Hockey Canada’s Head Contact rule was passed at the Hockey Canada AGM in Calgary, Alta in June 2011.
Head Contact – Rule F. 6.5
a) In Minor and Female, a Minor Penalty shall be assessed to any player who accidentally contacts an opponent in the head, face or neck with his stick or any part of the player’s body or equipment.
b) In Minor and Female, a Double Minor Penalty or a Major and a Game Misconduct Penalty, at the discretion of the Referee and based on the degree of violence of impact shall be assessed to any player who intentionally contacts an opponent in the head, face or neck with her stick or any part of the player’s body or equipment.
c) In Junior and Senior, a Minor and a Misconduct penalty, or a Major and a Game Misconduct penalty, at the discretion of the Referee based on the degree of violence of impact, shall be assessed to any player who checks an opponent to the head in any manner.
d) A Major and a Game Misconduct penalty, or a Match penalty shall be assessed any player who injures an opponent under this Rule.
e) A Match penalty shall be assessed any player who deliberately attempts to injure or deliberately injures an opponent under this Rule.
Note: All contact above the shoulders (neck, face and head) is to be called Head Contact under one of the above.
The OHF Minor Council endorsed changes to minimum suspensions for head contact penalties from those previously publicized in NR 11.06 for the Minor and Double Minor penalties.
-The penalty for accidental contact under rule 6.5 (a) will be a Minor Penalty with no additional suspension.
-The penalty for intentional contact under rule 6.5 (b) will be a Double Minor Penalty with no additional suspension.
-The Major Penalty will remain the same as indicated in NR 11.06 which is a GM72 (game misconduct: plus three (3) additional games for first offence; plus four (4) additional games for second offence; and an indefinite suspension for the third offence in the same season).
-The Match Penalty will remain the same as indicated in NR 11.06 which is a MP72 (game misconduct: plus four (4) additional games for the first offence; and an indefinite suspension for the second offence in the same season).
These adjustments were made based on the samples Hockey Canada provided on different types of head contact and the penalties that should be called with them. Hockey Canada also provided video footage of accidental and incidental head contact to provide further clarification. A stand was taken by the OHF to adjust these penalties so we can balance the importance of education on these infractions while maintaining the development of players in the game at all ages. The OHF will review the rules at the end of the 2011 – 2012 season and evaluate the outcome of these changes.
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Hockey Canada
Standard of Play
Minor hockey at all levels of play in all 13 branches across Canada received a facelift in the 2006-07 season with the implementation of a standard of play and rule emphasis initiative, placing the focus squarely on the building blocks of the game.
While the rules of the game have not changed, the standard of play and rules emphasis initiative will provide players with the opportunity for improved skill development and a more positive and safe hockey environment for all participants. Hockey Canada believes that this will place a greater emphasis on the basic building blocks of the game – skating, puck possession and proper body positioning.
1. Hooking
The use of the stick on the body of the puck-carrier or the non-puck-carrier to impede the progress or to gain territorial advantage shall be penalized.
The stick placed on the opponent’s body and parallel to the ice surface shall be considered as being in a ‘danger zone’. Once the stick is in this position, any tug or pull of consequence shall be penalized.
Consequence shall be interpreted as:
• any loss of momentum
• causing diminished space between the players
• impeding the opponent’s progress
• causing the opponent to lose balance to any degree
• reducing the opponent’s ability to pass or shoot the puck or to receive a pass
Placing the stick between the opponent’s legs shall be considered as in a ‘danger zone’.
If movement, either lateral or otherwise, is restricted in any fashion, a minor penalty for hooking shall be assessed. Should the opponent be caused to fall by this action, a minor penalty for tripping shall be assessed.
2. Tripping
A player cannot use his stick on the legs or feet of an opponent in a manner that causes the opponent to lose balance and fall.
Hockey is a game of speed and balance in which players frequently go down following incidental contact. Officials must see the foul and not guess in order to make the proper call.
In cases where the official has not seen the infraction but has seen only the end result, officials must be aware that a possible ‘missed infraction’ is justifiable whereas a ‘phantom call’ is unacceptable.
Placing the stick between the legs of the opponent thus causing him to fall should be called tripping. Impeding progress or hindering lateral movement by placing the stick between the legs should be called hooking.
3. Holding
The free hand may be used to push an opponent.
Removing the hand from the stick and placing it on the opponent’s body shall be considered as in a ‘danger zone’. Once the free hand is in this position, any act of consequence shall be penalized.
Consequence shall be interpreted as:
• restraining or impeding progress
• grabbing the body, stick, or sweater
• reducing the opponent’s ability to pass or shoot the puck or to receive a pass
Pin against the boards: The defensive player may make initial contact with the puck-carrier against the boards. Once this initial contact has been made, the defensive player must play the puck. Once the puck leaves the area (on the boards), the onus is on the defensive player to release the opponent immediately.
4. Interference
The non-puck-carrier must be allowed to pursue the puck or to gain his position without being restrained or impeded in any manner.
Finishing the check: An offensive player who is in the process of dumping, shooting, or passing the puck may be hit legally providing the motion of the check was initiated and then completed immediately following the release of the puck. The guideline for the interpretation of this rule is ‘arm-length + stick-length’.
Should the defensive player be within the range of ‘arm-length + stick-length’, he shall be entitled to finish the check legally provided he commits to the check prior to or immediately following the release of the puck.
The puck-carrier should not be excused from an imminent hit simply because he decides to get rid of the puck.
Face-off interference: Players are not permitted to use their stick or free-hand to impede or block the progress of opponents who are in pursuit of the puck or trying to obtain defensive position. These acts shall be penalized as interference. Players are entitled to the ice they occupy and to position themselves between the puck and their opponent.
Battles: Players are allowed to battle for body position using their strength and balance. These battles occur primarily along the boards and in front of the net. Officials must not penalize players for using assets of strength and balance.