/hoc/ for dummies (a work in progress)

The Game:
The game is comprised of

3 forwards(Center, Left Wing, Right Wing)
2 defensemen(Left and Right Defensemen)
and a goalie.



The game is played with sticks to shoot the puck in the net. A hockey puck is a 1 inch across, 3 inch wide piece of vulcanized rubber. A hockey rink in the NHL is 200 feet by 85 feet. Internationally, it is 197 by 98.4 feet. Players are not allowed to carry the puck in their hands

The rink has two blue lines and a red center line, making the neutral zone. At the far lines, there are the goal lines with the goal nets aligned with each other and center ice. The nets are 4 feet tall and 6 feet wide. The blue paint in front is called a goalie crease. Each team has 18 skaters(12 forwards(4 Centers, 4 Left Wingers, 4 Right Wingers) and 6 defensemen) plus a goaltender and a backup goaltender in a game
The rink has 9 hotspots(red circles) where faceoffs occur. 2 in each zone. 4 in the neutral zone and one at center ice. When passing across the blue line, the puck must proceed the player, if it does, it is an offsides. The next faceoff would be at nearest hotspot. If a player dumps the puck from his defensive zone or the neutral zone facing his defensive zone, it is an icing(unless the opposing goalie touches it). The puck is faceoff at the defensive zone where it was iced.

its good to know that in Hockey the teams on the sidelines are active, Since skating is a very intense activity players can't run and gun more than a minute or two. So its best to switch them out with fresh players. But it usually has to be done while the game is going. Thats why you'll see some players skate off and on.

Its one of the more unique aspects about the game.

A team can change line and defensive pairs at most stoppages, or they can change "on the fly", which means getting onto the ice in the middle of play as long as the line gets off without having 6 skaters on the ice. The top line is the most offensive skilled, the second line is also quite capable of scoring, the third line is more tailored to each each individual teams needs either additional defense or a third offensive line or a checking line. The fourth line, usually a checking line. A checking line is generally tough players capable checking and who are not afraid of getting into a fight

A standard game is 3 20 minute periods.
In the National Hockey League, in a regular season game, there are 3 20 minute periods and if the score is still tied, they go to a 5 minute overtime period, if the score still isn't resolved, they go to a shootout. A shootout is essentially a series of penalty shots. A penalty shot is when the player has a free shot at the goal, starting from the center ice dot skating towards the goalie and tries to score a goal without skating backwards.

Fighting:
Fighting in ice hockey is an established tradition of the sport. Fighting is a fist fight until the referee stops it, typically when there is no clear winner or the opponent is taken down, or a ref could stop it before it starts. Fighting is in the referee's discretion. In international competition and NCAA fighting is illegal.

The players:

Forwards and defensemen equip:
A helmet
Protective equipment
A stick
Skates
Optional Visors or cages

Goalies have:
A mask
Goaltender specific stick
Neck protector
Protective equipment
Blocking pads
Leg Pads
Goaltender specific skates

Goalies:


Penalties:

Hooking - Using the blade of the stick to impede an opponent's progress
Elbowing - Hitting the opponent with an elbow, typically only called when the impact is with the head
Charging - Taking multiple strides then hitting the opponent, or leaving the ice while checking an opponent
Holding - Using your hands or stick to grab and impede a player's progress
Slashing - Striking an opponent with the stick
Tripping - Tripping an opponent with the stick
Roughing - Using unnecessarily rough play
Diving - Embellishing the extent of an infraction from the other team in order to draw a penalty
Delay of Game - Most commonly called for shooting the puck over the glass from within the defensive zone
Boarding - Contact which creates a violent impact with the boards
Cross-Checking - Checking an opponent with the shaft of the stick
Interference - Impeding the progress of or checking a player who doesn't have possession of the puck
Head-butting - Using your head to hit an opposing player
Butt-ending - Using the butt of the stick to jab an opponent
Kneeing - Using the knee as the principle point of contact for a check
Spearing - Using the blade of the stick to jab an opponent
High Sticking - Hitting a player above the neck with the stick (double-minor if blood is drawn)
Checking from Behind - Checking a defenceless player from behind

All of the physical fouls such as Boarding, Cross-Checking, etc. can be upgraded to Major penalties at the discretion of the referee.

