HOCKEY CANADA RULE CHANGES 2022-2024

Changes

Rule 2.2 (m) – Players in Uniform - New Text: In Minor and Female, a player that is duly registered to a team roster but unable to participate in a game due to injury may be permitted to take a position on the bench during the game, as long as they are included within the permitted players in uniform on the official game report and wearing the minimum equipment of a BNQ throat protector (minor and female), CSA approved Helmet and CSA facial protector; in accordance with the requirements for their registered category of play.

What Changed: A player who is injured can be on the bench during the game, but they must be listed as a player on the game report, and they must wear the minimum protective equipment. Note: This would not apply to suspended players, who may not be on the bench or listed on the game report.

Rule 2.4 (d) – Injured Players New Text: Goaltender replacement shall be subject to the rules governing goaltenders and shall be allowed the goaltender’s full equipment. In divisions of U13 and below after a player has been designated as a goaltender, may return to a non-goaltender position. Only in divisions above U13, the player must remain as a goaltender once they have been designated as such. The only exception is when a team is awarded a penalty shot and the opposing team does not have a goaltender dressed.

What Changed: Clarification that, if a team doesn’t have a goaltender dressed, a player can act as the goaltender for the penalty shot only, and then can return to acting as a skater.

Rule 4.11 – Penalty Shots New Text: The coach/captain of the non-offending team may designate any player, other than the goaltender, to take the Penalty Shot. If the coach/captain declines to select a player, the Referee will designate a player.

What Changed: When a team is awarded a Penalty Shot, any player on that team can take the shot. Previously, it had to be the player who was fouled, or a player who was on the ice at the time of the infraction.

Rule 6.3 (c) – Face-off Location New Text: When this situation leads to a time penalty or multiple time penalties being placed on the penalty time clock to one team, making that team shorthanded, the ensuing face-off will be conducted at one of the two end zone face-off locations in the offending team’s defending zone. There are five exceptions:

(v) When play has been stopped due to a premature substitution of the goaltender. In this case, the face-off will take place at centre ice, except in cases where the offending team would gain a territorial advantage, in which case the face-off would take place at the nearest face-off location that does not provide that advantage.

What Changed: When a penalty is assessed, making a team shorthanded, the face[1]off will take place in the offending team’s defending zone, with five exceptions. This clarifies that premature substitution of the goaltender is one of those exceptions.

Rule 7.4 – Charging New Text: Charging is when a player:

i. Jumps to check an opponent.

ii. Builds up speed by taking two or more strides immediately prior to making contact.

iii. Travels an excessive distance with the sole purpose of delivering such a hit.

iv. Violently and unnecessarily checks an opponent in any manner.

v. Delivers a body check to an opponent’s blind side.

What Changed: Addition of “blindside” hits as a criteria for a penalty under this rule.

Rule 8.7 – Clipping New Text: Clipping, also known as a “low hit”, is where a player uses their body to make contact at or below an opponent’s knees. This may take the form of a player lowering their body prior to making a check or being checked. Players may not crouch down to avoid being bodychecked.

What Changed: Addition of Clipping as a penalty, with a separate rule reference from Tripping. Clipping is where any player lowers their body to hit an opponent at or below the knees. Note: This action was always illegal under the Playing Rules but would previously have been penalized as Tripping.

Rule 9.1 (c) – Butt-Ending New Text: (b) A Match penalty, at the discretion of the referee, based on the degree of violence of impact, may be assessed to any player who butt-ends or deliberately attempts to butt-end an opponent with force. A Match penalty will be assessed to any player who injures an opponent by a butt ending infraction that would otherwise call for a double Minor penalty.

What Changed: Clarification that the referee may assess a Match penalty for Butt-Ending, based on the degree of violence and force of the action, even if no injury occurs.

Rule 9.4 (c) – Spearing New Text: (c) A Match penalty will be assessed to any player or team official who deliberately spears or deliberately attempts to spear an opponent by jabbing them forcefully with the toe of the blade of the stick. A Match penalty will be assessed to any player who injures an opponent by a spearing infraction that would otherwise call for a double Minor penalty.

What Changed: Clarification that the referee may assess a Match penalty for Spearing, based on the degree of violence and force of the action, even if no injury occurs.

Clarifications:

Rule 3.6 (d) / Rule 10.6:  Clarification that not wearing helmet, facial protector, or neck guard is penalized with a Minor penalty.  But the play should only be immediately stopped if the player participates in the play while not wearing a helmet or facial protector.  If a player participates in the play while not wearing a neck guard, it is a delayed penalty.  Improperly wearing a helmet, facial protector, or neck guard is a Misconduct penalty, which would be a delayed penalty.

