USA Hockey rules for 06/07

[sonsplayhockey 0]

http://www.usahockey.com/usa_hockey/usahwe...andard_061406//

I heard all this talk at the rink about "playing the puck". People talked about making lifting the stick illegal. I don't see how you can play hockey without doing that. I don't see this specifically talked about in the link

[Meathead 0]

How can you have a faceoff if you can't touch the other player's stick with your stick

[chk hrd 164]

How can you have a faceoff if you can't touch the other player's stick with your stick

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

you can still lift the stick if your are playing the puck (like a face off) or to keep the other team from playing it (like in front of the net, in the corners or receiving a pass).

They don't want someone away from the play gettting thier stick lifted so they can move into the play or getting tied up with another player.

[jon93 0]

this rule is so stuiped. taking away lifting an opponets stick is making the game not as fun.

[kosydar 0]

this rule is so stuiped. taking away lifting an opponets stick is making the game not as fun.

[jon93 0]

this rule is so stuiped. taking away lifting an opponets stick is making the game not as fun.

man im sorry i spelled something wrong

let me rephrase this

"this rule is so STUPID, taking away lifting an opponets stick is making the game not as fun

[hockeymom 2]

The rule has also changed in Canada - there's been a lot of chat about it at hockey camps. My daughter has suggested to her coach to get a ref in at the start of the season and show, on ice, what they can and can't do.

Since she is a master at lifting the stick and scooping the puck away from them, she is having fits that this part of her game has disappeared.... or at least that is what it SOUNDS like at this point.

[jon93 0]

The rule has also changed in Canada - there's been a lot of chat about it at hockey camps. My daughter has suggested to her coach to get a ref in at the start of the season and show, on ice, what they can and can't do.

Since she is a master at lifting the stick and scooping the puck away from them, she is having fits that this part of her game has disappeared.... or at least that is what it SOUNDS like at this point.

she's not the only one

[Chadd 916]

My clinic is coming up in a couple weeks, I'll know more about the enforcement standards by then.

[sonsplayhockey 0]

My clinic is coming up in a couple weeks, I'll know more about the enforcement standards by then.

Are you a ref?

If anyone who is a ref who KNOWS the deal, please identify that you are a ref (for those who don't know everone by their screen name)

[Chadd 916]

My clinic is coming up in a couple weeks, I'll know more about the enforcement standards by then.

Are you a ref?

If anyone who is a ref who KNOWS the deal, please identify that you are a ref (for those who don't know everone by their screen name)

Yes, I have been a ref for 7 or 8 years now. Our clinic is the 20th and we will relay the info that I am given. I think people are worrying too much about the new standards at this point. Lifting the stick will be fine if you're doing it to a guy who already has the puck. They want the refs to call the hooks and slashes that have been ignored in the past.

[kosydar 0]

Regardless of how "right" it is to finally place an emphasis on calling the game by the rules, it is going to be such a bitch to enforce in adult leagues. The adult league that I ref in plays under USA rules and the players flip shit if there are two or three penalties called in a game. Now that that number will at least double, its going to be a rough transition from a ref's standpoint.

[willc7786 0]

What about lifting a players stick when they're trying to to receive a pass? They don't have the puck, but they're "in the play", so I wonder where that would fall under.

[Chadd 916]

Regardless of how "right" it is to finally place an emphasis on calling the game by the rules, it is going to be such a bitch to enforce in adult leagues. The adult league that I ref in plays under USA rules and the players flip shit if there are two or three penalties called in a game. Now that that number will at least double, its going to be a rough transition from a ref's standpoint.

You really need to have the league address the players before the season starts. It is going to be incredibly important with the change in standards. I'm expecting there will be double the unsportsmanlike penalties and an increase in suspensions this season.

[sonsplayhockey 0]

My clinic is coming up in a couple weeks, I'll know more about the enforcement standards by then.

Are you a ref?

If anyone who is a ref who KNOWS the deal, please identify that you are a ref (for those who don't know everone by their screen name)

Yes, I have been a ref for 7 or 8 years now. Our clinic is the 20th and we will relay the info that I am given. I think people are worrying too much about the new standards at this point. Lifting the stick will be fine if you're doing it to a guy who already has the puck. They want the refs to call the hooks and slashes that have been ignored in the past.

One thing I do is lift an opponent's stick who is trying to steal the puck from my teammate. Don't know if is currently or will become illegal but I do It all the time now and don't get called for it.

[repus 0]

If you read into the rule changes themselves, the change isn't all that bad. This is mostly meant to firm up the interpretation. You need to ignore the principals and see the definition.

The hot once seems to be around the use of the stick:

"The use of the stick will be limited to only playing the puck."

This is then defined in the penalties below on the same page:

Under Hooking:

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

and under 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.

The Slashing penalty is the closest, but you need to read the rule carefully: "Any stick contact as a result of a slashing motion, to hands/arms or body will be strictly penalized. In addtion, hard slashes to the upper portion of the stick (just below the hands)....

When you left a players stick, rarely do you make a "slashing motion", nor are you making a hard slash to the upper portion of the stick.

Hopefully referee instructors will help highlight this in the rules. This rule change is designed to fall in line with what the NHL implemented last year.

-dave

[Project824 0]

My clinic is coming up in a couple weeks, I'll know more about the enforcement standards by then.

Are you a ref?

If anyone who is a ref who KNOWS the deal, please identify that you are a ref (for those who don't know everone by their screen name)

Yes, I have been a ref for 7 or 8 years now. Our clinic is the 20th and we will relay the info that I am given. I think people are worrying too much about the new standards at this point. Lifting the stick will be fine if you're doing it to a guy who already has the puck. They want the refs to call the hooks and slashes that have been ignored in the past.

