A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. A referee makes most penalty calls. A linesman may call only obvious technical infractions such as too many men on the ice. In the NHL, the linesman may call major intent-to-injure penalties that the referee may have missed. The statistic used to track penalties is called Penalties In Minutes (PIM) [1].
During a penalty, the player who committed the infraction is sent to the penalty box. In most cases, the penalized team cannot replace that player and is thus shorthanded for the duration of the penalty. Normally, hockey teams have five skaters (excluding the goaltender), so if one penalty is called, play becomes five-on-four.
This is called a power play for the attackers and a penalty kill for the defenders. A team is far more likely to score on a power play than during normal play. During a power play, the defenders are allowed to ice the puck without a stoppage in play. If the penalized team is scored on during a minor penalty, the penalty immediately ends. If the penalty is a double minor and there is more than two minutes left, the penalty clock is set to two minutes; if there is less than two minutes left in the penalty, it is over when the team with the powerplay scores. If the penalty is a major, the advantage continues no matter how many goals are scored.
When a penalty is called on the team not in possession of the puck, play is not stopped until the penalized team gains control of the puck (or a goal is scored, or the team in possession commits an infraction or penalty). Thus, deliberately taking a penalty will not stop an offensive onslaught by the opposing team. During delayed penalties, the other team's goaltender will often leave the ice to add an extra attacker, since the opposition cannot propel the puck into the net in any way, although it is possible for the team in control of the puck to score on its own net.
When a goaltender draws a penalty (except for a game misconduct or match penalty), he does not go to the penalty box. His penalty is served by a player that was on the ice at the time of the infraction. A bench minor – a penalty assessed to the team as a whole or a team official – is also served by a player on the ice at the time of the infraction. The coach may choose which player he wishes to serve the penalty in either of these situations. The exceptions of the match or game misconduct penalties require the goaltender to leave the ice immediately. In such cases, a backup goaltender can be put in play, or any player can serve as the goaltender and is allowed to use the goaltender's equipment.
Types of penalties
Dominantly NHL Classifications (Some rules do not apply to International or Interprovincial/Intercity leagues); in order from least to most serious penalties:
- Minor
- Lasts for up to two minutes. If the opposing team scores on the power play, the minor penalty expires and the penalized player may return to the ice. In USA Hockey and IIHF rules, coincidental minor penalties (where a minor is called against a player of each team as the result of a single incident) do not result in both teams playing one man down and require them to stay in the box until the first stoppage after their penalties have expired. This is to prevent to people leaving the ice at the same time during play, which can result in collisions, interference, or additional penalties. However, in the NHL offsetting minors currently do result in a 4-on-4 situation. In the past, this was under the ref's discretion if the referees felt that a penalty was committed by a player for the express purpose of creating a 4-on-4. In this case (the "Edmonton rule", named for the Edmonton Oilers who used 4-on-4 play with their superstar lineup to create an advantage), the referees had the option of allowing substitutions for the penalized players resulting in 5-on-5 play. This rule was taken off the books as of the NHL lockout as being unnecessary.
- Bench Minor
- Similar to a minor; these are generally called for violations of the rules by players or team officials not on the ice, or for technical violations related to players or officials coming on or off the ice (such as too many players on the ice or an illegal substitution). A bench minor requires the team to select a player from those legally on the ice at the time of the whistle to serve a minor penalty for his team. If a bench minor is called for a player leaving the box before his penalty has expired (this is common in amateur leagues where penalty box officials are rare; it is virtually unheard of in the NHL where they are mandated), the player leaving the box serves the additional time.
- Double minor
- Lasts for up to four minutes. Served as two consecutive minor penalties: If a power play goal is scored during the first two minutes, only the first minor expires—the player must serve the remaining minor penalty. A double minor is assessed to a player when their foul causes the victim injury (in practice, this is limited to injuries drawing blood) or if the penalized player is too vocal/animated in their objection to the call. Though not part of official USA Hockey rules as of 2005-2006, some "in-house" amateur or non-checking leagues instruct referees to call a double minor for stick penalties such as high-sticking, slashing, tripping with the stick, hooking or cross-checking, regardless of whether an injury was sustained as a result.
