Hockey Safety Rules

Hockey is a great game that is dependent on speed, strength, balance and skating ability. However, because of the incredible speeds that players skate at, the sharp skates, the hard puck and the difficult shots, players risk serious injury every time they step out on to the ice.

  1. Helmets

    • Players all levels of the game are required to wear helmets. The impetus behind this rule came from the death of Minnesota North Stars player Bill Masterton, who died after he hit his head on the ice after being checked in a game in 1968. Prior to Masterton's fatal injury, few players in the NHL wore helmets. However, within a few years of the injury mandatory use of helmets were grandfathered into the league. At every level besides professional hockey, facesmasks are also required.

    Stick curve

    • Players can play with curved sticks and that changes the angle, trajectory and speed of shots that goaltenders must face. However hockey stick curves must be limited or players will face penalties for using sticks with exaggerated curves. The reason for this is the safety of the goaltender, who faces many risks when facing a shot that will drop or rise too sharply.

    Tripping

    • While tripping is a common penalty called in organized hockey that gets a two-minute penalty in the box, it has nothing to do with an illegal activity called slew-footing. When a player slew-foots an opponent, he is kicking with his skates at an opponents. This is dangerous and illegal and can get a player a long suspension.