At its recent committee meeting, the NFHS Ice Hockey Rules Committee revised Rules 3-3-2 and 3-3-3, the net result of which is the dimensions of certain goalkeeper equipment will be modified in three years. As with all NFHS equipment rules changes, there is a three-year phase-in period for this new equipment. As such, those new dimensions will go into effect with the 2012-13 school year.
In our efforts to notify the high school ice hockey community about these changes, we included in the 2009-10 NFHS Ice Hockey Rules Book information regarding the new dimensions that go into effect in 2012-13. However, in that same editing process, we inadvertently removed the dimensions that are currently in effect for the next three years (2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12). Obviously, that still is important information for high school ice hockey teams during the next three years.
As a means of addressing this and clarifying this situation, we have drafted a document and an accompanying table that specifically spells out the rule that is currently in effect and will be for the next three years (2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12), as well as what it will be changed to in 2012-13. That document is below. For your information, this information will be included in the NFHS Ice Hockey Rules Book, beginning with the 2010-11 edition.
NFHS ice hockey rules covering goalkeeper equipment are transitioning to universal standards by the 2012-13 season. When any NFHS equipment rules are changed, there is a three-year period for implementation. As a result, the changes that were adopted in April 2009 are not in effect until the 2012-13 season.
The following table summarizes the various components of goalkeeper equipment, the current standards and the standards that will go into effect for the 2012-13 season.
Goalkeeper equipment
|
Current standard
|
Standard in 2012-13
|
Leg pad
|
Max. 12 inches wide
No length specification
|
Max. 11 inches wide
Max. 38 inches long
|
Blocker glove padding
|
Max. 9 inches wide
Max. 17 inches long
|
Max. 8 inches wide
Max. 15 inches long
|
Catching glove
|
Max. 9 inches x Max. 17 inches
No limit on other dimensions
|
Max. 45 inch perimeter
Max. 18 inch lenth across
Wrist cuff: Max. 4 inches x
Max. 8 inches
|
Webbing or apron extension
(no change)
|
Max. 3 inches
|
Max. 3 inches
|
“Current standard” applies for 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons.
“Current standard” applies for 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons.
The glove depicted on Page 21 of the 2009-10 NFHS Ice Hockey Rules Book is the 2012-13 standard.
In addition, there were two other minor errors in the 2009-10 NFHS Ice Hockey Rules Book. They are as follows:
1) On page 38 – Rule 6-12-10:
The sentence identified as “a” should be deleted.
2) On page 64 – The RULING in 6.12.9 Situation B should read as follows:
RULING (faceoff location): (a) Defensive end zone faceoff spot in A’s defensive zone, (b) defensive end zone faceoff spot in B’s defensive zone, (c) same as (b), (d) same as (a).