I've seen the standards of enforcement DVD. It's going to create a lot of problems for both referees and players/coaches this season, mostly because I think some referees are going to go literally on it, and some coaches will overteach the standard.

At this year's Select 16 Festival the referees used the new enforcement standards. It caused fits for players, coaches and the referees, who were blowing whistles every few minutes. I believe there was an equivalent to 2000 minutes of penalties called there. Think about it, about 20 scrimmages, no fighting, very few majors, after all it is a tryout camp - 2000 minutes. No flow to the games, a lot of stoppages. The Festival as a whole suffered because these kids who are supposed to be distinguishing themselves for NTDP couldn't play for more than a minute at a time without the game stopping. If the best 16 year olds in the country (many of whom are Major Junior, USHL, NAHL draft picks) had that much trouble with it, imagine how bad it's going to be for Johnny Bantam A.

I believe USA Hockey still has a 15 minor penalty limit for youth games before the coach is suspended? Someone please confirm, it's been a long time since I saw a youth game. Teams will hit 15 without batting an eye. Better line up a few extra coaches for the team. Might as well spend half your practices on PP/PK too, since that'll be about half the game.

[Chadd 916]

My clinic is coming up in a couple weeks, I'll know more about the enforcement standards by then.

Are you a ref?

If anyone who is a ref who KNOWS the deal, please identify that you are a ref (for those who don't know everone by their screen name)

Yes, I have been a ref for 7 or 8 years now. Our clinic is the 20th and we will relay the info that I am given. I think people are worrying too much about the new standards at this point. Lifting the stick will be fine if you're doing it to a guy who already has the puck. They want the refs to call the hooks and slashes that have been ignored in the past.

One thing I do is lift an opponent's stick who is trying to steal the puck from my teammate. Don't know if is currently or will become illegal but I do It all the time now and don't get called for it.

That would be interference. It always has been and should have been called in the past.

[hocckey77 0]

Since she is a master at lifting the stick and scooping the puck away from them, she is having fits that this part of her game has disappeared.... or at least that is what it SOUNDS like at this point.

you can still lift someone's stick to steal the puck. you just can't do it when they don't have the puck.

note: I already did my ref clinic this past weekend. If you need any more clarifications you could ask me if you want to.

[sonsplayhockey 0]

So if you have the puck, and someone is trying to get it, you can't lift their stick away as you get better position on them?

[sabre09923 0]

So if I am out in front of my own net, can I still tie up the guy that's sitting in the slot (by preferably lifting up his stick)?

[hockeyherb 1]

My summer beer league actually implemented the rules this season to get ready for the change in the big fall season we have. Boy what a great idea because it has created chaos.

First of all, the standards have not been applied very well by the referees. Once they decided to call these penalties under the new rules we had some games where teams basically played the whole game in the box, and other games (with different refs) where it was really no different than usual.

Players have been bitching and moaning about the refs, but at the same time they're not taking the time to understand what you can and can't do anymore. I got a penalty last night for slashing but what I really did was turn my stick over and come down on another guys stick blade as he and I were reaching for the puck. At first I was po'd that he called that since it seemed MickeyMouse but then when he explained it I understood - I wasn't playing the puck, I was playing his stick and that is what the spirit of the rule is all about.

We've had one team this summer walk off the ice near the end of the game because they were so upset with the referees but I think it was as much to do with them.

Anyone in beer leagues especially needs to be prepared for an interesting upcoming season when the new rules are applied. Us old guys are going to have the hardest time undoing the way we've played for years and as you get slower you start to use the stick more to catch/keep up with other players.

As for lifting sticks and stealing the puck - it's totally fine IF the players who's stick your lifting has the puck. A penalty was called on a guy last night when he was lifting my stick in front of their net preventing me from taking a pass. Things like that are going to be hard to stop doing after all these years.

[hockeyherb 1]

So if you have the puck, and someone is trying to get it, you can't lift their stick away as you get better position on them?

Huh? You have the puck and you're going to lift someone else's stick?

Doesn't sound legal to me though, you're not playing the puck.

[sabre09923 0]

As for lifting sticks and stealing the puck - it's totally fine IF the players who's stick your lifting has the puck.  A penalty was called on a guy last night when he was lifting my stick in front of their net preventing me from taking a pass.  Things like that are going to be hard to stop doing after all these years.

That's not a good thing to hear. I expect to set a career high in penalty minutes this year... It's my best tactic to use against those pesky forwards in front of my net (lifting their stick up), and they are going to eliminate it, after I've been taught to do that since squirts <_<

EDIT: Spelling error.

[hockeyherb 1]

As for lifting sticks and stealing the puck - it's totally fine IF the players who's stick your lifting has the puck.  A penalty was called on a guy last night when he was lifting my stick in front of their net preventing me from taking a pass.  Things like that are going to be hard to stop doing after all these years.

That's not a good thing to hear. I expect to set a career high in penalty minutes this year... It's my best tactic to use against those pesky forwards in front of my net (lifting their stick up), and they are going to eliminate it, after I've been taguth to do that since squirts <_<

Exactly - it's sad after all these years they decided to finally apply the rules after letting us get away with this stuff for our whole careers. We can probably thank the NJ Devils for taking it to the ultimate level and sending hockey into snoozeful 1-0 affairs. I love that the game is much more open now, as long as they keep calling it properly.