Most ice hockey is played under Hockey Canada, International Ice Hockey Federation and USA Hockey. These organizations have their own rulebooks. Amateur hockey in North America uses the USA Hockey and Hockey Canada rulebooks. Professional leagues use the International Ice Hockey Federation rulebook.
Most of the North American professional leagues get their rules from the National Hockey League, which has its own rulebook. Colleges use the rules of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The National Federation of State High School Association rulebook is used by high schools.
These organizations have their own rule meetings. They also hold a conference so changes that affect the game can be changed. Amateur hockey leagues change rules to make the game better to play. Professional hockey leagues change rules to make the game better to watch.
USA Hockey and Hockey Canada rulebooks are different from others on technical concerns. The International Ice Hockey Federation rulebook calls for a rink with different dimensions than the others. Changes in rules are easier for the National Hockey League because it is a smaller league.
Many people today think that if the current rules were more strongly applied, rule changes would not be necessary.
Got a big date planned and tickets to the hockey game. Here are some trivial facts to impress him with:
- The first goalie to be credited with 9 goals was Billy Smith of the New York Islanders in 1979.
- The National Hockey League was started in 1917.
- Northern Michigan was the birthplace of the professional hockey league in 1904.
- The Amateur Hockey Association was the first governing body of hockey in 1887.
- The first hockey game was played in 1879 by students of McGill University.
- The ice is ¾” thick and 16F
- Slovakia won its first gold metal in 2002.
- Helmets became mandatory for junior and college leagues in 1970, 1979 for NHL.
- A puck is 3” x 1” and weighs 6oz.
- Frank Zamboni of California created the Zamboni in 1945.
- A Zamboni can resurface the ice in ten minutes.
- The speed of the puck hit by most players is about 100 MPH.
- The first player to wear headgear for protection was George Owen in 1928.
- The use of helmets was prompted by the death of Bill Masterson in 1968.
- The National Hockey League consisted of thirty teams when founded.
- The most recent goalie to be credited with a total of nine goals was Evengi Nabokov in 2002.
Since the early 1900s, violence has been synonymous with ice hockey. Criminal investigations are sometimes necessary and sometimes charges are pressed.
Here is a rundown of some incidents that resulted in criminal charges:
* 1905 - Alcide Laurin was clubbed to death on the ice by Allan Loney who was found not guilty after he claimed self-defense.
* 1907 - Alf Smith, Charles Spittal and Harry Smith were charged with assault after beating opposing players with their sticks.
* 1907 - Charles Masson was found not guilty because their was no way to tell which blow sustained in a brawl killed Owen McCourt.
* 1922 - Sprague Cleghorn was arrested after injuring three other players.
* 1969 - Ted Green and Wayne Maki were acquitted after they engaged in a brawl.
* 1975 - Dan Maloney was acquitted for attacking Brian Glennie from behind.
* 1975 - After a trial ending with a hung jury, aggravated assault charges against Dave Forbes for a fight with Henry Bouch were dropped.
* 1976 - Mel Bridgman was acquitted and Joe Watson, Daon Saleski and Bob Kelly were found guilty for assault after using their sticks as weapons during playoffs.
* 1977 - Dave Williams was acquitted on assault charges for hitting Dennis Owchar with his stick.
* 1982 - Jimmy Mann received a suspended sentence and paid a fine of $500 after breaking Paul Gardner’s jaw.
* 1988 - Convicted of assault for hitting Luke Richardson with his stick, Dino Ciccarelli spent one day in jail and paid $1000.
* 1998 - Jesse Boulerice was suspended from playoffs and charged with assault for swinging his stick at Andrew Lang.
* 2000 - Marty McSorley was given an eighteen-month conditional discharge and convicted of assault after hitting Donald Brashear in the head with his stick.
* 2004 - Todd Bertuzzi pleaded guilty and received a conditional discharge for the assault of Steve Moore.
Ice Hockey is just hockey in the US and Canada. It is a team sport that takes place at an ice rink. Ice Hockey is most popular in the colder regions. In Canada, it is the national winter sport. It is the most popular sport in Finland as well.
It is believed that the word hockey comes either from the Old French hoquet meaning shepard’s crook, or from the Middle Dutch word for shack or doghouse hokkie.
Drawings of Egyptians playing hockey date back to 4000 years ago. People playing ice hockey have also been depicted in Dutch paintings from the 17th century.
Several different types of hockey came over with European immigrants. Hockey-like games such as hurling from the Irish, shinty from the Scottish and field hockey from England were adapted for icy conditions, thus ice hockey is born.
The structure for the modern game of hockey came from Montreal. The first club for ice hockey was founded in 1877, called McGill University Hockey Club. The sport fast became fashionable. The first “world championship” took place in Montreal in 1883.
The first professional hockey came from Houghton, Michigan and quickly spread to Canada, Switzerland, the Ukraine, Great Britain and Austria.