Watching tonight’s game (or any others this season)? Things may be a little different. Hat tip to CHN for link, here are the:
2010 Rule Changes (pdf)
Big stuff:
- If the non-offending team scores during the delayed penalty, the penalty would still be enforced and that team would receive a power play.
- When a delay of game penalty is NOT called, the team that shoots the puck directly out of play would not be allowed to change its players. (This would provide some penalty for a defending team that shoots the puck out of play directly. If the puck is ruled to be deliberately shot out of play, a delay of game penalty still may be issued.)
- Require that a hand pass must be “deliberately directed to a teammate or create a gained advantage” for this rule to be in effect. (Too many hand passes are being called that are not truly hand passes. For example, a defenseman is trying to hold the line at the offensive blue line and the puck deflects off of the player’s glove and goes to a teammate in the neutral zone. This was not deliberately directed and therefore should not be a violation of the hand pass rule. This change will assist officials to properly administer this rule.)
- New rule that mirrors system used in some junior leagues where the linesmen judge which player would touch the puck first if an icing is in effect. (To add an element of touch-up icing used in professional levels and eliminate some whistles in the game without compromising safety.)
- In exhibition games ONLY, enforce icing at all times of the game. (This change would remove a contradiction in the rules that allows a team that has violated the rules in one area to violate another rule in order to compensate for being shorthanded. This would provide more scoring opportunities for the power play team and could encourage more skilled play from the defensive team.)
And… enhanced guidance about contact to head…
Alter the language to read: “A player shall not target and make contact with an opposing player’s head or neck area in any manner (including but not limited to the shoulder, stick, elbow, etc.) or force the head of an opposing player into the protective glass, boards or goal cage.
PENALTY—Major and a game misconduct or disqualification at the discretion of the referee.”
NOTE: See the additional guidance at the end of this document.