Minor penalties last for 2 minutes and end upon the expiry of the penalty or if the other team scores a goal. Double minors are sometimes assessed for penalties such as Butt-ending, Spearing, and High Sticking.

Major penalties are for severe infractions, last for 5 minutes, and do not end if a goal is scored.

Misconduct penalties are not considered time penalties, and are used mostly as a sort of "time-out" by the referee. The offending team is not shorthanded. The offending player sits in the box for ten minutes and returns during the first stoppage in play after the time is served.

The team with more players has the powerplay, team with less is on the penalty kill

When two penalties are called at the same stoppage in play, identical penalties from opposing teams are cancelled out.

For example, if #6 from Red gets called for Tripping, and #4 from White gets called for Roughing at the same stoppage, the players still have to serve their 2 minutes, but both teams remain at full strength. These are called coincidental penalties.
World Leagues Summary:

NHL, National Hockey League, is the biggest league in the world in terms of popularity, sales, revenue and fan support
AHL, American Hockey League, is the minor leagues to the NHL
NCAA Hockey, College hockey, is the American collegiate system
KHL, Kontinental Hockey League, the 2nd biggest league, in Russia
SM-Liiga, is the top league in Finland, short for Suomen mestaruus liiga(Finnish Championship League)
Eliteserien is the top league in Sweden.
DEL, Deutsch Eishockey Liga, is Germany's top pro league
CHL, Canadian Hockey League, is the junior system in Canada which comprised of the
WHL(Western Hockey League), which is based in Western Canada and Northwestern United States, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
ECHL, the minor league to the AHL, formerly the East Coast Hockey League, now is an acronym without meaning and has teams all over the United States

NHL:
The biggest league in ice hockey is the National Hockey League. The National Hockey League is comprised of 30 teams(7 in Canada, 23 in the United States).
Television timeouts are taken at the first stoppage of play after 6, 10, and 14 minutes of elapsed time unless there is a power play or the first stoppage is the result of a goal scored, unless the first stoppage is an icing. The eastern conference is comprised of the Atlantic Division, Northeast Division, Southeast Division. Western is comprised of the Central Division, Northwest Division and Pacific Division.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:
Atlantic Division:
The New Jersey Devils, play in Newark, NJ, founded in 1974(as Kansas City Scouts) and relocated to New Jersey in 1982. They have 3 Stanley Cup Victories.  They have played in Kansas City as the Scouts and in Denver as the Colorado Rockies. The Devils got their name from the mythical Jersey Devil. Their most famous players are longtime goalie Martin Brodeur(Mar-tan Bro-derr), who has been on the team since 1990, and star forward Ilya Kovalchuk(Eel-yah Coval-chuck)

The New York Islanders play in Uniondale, New York and will move to Brooklyn in 2015. Founded in 1972 as a measure to keep the then-rival WHA out of Long Island's then-new arena in Uniondale. 4 Stanley Cups, and 4 in a row(1980-1983, one of the last true dynasty) They've had a number of great players such as Al Arbour(Arbor), Mike Bossy, Clark Gillies, Denis Potvin, Billy Smith, Bill Torrey, Bryan Trottier(Tro-tchyay). Today is defined by their speedy Right Winger, Michael Grabner and assistant captain, John Tavares

The New York Rangers, are one of the original six era teams, and they are based in the Manhattan borough of New York, New York. This team has been around since 1926. They have 4 Stanley Cups('28', '33, '40, '94). 48 hall of fame players, including but not limited to Andy Bathgate, Johnny Bower, and Mark Messier(Messe-yay), 7 builders in the hall of fame. Today they are defined by their depth such as star Ryan Callahan, Brad Richards and recent acquisition Rick Nash and their infamous coach, John Tortorella. The Rangers arena, Madison Square Garden(the fourth one) is the oldest in the NHL opened in 1968

The Philadelphia Flyers, founded in 1967 during the 1967 expansion, is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Flyers are most known for their Broad Street Bullies days, they had Bobby Clarke. Since, they've had some stars since like Eric Lindros(Lin-dros) and today, they have a star in this era, Claude Giroux(Klaud Gerrude).

