this has been the rule for at least 3 rule change cycles). It is still icing even if the puck goes through the goal-crease.
Score-sheet - Don’t cross off eligible players who are not present for the start of the game from the score sheet. If those players arrive late, they are still eligible to participate! Only cross off players who are in-eligible (suspension or injury). Eligible players who no-show for a game should be crossed off AFTER the game is over. DON’T cross out the blank penalty section of a score sheet until after the referee signs the score sheet (or let the ref do it) The ref can still add penalties even after time has expired if players commit infractions before leaving the ice or may need to correct clerical errors on the scoresheet.
Coaches - referees are happy to talk to you at a stoppage or intermission. We'll be happy to explain the call, or the situation, or answer a reasonable question about what we saw in the play. Please also remember that you are a role model for your players, and we need to keep the conversation polite and brief, so that we can play hockey.