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In ice hockey, play is said to be offside if a player on the attacking team enters the attacking zone before the puck itself enters the zone, whether it is being carried by a teammate or otherwise sent in across the blue line. When an offside violation occurs, the linesman blows the play dead, and a faceoff is conducted in the neutral zone. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Offside, off-side or off side can mean: The offside rule that occurs in a number of field sports including most versions of football (see offside law (football)), ice hockey (see offside (hockey)) and, until recently, in field hockey. ... Ice hockey, known simply as hockey in areas where it is more common than field hockey, is a team sport played on ice. ... A hockey rink is an ice rink specifically designed for the game of ice hockey. ... Two standard hockey pucks. ... American Hockey League referee Dean Morton In ice hockey, an official is a person who has some responsibility in enforcing the rules or maintaining the order of the game. ... A closeup of an official about to drop the puck A typical faceoff at centre ice A faceoff is the method used to begin play in ice hockey. ... A hockey rink is an ice rink specifically designed for the game of ice hockey. ...

There are two determining factors in an offside violation:

1. Attacking players' skate position: One of a player's skates is not in contact with or behind the blue line of the attacking zone before the puck enters that zone.
2. Puck position: The puck must completely cross the outer edge of the blue line to be considered inside the attacking zone for the purposes of offsides.

Note that the puck must enter the attacking zone for an offside call to be made; a player being over the line does not result in an offside call until the puck crosses the line, and that a player cannot put himself offside, such as by carrying the puck in while skating backwards. The Blue Line is also a term used in ice hockey. ...

Though the basic offside rule is always the same, there are different rules for the situation when the puck is shot in while a player is offside, but the defending team gains control of the puck.

• With immediate offside, play is dead the instant an offside violation occurs. (Used in USA Hockey youth leagues)
• Delayed offside allows the defending team a chance to move the puck out of the zone. The play remains offside until the puck enters the neutral zone. Play is blown dead if the defending team does not attempt to move the puck forward. (Used in the major North American leagues from until 2004 (AHL, except 1986-96) and 2005 (ECHL, from 1996-2005), and NHL before 2005 rule changes.)
• Tag-up offside is a variation of delayed offside. In a delayed offside situation, if each attacking player who is offside "tags up" by making skate contact on or behind the neutral zone, the delayed offside becomes negated. (Used in NCAA, Hockey Canada, the IIHF, USA Hockey junior leagues, some North American professional leagues, adult leagues, and the NHL from 1986-1996, and once again after the 2005 Collective Bargaining Agreement.)

Play is stopped immediately if a player from the attacking team touches the puck in the attacking zone while he or any of his teammates is offside. USA Hockey is recognized as the governing body for amateur ice hockey in the United States and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. ... Hockey Canada is the official national governing body of ice hockey in Canada and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. ... The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) was founded in 1908 as the Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace and is the worldwide governing body for ice hockey and in-line hockey. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... “NHL” redirects here. ... The Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is the contract between the NHL and the NHLPA that defines the structure of procedural, financial, and disciplinary relationships between the NHL, its teams, and its players. ...

Offside is also used to refer to a player lining up on his opponent's side during a faceoff. There is no penalty for this, though the faceoff may not be conducted while a player is offside. A closeup of an official about to drop the puck A typical faceoff at centre ice A faceoff is the method used to begin play in ice hockey. ...

Offside pass

In ice hockey, an offside pass or two-line pass is a pass from inside a team's defending zone that crosses the red line. When such a pass occurs, play is stopped and a faceoff is conducted in the defending zone of the team that committed the infraction. Ice hockey, known simply as hockey in areas where it is more common than field hockey, is a team sport played on ice. ... A hockey rink is an ice rink specifically designed for the game of ice hockey. ... A hockey rink is an ice rink specifically designed for the game of ice hockey. ... A closeup of an official about to drop the puck A typical faceoff at centre ice A faceoff is the method used to begin play in ice hockey. ...

There are two determining factors in an offside pass violation:

1. Puck position when pass is released. Since the blue line is considered part of the zone the puck is in, if the puck is behind or in contact with the blue line when the pass is released, the pass may be an offside pass.
2. Skate position of receiver. If the receiver has skate contact with the red line at the instant the puck completely crosses it, the pass is legal regardless of where the puck actually makes contact with his stick. Both of his skates must be completely on the far side of the red line when the puck crosses it for the pass to be offside.

A two-line pass from one side of the red line into the attacking zone is governed by the aforementioned offside rule.

This offside pass rule is not observed by all leagues. It has never been enforced in European league play. The National Hockey League recently adopted the version used by the top minor leagues, under the terms of their 2005 Collective Bargaining Agreement, in which the centre line is no longer used to determine a two-line pass (it must now cross both blue lines to be considered a two line pass). This was one of a number of rule changes intended to open up the game and improve scoring chances, making the game more exciting for the fans. “NHL” redirects here. ...

External links

• NHL.com diagram explaining tag-up offside vs. the old offside rule