The Pittsburgh Penguins, like Philadelphia was founded in the 1967 NHL expansion. They are based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In their early history, they struggled, and have had signs of greatness including the Century line of Syl Apps, Lowell MacDonald and Jean Pronovost. It wasn't until they had a worst league record in 1983 and 1984 before landing one of the games greatest players, Mario Lemieux. Lemieux would lead them to two stanley cups. Lemieux had to leave with cancer in 1993 for 24 of 84 games, came back and won the scoring title. Lemieux would retire and return in his career, he currently owns the team with Ron Burkle. Pittsburgh's stars are now Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. They won another cup in 2009.

The Atlantic Division Rivalries Are:
the Battle of the Jersey Turnpike(PHI vs. NJD)
Battle of PA(PHI vs. PIT)
Battle of NY(NYR vs. NYI)
 Broadway vs. Broad Street(NYR vs. PHI)
Battle of the Hudson(NJD vs. NYR)

Northeast:
Boston Bruins, founded in 1924 and a member of that Original Six era, is based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Bs have had legendary players like Milt Schmidt, Frank Brimsek, Raymond Bourque, Cam Neely but no one as influential to the game as Bobby Orr. In some minds, Orr is the best player to ever play. They won their last cup in 2011, and most of that 2011 team remains in tact. Their most important players are Patrice Bergeron(ber-gzer-ron), captain Zdeno Chara(Zeedenyo Chara), Milan Lucic(Lew-cheech) and one player who is skipping this season, Tim Thomas

The Buffalo Sabres, founded in 1970, in the two team NHL 1970 expansion(VAN also was added) is based in Buffalo, New York. They were known in their earlier days for Gilbert Perreault, Rick Martin(Rest in Peace), and Rene Robert. Later they got a legend born in St. Louis named Pat LaFountaine in a trade in 1991. They'd get to the stanley cup final and lost controversally to the Dallas Stars in 1999. Today the Sabres are defined by their young roster of guys like Tyler Myers, Cody Hodgson and Tyler Ennis and the main stays like Ryan Miller, Jason Pominville and Drew Stafford

The Montreal Canadiens(French name: Les Canadiens de Montréal), founded in 1909 and based in Montreal, Quebec. This is the most storied franchise in the National Hockey League with 24 Stanley Cups(last 1993), they've had legends like Jean Beliveau, Dickie Moore, Doug Harvey, Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion, Jacques Plante, Guy Lafleur, Yvan Cournoyer, Ken Dryden, Pete Mahovlich, Jacques Lemaire, Pierre Larouche, Steve Shutt, Bob Gainey, Serge Savard, Guy Lapointe and Larry Robinson. Scotty Bowman, Patrick Roy, Toe Blake, Elmer Lach and Maurice "Rocket" Richard. Now, they aren't as good but have talent like young Americans Alex Galchenyuk and Max Pacioretty, goalie Carey Price, captain Brian Gionta and D-man PK Subban. This team has had so much history.

The Toronto Maple Leafs, founded in 1917, are based in Toronto, Ontario. They've won 13 stanley cups, but their last ten years have been marked by futility. Missing every playoff season since the lockout. They've had 63 hall of fame players. Today they are known for their Right Winger, Phil Kessel. James Van Riemsdyk, Joffrey Lupul, and Clarke MacArthur also headline the attack. Dion Phaneuf holds down the defense as captain of these Leafs. The Toronto Maple Leafs are the Leafs because legally they are the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and are named after the World War 1's Maple Leaf Regiment


The Ottawa Senators, founded in 1990 and starting in 1992, are based in Ottawa, Ontario. Their early year weren't much, until they landed a kid named Daniel Alfredsson in 1994. Alfredsson has been the face of the franchise and has been with the team since 1994. Other longterm players include Chris Phillips(1996), Chris Neil(1998), and Jason Spezza(2001). The Sens have made it to the Stanley Cup final in 2007 and lost to the Ducks. They also have some young talent like Erik Karlsson.

