With the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing set to begin on February 14, many are wondering what role, if any, checking will play in this year’s edition of one of the world’s most popular sporting events.
For years, international hockey has been dominated by offenses that rely on body checking and intimidation, leading to injuries and an increase in intentional checks by officials. While there have been talks of trying to improve the game and raise its popularity, hockey has largely stayed the same.
That is until now.
This year, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has taken a step towards modernizing international hockey by introducing a new set of rules aimed at reducing injuries and increasing scoring opportunities. In an effort to maintain the integrity of the game, the IIHF has decided to ban checking the puck, while also introducing a limited form of keep-away — with the aim of keeping the puck in the attacking zone and increasing scoring chances for both teams.
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New Rules For The Old Game
The new rules for international hockey will come into effect on January 1, 2022. For now, here is a short guide to the key differences between the old and new rules.
No Checking
One of the most recognizable changes in this year’s rules is that checking is no longer allowed. While checking has played a part in the game since its inception in the early 1900s, it mainly consisted of body checking with occasional checks to the head or shin. This year’s rule change means that players can no longer use their bodies to attack an opponent (for instance, a hooking motion with the knee is no longer legal). Moreover, they can no longer use their hands to hit or hold an opponent (except for incidental contact in breakout plays). This not only reduces the number of injuries — including concussions — but also makes the game more entertaining to watch.
Reduced Checking Time
One of the major changes in this year’s rule book is how reduced the checking time is. Before the change, a typical power play in international hockey would last for just under 10 minutes. Now, with the new rules, the ice time has been reduced to a more reasonable seven minutes, which should result in more frequent stoppages and improved scoring opportunities.
Additionally, because there are less stoppages and the pace of the game is higher, coaches can adjust the strategies they use during a game, changing the way they use line changes and line rushes. This can result in more scoring opportunities because coaches can try out new things and get creative on the bench.
More Goals
A major factor in determining the winner of a hockey game is how many goals each team scores. Last year was the first time in over a decade that no Olympic games were decided by a single goal. Moreover, the average goals per game has increased from 2.91 to 3.22 — which is good news for hockey fans.
Additionally, more goals usually mean more opportunities for fans to show off their favorite players’ skills. This is especially interesting considering that Canada and the United States haven’t traditionally been the strongest countries in terms of hockey talent. However, both teams have excelled in this year’s tournament with several high-quality performances, including a 4-0 shutout Canada recently completed against the Czech Republic.
A Focus On Offense
The one thing that has struck most people about this year’s tournament is how much it has focused on offense. From the first minute the puck has been dropped until the final buzzer, coaches and players have shown an increased emphasis on skill over physical play — and the scores reflect it.
This isn’t to say that the game hasn’t been physical at all. There have been plenty of scrums and brawls throughout the tournament, but they have generally been settled without too much physicality. This emphasis on offense has changed the way coaches and players approach the game and could result in more goals and faster play. Of course, it also makes the game more entertaining, which is always a good thing.
Limited Keeping-Away
Another major rule change this year is that the keep-away is now a limited form of obstruction. Before the change, keep-away was defined as preventing the puck from leaving the attacking zone until the defense clears it, meaning that the goalie could block shots from outside the ice (like a shooter from the side) and also those from inside the ice (like a shot from the corner). Now, the goalie can only protect the puck within the restricted zone (which starts at the end of their own net and extends out to the center ice circle).
Additionally, keep-away is only limited to the first two minutes of a power play. After that, teams can start a new set of rules or continue under the old ones.
Final Examining The Impact
While we know that the new rules will inevitably result in some positive changes for the game, it is still early to tell what impact they will have. Some players have already taken notice of the reduced checking and have started to use it to their advantage. For example, Sweden’s Johan Franzen has used the new rules to his team’s advantage, scoring four goals — including the decisive game-winning goal in Sweden’s 5-4 quarterfinal win over Finland.
This year’s tournament will be the last for some time and, hopefully, the start of a new era of hockey — one that is less injury-prone and more about skill and tactics. It is still too early to tell how these new rules will affect the outcome of the 2022 Winter Olympics, but it’s always fun to guess right as we get set for one of the world’s most popular sporting events.