- Major
- Lasts for five minutes. The penalized player must serve the entire penalty regardless of whether or not the opposing team scores on the power play. If a major penalty involves injury to the head or face, a fine may be assessed. Three major penalties in one game results in an automatic game misconduct penalty. In the case of simultaneous major penalties to each team (e.g., fighting), the penalties do not cause either team to play shorthanded. Fighting is the most common call for a major penalty, though a major can be given for flagrant or openly deliberate rule infractions that would otherwise result in a lesser penalty, such as vicious slashes, cross-checks or trips. Many penalties that warrant a major penalty often carry an automatic game misconduct penalty, regardless of how many major penalties that player has accumulated in the game. It is rare to see a major penalty (besides fighting) assessed to a player which does not carry an automatic game misconduct penalty.
- Misconduct
- Lasts for ten minutes. This is a penalty to the player only; his team is not shorthanded during a misconduct (unless additional penalties are assessed). After the penalty expires, the penalized player must remain in the penalty box until the next stoppage of play. In the event that the time remaining in the period/game is less than that of the penalty, the player is usually sent to the locker room, as it would not be possible for him to continue playing unless the game was tied late in the final period, in which case the possibility of overtime could allow the player to continue playing. The player also is assessed a fine.
- Game misconduct
- The player is ejected from the game. This is a penalty to the player only; his team is not shorthanded (unless additional penalties are assessed). It also carries a fine. Some leagues also impose a game misconduct to any player who is assessed three minor penalties, three major penalties, or a combination of any three minors/majors, depending on the league.
- Gross misconduct
- Similar to a game misconduct, except it implies an action of extreme unsportsmanlike conduct (such as abuse of officials or spectators) and can be assessed to any team official in addition to a player. It is defined as a travesty to the game. (Other examples include playing under the influence of alcohol or marijuana.) On June 20, 2007, the NHL voted to eliminate the term "gross misconduct" from its rulebook. The infractions that were listed under this term are now just referred to as game misconduct penalties. The most likely reason for the change seems to be the seldom use of the term (no penalty assessed by the NHL since 2000 has been classified as a gross misconduct). In fact, the term is rarely, if ever, used in any North American professional hockey league.
- Match
- The player is ejected from the game and is ordered to the dressing room immediately, and automatically suspended from the league until a hearing is conducted. There are two types of match penalties: a ten minute penalty for deliberate injury to an opponent and a five minute penalty for intent to injure. In each case, 10 minutes is assessed in the player's penalty records. Another player on the offending team serves the penalty for its duration and does not return to the ice until the entire penalty time expires.
- Game disqualification (NCAA only)
- Similar to a match penalty, except a player serves an automatic suspension equaling one game for each game disqualification penalty called against that player in a season (e.g., a two-game suspension for the second game disqualification of a season).
- Penalty shot
- A player is given an attempt to score a goal without opposition from any defending players except the goaltender. This penalty is called for fouling an opponent from behind (not from a side swipe) when the player has no one but the goaltender to beat, or for any defending player including the goaltender who throws his stick in the defending zone. A penalty shot may also be called if a defending player other than the goaltender gathers the puck into his body or grabs the puck in the defending zone (handling the puck with the hands). A penalty shot is also awarded in the Southern Professional Hockey League in lieu of a power play during the final two minutes of an overtime for a minor penalty.
By far, minor penalties are the most common. Common minor penalties are for hooking, tripping, slashing, interference, cross-checking or roughing. Double minors tend to be a foul that would normally draw a minor penalty but also draws blood from the afflicted player, although others exist, most commonly a minor given for dissenting with an original penalty call. Major penalties are assessed for infractions that could result in serious injury such as boarding and fighting, as well as flagrant or personally-motivated actions that would otherwise be a minor. Misconducts and game misconducts are given when injury results, there is the potential for one, or for persisting in the verbal abuse of a player, coach, or official. Match penalties are given for deliberate injury and attempted injury and serious disrespect of game officials, such as a coach refusing to let his team play a game or physically abusing an official.
For especially egregious infractions, a player will be suspended for a fixed number of games. In professional leagues, the player does not collect his salary during the suspension. Suspensions are not assessed during a game (except in the case of a match penalty), but decided in a hearing of league officials.
For infractions that are too minor to deserve a penalty such as icing, hand passes, and offsides, the team is penalized by a faceoff closer to their end, but this is not a penalty under the rules of hockey.
Coincidental penalties and penalty expiration
When a team is shorthanded because of a penalty, upon its expiration the penalized player returns to the ice immediately and can join the play in progress. For penalties where a player must go to the penalty box but the team does not play shorthanded, the player must remain there after the penalty until there is a stoppage in play for some reason.