The Northeast Division Rivalries Are:
Battle of Ontario(OTT vs. TOR)
Battle of Queen Elizabeth Way(BUF vs. TOR)
Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadiens
Buffalo Sabres vs. Ottawa Senators

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens:
The Canadiens–Maple Leafs rivalry is the oldest in NHL history. From 1944–78, the two teams met each other in the playoffs 15 times, and faced off in five Stanley Cup Finals. While the on-ice competition is fierce, the Leafs-Habs rivalry is symbolic of the rivalry between Canada's two largest cities: Toronto and Montreal, and by extension its two major linguistic groups, anglophones and francophones.

Southeast:

Carolina Hurricanes, founded in 1972 as the New England Whalers, then later as the Hartford Whalers then moved to Raleigh to become the Carolina Hurricanes in 1997. The Hurricanes were made in the WHA and joined the NHL in the 1979 NHL-WHA Merger. Their earlier years were defined by players like Ron Francis, Gordie Howe and Glen Wesley. They would also see some bright years with Ron Brind'Amour(Who still works with the team as an Assistant), they won a Stanley Cup in 2006. After Brind'Amour's retirement, the leadership role was fulfilled by Eric Staal. Eric's brother Jordan joined the team in 2012. They also have the quality play of Tim Gleason, Tuomo Ruutu, Jeff Skinner, Alex Semin and goalie Cam Ward

The Florida Panthers, founded in 1993, had a slow start so far. They've only made the playoffs 4 times as of 2012. They've had talent like Pavel Bure. Today they are a darkhorse with players like Stephen Weiss, Ed Jovanovski, Jack Skille, Sean Bergenheim, Brian Campbell and young Jonathan Huberdeau

The Tampa Bay Lightning, founded in 1992, are based in Tampa, Florida. The franchise has been a rollercoaster. They won the cup in 2004. They are now defined by Vincent Lecavalier(Vincent luh-KAV-uhl-YAY) and Martin St. Louis(Sann loo-EE) in their early years and that cup run. They struggled until 2008 when they drafted a guy from Markham, Ontario named Steven Stamkos. Stamkos would lead the Bolts to new heights and have made them a true competitor in the Eastern Conference

The Washington Capitals, formed in 1974, are based in Washington, DC. Their franchise history has been marked with early playoff success, the 1998 Stanley Cup Finals(which they lost), disappointment and the draft of 2004 where they got Alex Ovechkin. The Capitals are now focused on trying to get over the playoff hump with a new coach in Adam Oates, and young goaltending with Braden Holtby.

The Winnipeg Jets, formed in 1999 as the Atlanta Thrashers and moved to Winnipeg in 2011 as the Jets. As the Thrashers, they have very little success and some seasons with great players like Ilya Kovalchuk, Marian Hossa, Dany Heatley. The Jets now have smart Captain Andrew Ladd, quality players like Evander Kane, Dustin Byfuglien, Nik Antropov and Blake Wheeler and some of the most passionate fans in the NHL. The Jets' future is new and fresh just like their franchise and one of their concerns is the travel. Their closest division rival, Washington, is a 1,565 mile(2,519 kilometer) drive. Proximity is such an issue and may lead to a realignment in the National Hockey League

The only major rivalry with history in the Southeast is Tampa Bay vs. Florida. While all their divisional games are intense.

WESTERN CONFERENCE:

Northwest:
The Calgary Flames founded in 1972 in Atlanta as the Atlanta Flames, they moved to Calgary in 1980 and kept the name. They won the Stanley Cup once in 1989. They've had plenty of stars, such as the mustachioed Lanny McDonald, Doug Gilmour, Joe Nieuwendyk, Joe Mullen, Al MacInnis, but you could argue their biggest is the man they got in 1995, Jarome Iginla who is still with the team. Iginla has tried to lead the team to a cup and almost won in 2004 before being stopped by Tampa Bay.