Rule 3.7:  Clarification that the Referee has the authority to remove any piece of nonstandard equipment from the game that “provides an undue advantage to the user in playing of the game or that poses a danger to the user or other participants.”  This would follow the same procedure for any other piece of equipment deemed “dangerous”.

Rule 4.8 / 4.9 / 4.10:  Clarification that when a player is removed from the game because of a Game Ejection, Game Misconduct, Gross Misconduct, or Match penalty, they do not have to stay physically in the dressing room, if they do not interact with the game or the participants in any matter.

Rule 4.12:  Simplification of the text of the rule, regarding when a goal may be awarded, in reference to Rule 4.11 – Penalty Shots.  Removal of distinction on the awarding of a goal based on possession of the puck versus after the puck has been shot. This distinction was creating confusion and was deemed unnecessary and counter to the spirit of the rule.

Rule 6.2:  Clarification that all players on the ice must be standing still while a face-off is occurring.  6.2 is a new rule reference that specifically deals with conducting a face-off. However, there are not any meaningful changes to the rule.

Rule 6.3:  A new rule reference that addresses everything to do with the location of a face-off. However, there are not any changes to the rule.

Rule 6.9 / 6.10: Clarification that the height of the crossbar (as it pertains to high-sticking the puck) on a goal or no-goal situation applies ONLY in Junior A (Rule 6.10) • In Minor and Female hockey, the only criteria for high-sticking the puck is the normal height of the shoulders (Rule 6.9)

Rule 7.9 / 7.10 / 7.11 The former rule “Fighting and Roughing” is now three separate rule references:  - Rule 7.9 – Roughing - Rule 7.10 – Fighting - Rule 7.11 – Instigator & Aggressor • There are not any rule changes, but this is an opportunity for officials to review, to ensure they understand and are correctly applying the rule.

Rule 8.3 / 8.4 / 8.5:  The former rule “Interference” is now three separate rule references: - Rule 8.3 – Interference - Rule 8.4 – Interference from the Bench - Rule 8.5 – Interference with the Goaltender.  This includes clarified language on players in the crease and goal/no-goal situations.

Rule 8.5:  Goaltender Interference: Additional context/definition “Goal Crease Area: Unless the puck is in the goal crease area, a player of the attacking team may not stand in the goal crease. If the puck should enter the net while such conditions prevail, the goal will NOT BE ALLOWED. However, if an attacking player is in the goal crease but does not interfere with the Goaltender and another attacking player (who is outside the goal crease) scores, the goal WILL BE ALLOWED provided that the player who was in the goal crease does not attempt to play the puck, interfere with the play, or obstruct the Goaltender’s view or movements. Therefore, it would be reasonable for a Referee to judge that a situation may warrant disallowing a goal under this rule without assessing an attacking player a penalty.”

Rule 8.5:  Goaltender Interference: Additional interpretations 1. Any goal scored on a play where an attacking player initiates contact with the goaltender will be disallowed, regardless of whether the contact occurs inside or outside of the goal crease. The only exception to this is where the attacking player is fouled by a defending player and, as a result, is unable to avoid contact with the goaltender. 2. Where an attacking player is tripped, hooked, cross-checked, or otherwise interfered with, falls, and contacts the goaltender, there must be an effort by the attacking player to avoid contacting the goaltender. If the player does not try to avoid contact with the goaltender, then they must be penalized for interference with the goaltender. The referee should also penalize the defending player who committed the initial foul under the appropriate rule. 3. An attacking player is NOT committing a foul by simply standing in the goal crease. However, if while standing in the crease, the attacking player attempts to play the puck, interfere with the play, or impede the goaltender’s vision or movements, then no goal may be scored. If the puck enters the net in this situation, the goal must be disallowed. NOTE: No penalty would be assessed unless the attacking player’s body or stick makes actual physical contact with the goaltender. 4. An attacking player is standing in the goal crease. The puck is shot, hitting the player in the crease, and drops down in the crease. The attacking player gets out of the crease, then shoots the puck into the goal. GOAL. The puck did not enter the goal while the attacking player was in the crease.

Rule 10.3:  Additional language and definitions around diving and embellishment (both of which should be penalized) but no rule changes.

Rule 10.6:  New rule reference for “Illegal Equipment” • Please note that this rule reference replaces certain ‘one-off’ infractions that were previously referenced: o E.g., “Ineligible Player” for participating in the play without protective equipment, “Carrying Two Hockey Sticks”, “Illegally Receiving a Stick” • This rule also covers undoing a chinstrap or removing a helmet to fight.