When both teams incur a penalty of the same type (for example, two minor penalties) during the same stoppage of play, they are said to be coincidental. In most leagues, coincidental penalties do not cause a team to be shorthanded; the penalized players must sit in the penalty box, but the teams remain at the same on-ice strength.
In the NHL and U.S. college hockey, when the teams are at full strength and coincidental minors occur, both teams must play one man down: play is four-on-four. If coincidental minors occur when either team is already shorthanded, the teams remain at the same numerical strength. When coincidental majors, such as those for fighting, occur, the teams stay at full strength.
Coincidental penalties are determined by time alone, not by the individual penalties. For example, if during a stoppage of play, one player is assessed a double minor penalty and two players from the other team are assessed minor penalties, those penalties are considered coincidental and play remains at five-on-five.
Teams must have at least three skaters on the ice. If a team that already is down to three men is penalized, that penalty does not start until one of the previous penalties expires. In this situation, the newly penalized player must sit in the box right away. When the original penalty expires, that player may not return to the ice until a stoppage of play, so that his team still has the correct number of players on the ice.
Minor penalties only expire when a team is shorthanded. If play is five-on-five, four-on-four, or three-on-three and a goal is scored, no penalties expire.
In leagues which play with a four-on-four overtime, the first minor penalty means the offended team plays down one man; a second penalty while the first penalty is occurring means the team with the two-man advantage will actually add a player, making the penalty five-on-three until the next stoppage of play after the penalty expires.
In the Southern Professional Hockey League, with a three-on-three overtime, each minor penalty means the team with the power play will play with an additional skater during the first three minutes of the overtime. In the final two minutes, no power play is awarded; instead, officials award a penalty shot to the team which would have received the power play, mainly to give the team a better chance at winning the game, since a power play would not be fully awarded.
List of penalties
In the NHL, infractions that result in penalties include:
- Abuse of officials
- Arguing with, insulting, using obscene gestures or language directed at or in reference to, or deliberately making violent contact with any on or off-ice official. This generally is issued in addition to other penalties or as a bench penalty against a coach or off-ice player, and is grounds for ejection under a game misconduct or match penalty in most leagues including the NHL.
- Aggressor penalty
- Assessed to the player involved in a fight who was the more aggressive during the fight. This is independent of the instigator penalty, but both are usually not assessed to the same player (in that case the player's penalty for fighting is usually escalated to deliberate injury of opponents, which carries a match penalty).
- Attempt to injure
- Deliberately trying to harm an opponent (and/or succeeding). This type of infraction carries an automatic match penalty.
- Boarding
- Pushing an opponent violently into the boards.
- Butt-ending (or Stabbing)
- Jabbing an opponent with the end of the shaft of the stick. It carries an automatic major penalty and game misconduct.
- Charging
- Taking more than three strides before hitting an opponent.
- Checking from behind
- Hitting an opponent from behind is a penalty. It carries an automatic minor penalty and misconduct, or a major penalty and game misconduct if it results in injury. See checking.
- Clipping
- Delivering a check below the knees of an opponent. If injury results, a major penalty and a game misconduct will result.
- Cross-checking
- Hitting an opponent with the stick when it is held with two hands and no part of the sick is on the ice.
- Delay of game
- Deliberately stalling the game (for example, deliberately shooting the puck out of play, holding the puck in the hand, refusing to send players out for a faceoff, or even repeated deliberate offsides). As part of the rule changes following the 2004-05 NHL lockout, NHL officials also call an automatic delay of game penalty to goaltenders that go into the corners behind the goal line (outside a trapezoid-shaped area just behind the net) to play the puck. Some delay of game offenses, such as taking too long to send players to take a faceoff, are not punished with a penalty: instead, the official may choose to eject the center of the offending team and order him replaced with another player already on the ice.
- Diving
- Falling to the ice in an attempt to draw a penalty. Usually classified under "unsportsmanlike conduct" and only a penalty in the NHL.
- Elbowing
- Hitting an opponent with the elbow.
- Fighting (Fisticuffs)
- Engaging in a physical altercation with an opposing player, usually involving the throwing of punches or worse. Minor altercations such as simple pushing and shoving are generally called as Roughing.
- Goaltender Interference
- Physically impeding or checking the goalie. Visually impeding the goalie's view of the play with your body, called "screening", is legal.