The Edmonton Oilers, founded in 1972 as the Alberta Oilers, and change its name the following year to Edmonton Oilers, is a team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They've won 5 stanley cups between 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988 and 1990. The Oilers started out in the WHA. Their early years were defined by a guy they acquired in 1978 named Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky's accolades along with his teammates like Paul Coffey, Mark Messier, and Grant Fuhr would lead the team to several cups, after Gretzky left for LA and Messier left for New York, the Oilers struggled. They came back to the playoffs in 1996 after good play by Curtis Joseph, made it to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2006 but lost to Carolina, and have since had issues but today are defined by young stars like Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Sam Gagner, Nail Yakupov and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

The Minnesota Wild, founded in 2000, are based in St. Paul, Minnesota. The franchise came to life after the departure of the North Stars to Dallas in 1993. The state of hockey was awarded a team on June 25th, 1997, and the team got its name in 1998. Its first season had Jacques Lamaire as coach and Marian Gaborik as its star. After they won their first division title in 2008, the Wild struggled, letting Gaborik go. Today, the Wild are defined by Mikko Koivu, Dany Heatley, Devin Setoguchi, goalie Niklas Backstrom, and the new acquisitions of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter.


The Vancouver Canucks, founded in 1945 in the PCHL and joining the NHL in 1970, are based in Vancouver, British Columbia. They joined the league along with the Buffalo Sabres. The early days had guys like Dall Tallon, Stan Smyl, Tiger Williams. In 1982, their first stanley cup run, the Canucks interim head coach Roger Neilson put towels on the ends of hockey sticks showing a "surrender" after the poor officiating in the game. The fans continued to wave white towels after, and that started towel waving in the NHL, also known as Towel Power. The Canucks, after losing in 82, would struggle, until they got a guy in 1988 from the WHL named Trevor Linden and in 1989 a Russian named Pavel Bure. 1994 saw the Canucks, Bure and all in the Stanley Cups finals once again. Stellar play by Linden, Bure, and goalie Kirk McLean, wouldn't be enough and it was over in 7. Vancouver had the 1994 riots after the loss against the New York Rangers.  The team struggled until drafting twins, Henrik and Daniel Sedin, the Canucks would go through some good times and bad until they once again reached the Stanley Cup Finals this time against Boston. After losing a pivotal game 6 which could've won the cup for Vancouver, they headed back to Beantown to take on the Bs in game 7 on home ice, they lost 4-0 and lead to the second Vancouver Riots. The Canucks would later win two Presidents' Trophys and are one of the elite franchises in the NHL with Henrik and Daniel Sedin, Jason Garrison, Dan Hamhuis, Jannik Hansen, Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider. Their questions now are, when are they going to change up their goalie situation

The Colorado Avalanche, originally Quebec Nordiques then moved to Denver in 1995 to become the Avalanche, are based in Denver, Colorado. They've won 2 Stanley Cups. As the Nordiques, the team was founded in the WHA, and won a Avco World Trophy. In 1980, the Nordiques would change hockey history forever, drafting newly defected brothers Peter and Anton Stastney who abandoned Czechslovakia for the NHL. The team would also be remembered for its rivalry with Montreal including the Good Friday Massacre brawl. In 1989, they drafted Mats Sundin, Owen Nolan and others, but most remembered would be Eric Lindros, who refused to play for Quebec because of the distance, lack of marketing potential and he can't speak French(he can now), he was traded to Philly for then-Unknown Peter Forsberg, Mike Ricci, infamous Ron Hextall, Steve Duchense, Kerry Huffman, Chris Simons, two first round picks and $15 million dollars. They would turn around with some guy named Joe Sakic, who would become a superstar in the league. The team moved to Colorado. Their first year in Colorado, with Forsberg, Sakic, Patrick Roy(who they acquried from Montreal), Mike Keane, Alexei Gusarov, they'd win the Stanley Cup. They'd continue their excellence until 2009, when Sakic retired. Their rivalry with Detroit is memorable because of its hostility which started from then-Avs Claude Lemieux. Today they are defined by the youngest captain in NHL, Gabriel Landeskog, Paul Stastny(son of Peter), Jamie McGinn, Milan Hejduk(been with the team since 1994), and newly-acquired P.A. Parenteau

The biggest rivalries in the Northwest Division are:
The Battle of Alberta(CGY vs. EDM)
Games between Calgary and Vancouver
The Flames and Canucks rivarly is interesting because of its existence. It exists because of many factors. The cities are separated by the Rockies, Vancouver is way more liberal and They've faced each other a few times in the playoffs, which usually leads to a cup run.

