Offside (ice hockey)

For determining offside, the position of the puck and players must be considered to be in the neutral or offensive zone.

Usually, the puck enters or leaves the offensive zone when it completely crosses the blue line.

Offside is determined by the skate positions when the puck completely crosses the blue line.

During a faceoff, a player may be judged to be in an offside position if they are lined up within 15 feet of the centres before the puck is dropped.

If one team commits two violations during the same attempt to restart play, it will be assessed a minor penalty for delay of game.

When such a pass occurs, play is stopped and a faceoff is conducted in the defending zone of the team that committed the infraction.

In the sport's earliest history, hockey was played similar to rugby, in which forward passing is not allowed.

In the event of an offside pass, the play was stopped and a faceoff conducted from the point of the infraction, regardless of where it occurred.

As a result, the NHL introduced the modern offside rule on December 16, 1929, effective six days later.

Teams were allowed a forward pass in any of the zones, but the puck must be carried over a blue line by a skater.

[10] Frank Boucher and Cecil Duncan introduced the centre red line in the 1943–44 season, in an effort to open up the game by reducing the number of offside infractions and create excitement with quicker counter-attacks.

If is ruled not offside, the goal counts and the team requesting the review is assessed a minor penalty.