Roughing

Roughing is much like fighting, but less severe in action and in penalty.  Roughing is classified as a punching motion (with or without a glove) at or near the head or face of an opponent.  It is only a minor altercation and is not necessary of a major penalty, in which players only receive a 2 minute penalty.  There is only one case in which a match penalty can be assessed and that is if the goaltender uses his blocking glove to punch another player in the head or face or deliberately try to injure another player.  If this case were to happen, the goaltender would be asked to leave the game.

Being hit with the puck

Being hit with a hockey puck anywhere on your body can be a very painful experience. Most times a player is hit in the leg, where there is padding but often times a player gets hit in the face.  Players are not required to wear visors but many do. The visors reduce (but don't eliminate!) the risk of getting hit in the eye.  Broken noses and jaw bones and even orbital bones are effects of being hit in the face by a solid rubber puck.  Wrists are sometimes broken when the puck lands between the glove and the arm pad.   In the picture you see Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins following a puck he received to the face.

Fighting

Fighting is another major way that injuries happen.  Fighting is often caused when a player skates into the opposing team's goalie, whether on purpose or not, and teams do not like their goalie being skated into.  Some altercations are not classified as fights, as defined by the Official National Hockey League Rules, "A fight shall be deemed to have occurred when at least one player (or goalkeeper) punches or attempts to punch an opponent repeatedly or when two players wrestle in such a manner as to make it difficult for the Linesmen to intervene and separate the combatants." Most fights are allowed to continue until one player is brought to the ground, and the other deemed "victorious".  A big rivalry game, like the game in the picture Philadelphia Flyers vs Pittsburg Penguins in the 2012 Playoffs, there are often many fights throughout the span of the series.  The aggressor is the player who continues to throw punches to a player even though the opposing player is in a defenseless position or unwilling to fight.   If a player is classified as the instigator and the aggressor, he receives a 2 minute minor penalty, a 5 minute major penalty for fighting, (instigator) and a game misconduct penalty (aggressor).  Any player who fights automatically receives a 5 minute major penalty. 

Boarding

Boarding is a play that can cause a significant injury to the head or another part of the body.  Boarding is when a player with the puck along the boards is hit, usually from behind, causing them to violently and dangerously crash into the boards.  The penalty a player receives for this act depends on the impact of the fouled player to the boards.  Players can be assessed a minor (2 minute) or major (5 minute) penalty or even a match penalty if the degree of the foul is that bad.  Players have sustained concussions and other injuries like broken wrists from being boarded.   Boarding vs a legal hit to the boards has a fine line.  It is considered boarding if the boarded player was in a vulnerable position and makes a significant impact to the boards upon contact with the other player.

Brendan Shanahan

Brendan Shanahan is the National Hockey League's Vice President of Hockey and Business and also the Head Disciplinarian.  Shanahan is the one that decides the further penalty for players who are penalized with illegal hits.  He played 21 years in the NHL, starting in 1988 with the New Jersey Devils, and played for teams like the St. Louis Blues, the Hartford Whalers, Detroit Red Wings, and the New York Rangers before returning back to play with the New Jersey Devils for his final season in 2009.  He then retired after that season and accepted his current job as the Vice President of Hockey and Business.  On June 1, 2011, he took over as the head disciplinarian.  He started the pre-season with many suspensions for illegal hits as well as makes videos explaining the hit and why the player received the punishment he did.

Goaltender Interference

Goaltender interference is a common occurrence in a hockey game.  It happens when a player in front of the goal (intentionally or not) skates into the goalie, sometimes even being pushed into him.  Not only the goaltenders, but the attacking players can sustain injuries upon contact.  Concussions are common injuries even with the helmets that the players are now required to wear. The goaltender also has the risk of hitting his head on the goal posts and/or the crossbar.  Goaltender interference is called and determined based on if the goalie did not have the ability to move freely in front of his goal in the crease. The rules state that a goal will be called no good if "(1) an attacking player, either by his positioning or by contact, impairs the goalkeeper’s ability to move freely within his crease or defend his goal; or (2) an attacking player initiates intentional or deliberate contact with a goalkeeper, inside or outside of his goal crease."  As you can see in the image, player 55 is in the way of the goaltender, also in his crease (the blue semi circular shape around the goal) preventing him from attempting to stop the puck from entering the goal. A goaltender interference call must be made at the time of the offense by a referee, and not by using video replay or review technology.  In most cases, a player will be assessed a minor (2 minute) penalty or for even worse hits, a major (5 minute) penalty.  If deemed appropriate by the referee, a more significant penalty can be assessed.  Any illegal hit on the goalie is subjected to further supplementary discipline if the commissioner feels it is appropriate. 

Illegal Hits to the Head

Illegal hits are one of the most common ways a player can be injured.  Hits from behind, hits away from the play, and hits to the head are examples of illegal hits that cause injuries.   Illegal hits to the head are explained by Rule 48 in the NHL Rulebook: "A hit resulting in contact with an opponent's head where the head is targeted and the principal point of contact is not permitted.  However, in determining whether such a hit should have been permitted, the circumstances of the hit, including whether the opponent put himself in a vulnerable position immediately prior to or simultaneously with the hit or the head contact on an otherwise legal body check was avoidable, can be considered." In other words, a hit to the head is illegal under any circumstances unless the player being hit dropped his head purposefully before or as the hit occurred.  A minor (2 minute) penalty is given to the player who conducted the hit.  A player may receive a Match Penalty (forced to leave the match immediately and go to the dressing room) if the Referees find that the player who conducted the hit was trying to injure the player intentionally. The commissioner may assess supplementary discipline if felt necessary.  If the same player conducts an illegal hit to the head 2 times,  game misconducts will automatically be suspended for the next game his team plays.   

Intro

Hockey is a very popular sport not only in America, but all over the world.  Millions of people go out to see hockey games all the time.  It is a sport unlike other American sports, because it is one that is played on ice.  Through this blog, we will be able to uncover one of the dangers of hockey; injuries.  Injuries are very common in hockey games whether it be a puck to the face or an injury as a result of a hit.  There are many ways that hockey players can become injured even though they wear extreme amounts of padding and protection.  Helmets and the other required padding worn by players does not help protect them or prevent them from all injuries.  Some how, no matter how many rules and regulations against violent hits and the like, injuries still come up, and there are countless players getting concussions or other injuries and also countless players receiving fines and suspensions for their actions.  This blog talks about the different ways players can get these fines and suspensions, as well as the injuries caused by their actions.