Central Division
The Chicago Blackhawks are one of the Original Six era teams and were formed in 1926. They’ve had historical stars such as Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita and Ed Belfour, and current stars such as Johnathan Toews (pronounced as “tayze”), Patrick Kane, Dave Bolland and Patrick Sharp. The Blackhawks currently play in the United Center, known as "The Madhouse on Madison" because of how rowdy their fans are.They won 4 Stanley Cups ('34, '38, '61', '10) but between the last Cup win and the previous one they experienced a 49 year Cup drought, which was the second longest Cup drought in NHL history. The drought was not helped by being financially crippled by Bill Wirtz, an owner so infamously stingy that when they had a moment of silence in the Center to honor him, fans booed. Their 2010 Cup win has gone down as one of the more bizarre victories in the Stanley Cup history, as Patrick Kane scored a Cup-clinching goal that took several seconds for anyone else to realize the puck was in the net.

The Detroit Red Wings are one of the Original Six era teams and were formed in 1932. Based in Detroit, Michigan, the Red Wings have won 11 Cups ('36, '37, '43, '50, '52, '54, '55, '97, '98, '02, '08). The long gap between their Cup win in 1955 and their Cup win in 1997 is known famously as the "Dead Things" era, which featured woes in the playoffs (Between 1967 and 1983, the team only made the playoffs twice and only won one series) and a very unstable coaching position (14 diffeent coaches). Since then they have been consistently good, making the playoffs in the last 21 years. They were the team of Gordie Howe, who led them to four Stanley Cups and held most of the league's records before Wayne Gretzky came along and smashed them. The stat 'Gordie Howe Hat Trick' is named after him, indicating that a player has scored a goal, an assist, and a fighting major in one game. The Wings were also famous for drafting Steve Yzerman, who helped to end the aforementioned Dead Things era and lead the team to three Stanley Cups. Yzerman was also the longest-serving captain in NHL history, wearing the "C" for Detroit for twenty years (19 seasons due to the 2004-05 lockout). Other historic players that they have had through the years are Brett Hull, Nicklas Lidström and Larry Murphy. Currently they have stars in Niklas Kronwall, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. Fans have a habit of chucking octopi onto the ice during the playoffs, a reference to the Original Six playoff structure where a playoff team needed to beat two teams in best-of-7, thus eight wins, to win the Cup.

The Nashville Predators were founded in 1998 and play in Nashville, Tennessee. They are coached by Barry Trotz, the only coach the team has ever had since it started playing in 1998 and the mastermind behind the Preds' defensive-minded approach to hockey. While their fanbase has been decent, lack of corporate sponsors and a few attempts in 2007 to move the team (first to Hamilton, then to Kansas City) has convinced some people otherwise. They currently hold the largest contract in the league after matching the Flyers' offer sheet to captain Shea Weber ($110M, 14 years).

The St. Louis Blues were founded during the 1967 expansion and play in St. Louis, Missouri. Despite making the Stanley Cup Finals in their first three seasons (largely  dueto divisional alignments of the time guaranteeing one of the 1967 expansion teams facing an Original Six team in the Finals), they are the oldest franchise in the league not to have won a championship. In the past, they have had superstars such as Doug Gilmour, Wayne Gretzky, Scott Stevens and Brett Hull. Currently they have stars such as  David Backes, Alexander Pietrangelo and TJ Oshie.


The Central Division Rivalries Are:
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Detroit Red Wings
Chicago Blackhawks vs. St. Louis Blues


Pacific:
Coming Soon


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FeelsJagMan
The Last Senturion
/hoc/'s referee
And Everyone who loves the game of hockey