Why is icing in hockey

This was a relatively recent rule change, at least in the NHL. It was implemented starting in the season. The purpose was to dissuade teams from icing the puck on purpose and keep the game moving.

This made the games more exciting and fun to watch and also increased the chances of a goal being scored. A tired group of players stuck in their own defensive zone can result in defensive mistakes and deensive mistakes frequently end with a puck in the back of the net. There may be times when icing the puck even if you are not shorthanded can be helpful.

There is no penalty for an icing. The players on the ice may be tired, but at least they get to rest for the time it takes the officials to get the puck and set up for a face-off. It also gives the defending players the opportunity to reset their positioning. So a face-off, even in your own zone, can help you reset the positioning and get everyone where they are comfortable playing.

The NHL eliminated it in Because the team in the defensive zone would have to move incrementally up the ice, the other team was able to trap them in their own defensive zone if they played a strict system with discipline. The only problem is that if a team played the trap extremely well, the game became extremely boring to watch for all but the most die hard fans of defensive battles.

After the team eliminated the two line pass in , the trap teams were less effective and the emphasis was again on skill and speed.

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The first is if there is a power play, where one of the teams has an advantage in numbers because of an infraction caused by the opposing team. In this case, the undermanned team can dump the puck down the ice freely as they are shorthanded. Another time when icing is not called is when the goalie can reach the puck before any other player can. Here, the play resumes; this rule was introduced in In some situations, you may even see the goalie raise his arm to let his team know he is not going to play the puck; therefore, icing will likely be called.

And lastly, the linesman has some discretion, where if he believes the offensive player could have reached the puck in time, he may choose to waive the call. Why might the offensive player not skate hard to the puck that is about to go past the goalie line, you ask? It is because he wants a faceoff in the defensive zone. Now, because an icing call gives the opposing team a better chance to reclaim the puck and shoot on the net, the defending team will try to prevent this.

This results in a race to touch the puck before it crosses the goal line, each player trying to beat the other. The outcome, a lot of fast skating that often ended in both players being crunched up against the boards, and therefore, a lot of injuries. Because of these numerous icing injuries, the NHL knew the original hockey rule had to be changed.

So, we still have the icing call, only now it is known as hybrid icing or no-touch icing. This means that the puck no longer has to cross the goal line. This rule was introduced in the season. With this rule, it gives the racing players a chance to alter their trajectory and no longer crash into the boards, thus, preventing a lot of injuries.

But the main rule remains, if the offensive player reaches the puck before the team that iced the puck does, an icing call will occur. One exclusion for the icing rule happens when a gathering is understaffed. During key move conditions, the needing assistance bunch is allowed to dump the puck without an icing discipline being called.

Icing can in like manner be waived off if the authority finds that an opponent player may have reached the puck before it crossed the goal line. If the puck is first moved by the goaltender or a major part in the gathering that iced the puck, icing is waved off dropped , and play continues. Skip to content The 3 huge National Hockey League NHL concludes that limit the improvement of the puck are icing, off-side, and out-of-play.

What is icing?