Hockey is a fast-paced game where action always seems to be happening. Whether you’re watching an NHL game or an AHL game, it’s difficult to keep track of what’s going on because the action is constantly shifting on the ice. The officials in the game are also constantly making crucial calls which can affect the outcome of a game. Trying to follow all of the action even as it happens is difficult and a lot of information can be lost in the process which makes it even more important to rely on the officials’ calls to keep track of what’s going on.
Despite all the action on the ice, there are certain moments that can be described as being ‘delayed’ or ‘retarded’ in terms of happening. One such moment is when an offside call is made. This is an incident that might occur near or at one of the blue lines on the ice. An offside call stops play and brings in a new set of rules which aim to make the game safer and more enjoyable for all concerned.
What is an offside in hockey?
When an attacker is behind the play (i.e. the opponent’s goals are at the other end of the rink) and there isn’t a player between them and the puck, that player is in the ‘offside’. If an offside call is made during play, the play will immediately stop and the officials will consult the video monitor to confirm if the line separating the players is in the right place or not. If it is, the play will continue; if it’s not, the play will be over. It’s that simple.
An example of an offside is below. The puck is in the offensive zone. The Pittsburgh Penguins have the puck and are about to enter the zone when a Detroit Red Wings player enters the zone in the opposite direction. As soon as the puck enters the zone, it’s clear that the Red Wings player is in the offside position and the play stops because the puck has gone in between the two teams:
- Red Wings player: offside
- Penguins player: no offside
- Referee: consults video replay
- Hockey Coach: discusses call with referee
- Player: discusses call with referee
Now that you know what an offside is, let’s take a look at how it’s called and what happens next:
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How Is An Offside Called?
When an offside call is made, the play will immediately stop and the referee will blow the whistle. If there is any uncertainty as to whether or not the player is offside, the referee will lift one arm and point to either the puck or the player whose offside it is. Once the referee has made his decision, the play will continue.
There are two types of offside:
- Instant Offside: occurs when the attacking team has the puck, the puck is inside the offensive blue line and there isn’t a player in between the puck and the opposing goal. In this case, the offside is determined immediately as soon as the puck enters the zone. Instant offside calls are usually made at the opening of the game and used to ensure the puck is in the right place at the right time or to prevent a pile-up at the opposing blue line. Instant offside calls are easy to spot because the puck is in the centre of the ice and all the players are closest to each other. An example of instant offside is below where the Tampa Bay Lightning have the puck at the opening of the game. As soon as the puck enters the zone, it’s clear that Tampa Bay is in the offside position and the play will stop. The referee signals that he’s going to call the offside:
- Referee: lifts arm to indicate offside
- Hockey Coach: immediately jumps up holding head in hands
- Player: stops trying to make a play and shifts weight to back foot
- Player #2: stops trying to make a play and shifts weight to back foot
Once the play has stopped, the referee will raise one arm (the arm he used to indicate offside) in the direction of the puck or the player whose offside it is. If the puck wasn’t played with the proper hand, it can also be an advantage to the attacking team. In this case, the hand will be the deciding factor: if the hand is up then it means the puck was played with the proper hand; if the hand is down, then it means the puck was played with the wrong hand. In most cases, this will be a minor penalty but in some cases it can be a major penalty depending on the severity of the infraction.
- Foul: the attacking team plays the puck with their elbow, wrist or hand
- Illegal Knuckle-duster: the attacking team plays the puck with a closed fist or wrapped in a knuckle-duster
- Headbutt: the attacking team plays the puck with their head
- Slashing: the attacking team plays the puck with a flanger, letter-opener or some other type of knife
- Striking: the attacking team plays the puck with a metal stick or other hard object
- Tripping: the attacking team plays the puck on one knee
- Pinching: the attacking team plays the puck with one arm trapped behind their back
- Wrestling: the attacking team plays the puck with one arm behind their back, often with an opponent pinning them down
- Charging: the attacking team plays the puck with one arm raised in the air as if they’re going to hit a player or run into them
- High Sticking: the attacking team plays the puck with one leg tucked in and uses their stick to shield the puck from behind. This puts them in an offside position and gives the opposing team the opportunity to retaliate.
- Late Change: the attacking team plays the puck with one foot either on or just inside the opposing blue line. While this doesn’t necessarily put them in an offside position, it can make it easier for the opposing team to gain a deflection or get a piece of the puck in the ensuing fight. This can be a dangerous play and is usually called an ‘illegal change’
What Happens After An Offside Is Called?
Once an offside has been called, the play will immediately stop. The puck will be in the centre of the ice and the referee will point to either the puck or the player whose offside it is. The game will continue for five (5) minutes with a faceoff taking place at the point where the offence terminated due to the offside. If the offside was a result of the referee blowing the whistle, the referees will consult the video monitor and determine if the players were in an offside position at the time the whistle was blown. If they were, the play will continue; if they weren’t, the play will be over.
The five (5) minute power plays give the attacking team the opportunity to set up shop at the other end of the ice and establish a defensive zone. Once the five (5) minutes are over, the players will be awarded a faceoff in the neutral zone. The faceoff team will be determined by the outcome of the previous faceoff. If the previous puck was awarded to the attacking team, they will be in the neutral zone with an even chance of winning the faceoff. If the previous puck was awarded to the defending team, they will be in the offensive zone for the remainder of the game.
To conclude, let’s review what we’ve learned about the offside in hockey. When an offside occurs in hockey, it’s usually not good news. The play will stop and officials will confirm if the line separating the players is in the right place or if they were offside at the time the play was stopped. If the line is in the right place, the play will continue; if it’s not, the play will be over. It’s that simple.