- Head-butting
- Hitting an opponent with the head. A match penalty is called for doing so.
- High sticking
- Touching an opponent with the stick above shoulder level. A minor penalty is assessed to the player, unless blood is drawn by the player hit by the stick. In this case, an automatic double-minor (4 minutes) is called. A penalty is not called when the puck is hit by a high stick, but play will be stopped and the ensuing faceoff will take place at a spot which gives the non-offending team an advantage. Also, a goal that is scored by means of high sticking will not be counted.
- Holding
- Grabbing an opponent's body, equipment or clothing with the hands or stick. Generally a minor; USA Hockey rules call for a major and a game misconduct for grabbing and holding a facemask or visor.
- Holding the stick
- Grabbing and holding an opponent's stick, also called when a player deliberately wrenches a stick from the hands of an opposing player or forces him to drop it by any means that is not any other penalty such as Slashing.
- Hooking
- Using a stick as a hook to slow an opponent, no contact is required under new standards.
- Illegal Equipment
- Using equipment that does not meet regulations, either by size (length, width) or number (two sticks) or other guidelines (e.g. a goalie's facemask can no longer be the "Jason"-style form-fit mask, a player may not have a stick with a curve exceeding 3/4", nor may they play with a goalie's stick). If a player broke his stick, it is mandatory to drop the stick immediately and play without it until getting a replacement from the bench. Otherwise this penalty will be assessed to the offending player (some game summaries call this "playing with a broken stick"). In addition, in the NHL a player may not pick a stick up off the ground after it has been dropped (they can only receive a stick from another player or from the bench; goalkeepers may not go to the bench but must have a stick carried out to them). This rule is generally not enforced in amateur leagues except for broken sticks or egregiously out-of-spec equipment as the cost of acquiring gear that meets NHL specifications "post-lockout" is prohibitive, especially for goalies. However, as of 2009 USA Hockey will enforce the NHL goal equipment specs, as will IIHF. While allowing "big pads" until them, USA Hockey stated in their 2007 Official Rules and Casebook of Ice Hockey that they "strongly encourage" goaltenders to follow the new regulations before they take effect.
- Instigator penalty
- Being the obvious instigator in a fight. Called in addition to the five minute major for fighting.
- Interference
- Impeding an opponent who does not have the puck, or impeding any player from the bench.
- Joining a fight
- Also called the "3rd man in" rule, the first person who was not part of a fight when it broke out but participates in said fight once it has started for any reason (even to pull the players apart) is charged with an automatic game misconduct in addition to any other penalties they receive for fighting.
- Kicking
- Kicking an opponent with the skate or skate blade. Kicking carries a match penalty if done with intent to injure, but otherwise carries a major penalty and a game misconduct. (Under Hockey Canada rules, kicking or attempting to kick an opponent always carries a Match Penalty regardless of intent.)
- Kneeing
- Hitting an opponent with the knee.
- Roughing
- Pushing and shoving or throwing punches that are not severe enough to be considered fighting. Also called in non-checking leagues when an illegal body check is made.
- Slashing
- Swinging a stick at an opponent, no contact is required under new standards.
- Slew Footing
- Rarely called, as it is easily concealed. Tripping an opponent by using your feet. Most of the time simply called as "Tripping"; Slew footing as a penalty in fact does not exist in the USA Hockey rulebook as of 2005-2006.
- Spearing
- Stabbing an opponent with the stick blade. It carries an automatic major penalty and game misconduct.
- Starting the wrong lineup
- This very rare bench minor penalty is called when the offending team fails to put the starting lineup on the ice at the beginning of each period, the exception being injuries. For this penalty to be called, the captain of the non-offending team must bring this breach of the rules to the referee's attention immediately at the first stoppage of play. Also the penalty may be given if a player is not put on the scoresheet at the beginning of the game and plays. The only way for this to be called is if the official scorer notifies the referee of this oversight.
- Substitution infraction (Illegal Substitution)
- This rare bench minor penalty is called when a substitution or addition is attempted during a stoppage of play after the linesmen have signalled no more substitutions (once the face-off is set) or if a team pulls its goalie and then attempts to have the goalie re-enter play at any time other than during a stoppage of play. Too many men on the ice and/or starting the wrong lineup can also simply be called a substitution infraction.
