Paul Stewart: Offside: To Be or Not to Be

Hey Paul. Love your blogs. I have for you a couple questions about delayed offside, about how a couple scenarios are handled in the NHL vs the IIHF. I will go into detail as much as possible.Now, I know this has little to do with this blog's content, but it's relevant enough to ask. You may be the only one who can help me. I will be so grateful.

The following is in the iihf rule for delayed offside. I want to compare/contrast with the NHL interpretation. After reading the first clause for context, read "ix" and "x" which is what my question is derived from. My question relates to faceoff location, which I think belongs in the defensive zone for both scenarios (not just situation x), under NHL rules. Could be wrong. Read on...

"viii. If, during a delayed offside, a player from the defending team shoots the puck directly out of play, rules pertaining to delay of game will be applied and the appropriate penalty assessed.

ix. If the situation in Rule 82-viii occurs but the puck deflects off the glass or a teammate, but does not cross the blue line, no penalty will be assessed but the ensuing faceoff will be in the neutral zone because of the delayed offside."


x. If the situation in Rule 82-viii occurs but the puck deflects off the glass or a teammate but does cross the blue line, no penalty will be assessed but the ensuing faceoff will be in the defending zone on the side where the puck was shot or deflected."

Does this apply in the NHL? It's nowhere in the rulebook unless you do some serious reading in between the lines. As far as I know, any puck propelled out of bounds stays in the zone from where it was shot, regardless of where it leaves the playing surface.

I get that the offside in ix is still "in effect," since it doesn't cross the blue line while the linesman is still signaling the delayed offside, and since the attacking team didn't nullify it on their own prior to the puck being shot out, but I get the feeling the NHL doesn't observe this. It does make sense that the offside team can't get a territorial advantage, but I just can't find reference to this directly in the NHL rulebook.

Also, and just as importantly, do these two conditions apply to the NHL when a delayed offside and icing happen together?

"DELAYED OFFSIDE/HYBRID ICING

i. If a skater who is trying to nullify an icing call advances over the attacking blue line before the puck, creating a delayed offside, icing will be called as per hybrid icing rules. If the linesman determines the skater who is offside would be first to touch the puck, an offside will be called.

ii. If the player touches the puck in Rule 83-i prior to the icing call for a delayed offside, the ensuing faceoff will take place at the faceoff spot nearest to where the puck was shot."

Thanks for any of your help.

it is so much more difficult under the "plane" method. how can morons not realize this will result in more challenges and lengthier reviews. this is one idea that should have died the very second that moron #1 suggested it

The most frustrating thing about off side calls when you consider the "spirit of the rule", is that a player entering the offensive zone just a milisecond before the puck is technically off side, but the purpose for the off side rule is so guys don't cherry pick, or loiter in the offensive zone. At the end of the day, the very fractional off side, has little, or no impact on the goalie's ability to stop the puck.
Since there is now video replay on off side , or more accurately, absence of an offside call that results in a goal, and there are now many cases where the linesman has been shown to have missed the correct call on a close play can we get linesmen to stop whistling plays dead when it's a close call?
The league wants increased scoring, but many times there's a long pass breakout that a player is confident to have stayed onside but the whistle blows and the play is instantly dead. Since there is instant replay on goals that result from a potential off side that was missed by the linesman, there's no harm, and no foul if the play is actually off side and a goal is scored. The video replay will provide clarity and the goal can be disallowed. If however, the player is actually on side, or a defenceman DOES indeed keep a puck from entirely clearing the blue line, the previously whistled dead play can continue and more goals may be the result. They brought in video replay, to get the right call, so let's get the right call, and maybe increase scoring. The only thing video replay is accomplishing due to its existence is reducing some scoring. That doesn't seem to be in step with one of the League's primary goals, increasing scoring.

The most frustrating thing about off side calls when you consider the "spirit of the rule", is that a player entering the offensive zone just a milisecond before the puck is technically off side, but the purpose for the off side rule is so guys don't cherry pick, or loiter in the offensive zone. At the end of the day, the very fractional off side, has little, or no impact on the goalie's ability to stop the puck.
Since there is now video replay on off side , or more accurately, absence of an offside call that results in a goal, and there are now many cases where the linesman has been shown to have missed the correct call on a close play can we get linesmen to stop whistling plays dead when it's a close call?
The league wants increased scoring, but many times there's a long pass breakout that a player is confident to have stayed onside but the whistle blows and the play is instantly dead. Since there is instant replay on goals that result from a potential off side that was missed by the linesman, there's no harm, and no foul if the play is actually off side and a goal is scored. The video replay will provide clarity and the goal can be disallowed. If however, the player is actually on side, or a defenceman DOES indeed keep a puck from entirely clearing the blue line, the previously whistled dead play can continue and more goals may be the result. They brought in video replay, to get the right call, so let's get the right call, and maybe increase scoring. The only thing video replay is accomplishing due to its existence is reducing some scoring. That doesn't seem to be in step with one of the League's primary goals, increasing scoring.
- InSutterWeTrust

I agree with all of this.