- Too many men on the ice
- Having more than six players (including the goalie) on the ice involved in the play at any given time. "Involved in the play" is key; players that are entering the ice as substitutes for players coming off may enter the ice once the player returning to the bench is less than eight feet from his team's bench; at that point the returning player is considered out of the play, even if the play passes in front of the bench, unless he actively makes a move for the puck. The player entering the ice is part of the play as soon as his skates touch the ice.
- Tripping
- Using a stick or one's body to trip an opponent, no contact is required under new standards.
- Unsportsmanlike conduct
- Arguing with a referee; using slurs against an opponent or teammate; playing with illegal equipment; making obscene gestures or abusing an official. Can carry either a minor, misconduct, game misconduct or match penalty, depending on the gravity of the infraction (for instance, using obscene language to a referee initially results in a minor, but making an obscene gesture to an opponent, fan or official carries a game misconduct.) Also, in some leagues the penalty progression is different for players and team officials (for example, in the USA Hockey rulebook players get a minor for their first infraction, a misconduct for their second and a game misconduct for their third, whereas the option of a misconduct is removed for coaches; in addition, after each penalty for a team official, the penalty count resets itself). Unsportsmanlike conduct may also be called if a player drops his gloves and stick in preparation for a fight, but the non-offending player does not drop his equipment and has committed no action (verbal or physical harassment) to attempt to instigate a fight.
Other leagues typically assess penalties for additional infractions. For example, most adult social leagues and women's hockey leagues ban all body checking (a penalty for roughing or illegal check is called), and in most amateur leagues, any head contact whatsoever results in a penalty.
Penalty as strategy
Coaches or players may occasionally opt to inflict a penalty on purpose, especially when they are trailing. In some cases, it is hoped that the infraction can be concealed from the officials, thereby not being called. Gordie Howe was one player renowned for his ability to inflict penalties without being called.
Many infractions (e.g., butt-ending) are called more harshly in part because they are easily concealed from officials.
Hockey players that opt to inflict a penalty despite the punishment do so in order to degrade the opposing team's morale or momentum, or boost their own. This is most obvious in a hockey fight, but can arise from virtually any minor penalty. It is hoped that the temporary setback of a penalty kill will be offset by the effect on the two teams' overall play.
Hockey players also sometimes commit penalties with the intention of drawing the other player into a coincidental penalty, say for roughing. In many leagues including USA Hockey-governed amateur leagues but not in the NHL, coincidental minor penalties do not terminate until the first stoppage of play AFTER the penalties terminate. If a star player on the opposing team is sent to the penalty box and the team intentionally drawing the coincidental penalty can avoid a stoppage of play beyond two minutes, their opponents' advantage is diminished for the length of time that play continues uninterrupted. Similarly, coincidental major penalties for fighting terminate at the first stoppage of play also; NHL players will draw opponents into a fight with the object of having a star opposing player sit in the box for more than five minutes.
Another common reason to inflict a penalty on purpose is to rob an opposing player of an excellent scoring opportunity. In these cases a player may hold, hook, or impede another player who otherwise would likely have scored—preferring to kill a minor penalty than give up a likely goal. The overuse of such penalties is mitigated by the possibility of a penalty shot being called; however in some situations a penalty shot is preferable to the situation that was interrupted (such as a two-man breakaway).
When a penalty is taken for one of these reasons, it is commonly (yet informally) known as a good penalty.
Hockey players known as "Pests" specialize their game in the strategy of trying to draw opponents into taking a penalty.
Rarely, penalties are also taken if a team is ahead by only a few goals late in the game. This should only be used if the winning team has an excellent penalty kill and the opposite team doesn't have a good power play. As they are down one man, it allows the winning team to ice the puck without consequence and kill off more time.
NHL penalty records
The record for the most penalty minutes in one season is held by Dave Schultz of the Philadelphia Flyers with 472 in the 1974-75 NHL season. The record for most penalty minutes in a career is held by Tiger Williams who had 3966 over 14 years. The active penalty minute leader is Chris Chelios from the Detroit Red Wings, who has accumulated 2,803 PIM over 23 years.
The most penalties in a single game occurred in a fight-filled match between the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers on March 5, 2004 when 419 penalty minutes were handed out. Statistically, a game misconduct counts as 10 penalty minutes, in addition to other penalties handed out. In rare cases (as a result of multiple infractions, for instance the player participating in multiple fights), multiple game misconducts may be handed to a player - that is merely statistical, not (automatically) a multi-game suspension, although the league will often suspend the player in a subsequent decision.
External links
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