Hockey can be a challenging sport to follow for new fans. There are lots of hockey terms and rules that can be very complex and hard to grasp. So here, we’ll define over 130 of them for you.
So if you don’t know what the following means – the Boston Bruin’s pinching forechecker was trying to stick-check the defensemen who was on the breakout and just broke up the cycle and prevented a backdoor deflection by cross-checking the guy who was crashing the net – by the end of this article, you will; from Assist to Zamboni, we’ve got you covered!
Assist
When a player passes the puck to a teammate who then scores a goal is the most common kind of assist, but assists are given to the last two players to touch the puck before a goal is scored without the opposing team getting possession.
Back Check
When a defensive player skates back toward their net when the other team has the puck and tries to take it from the opposition.
Back Door
The area of the ice in front and to the side of the goal and on the opposite side of where the hockey puck is.
Bench minor
A minor penalty assessed to a player or coach not currently on the ice. Examples of this are too many men on the ice and unsportsmanlike conduct.
Black Ace
Depth players called up from the minor league for the playoffs; they do not suit up for games but are there for depth and insurance in case some of the starters get hurt.
Blade
Refers to the large part of a hockey stick that is used to play the puck, the bottom part of the stick that is on the ice.
Blocker
A piece of equipment a hockey goalie wears on his hand that holds the stick and is a flat rectangle.
Blue Lines
The two lines that are 75 feet from the end boards. The blue lines divide the ice hockey rink into the offensive, neutral, and defensive zones.
Boarding
Pushing an opponent from behind directly into the boards; a very dangerous play resulting in a penalty, sometimes a major penalty.
Body Check
When a player hits another player with their body (usually the shoulder area) and tries to knock over the opponent. Also known as a check or hit.
Breakaway
When a player has the puck and is past all the other skaters on the other team and is one-on-one with the goalie.
Breakout
When a team has the puck in their defensive zone and is working to move the puck up the ice toward the other team’s goal.
Butterfly
A technique used by goalies when they drop down on their leg pads and play low on the ice instead of standing up.
Change on the Fly
When a player from the bench jumps on the ice and substitutes for a teammate on the ice who comes to the bench while the play is still going on.
Charging
A penalty where a player takes multiple strides to hit an opponent or leaves their feet when hitting an opponent in an upward body motion.
Check
See body check above.
Cherry Picking
When a hockey player is outside the defensive zone and doesn’t help out when his team is defending in an attempt to get behind the other team for an easy breakaway.
Chip
When a player softly shoots the puck off the boards in the air.
Clear the Puck
Trying to get the puck out from in front of the defense’s net or out of the defensive zone.
Coaches Challenge
A coach can challenge a goal that was scored if they think the referees made a mistake; if a team loses the coach’s challenge, they get a 2-minute penalty.
Crash the Net
When a player without the puck skates hard toward the front of the opposing team’s net, trying to disrupt the defense and/or goalie to create a scoring chance.
Crease
The half-circle blue area in front of the goal where the goalie is positioned.
Crossbar
The horizontal red bar or pipe that makes up the goal.
Cross Checking
A minor penalty where a player has both hands on their hockey stick, holds it parallel to the ice, and uses force to hit an opponent with the stick.
Cycle
An offensive zone strategy where a team constantly moves in a large circular flowing motion and passes the puck around to each other to get the defending team out of position.
Defensive Defenseman
A defenseman who doesn’t score very much or contribute offensively, but is very good in the defensive aspect of hockey.
Defensive Zone
The area from inside one blue line to the end boards where a team’s own goal and goalie are and which they are trying to defend.
Deflection
When a player shoots the puck at the goal, and it hits something on the way, such as another player’s stick or any part of another player, and the puck changes direction.
Deke
When a player uses finesse stick-handling moves to go around the defender.
Delay of Game
In the defensive zone, when a player shoots or hits the puck with their stick or any part of their body, and the puck goes over the glass boards and out of play. Also, when a defensive player covers the puck with their glove in the goal crease.
Delayed Offsides
When a team is in an offsides position but does not have the puck, they are allowed to get back onside or “touch up” while the game continues.
When a team commits a penalty, the play still continues until the team that committed the penalty touches the puck. To learn more about delayed penalties, read about it here.
Dive
Also known as the embellishment penalty; when a player falls down on purpose and on his own in an attempt to draw a penalty against the other team. This can be an unsportsmanlike penalty.
Double Minor Penalty
A four-minute penalty where a player is injured, and blood is drawn; with these penalties, there is no intent to injure the player, it’s an accident. The most common double minor is high-sticking.
Dry Land Training
An off-ice workout, not on skates, consisting of intense physical activity.
Dump; Dump-and-Chase
When a team shoots the puck into the offensive zone but not on the net and then tries to get possession of the puck. Click here to learn more about the dump and chase.
Dump-and-Change
When a team shoots the puck into the offensive zone, then goes to the bench for a line change.
Ebug
Emergency backup goalie – a team’s 3rd goalie who does not suit up unless there is an injury to one of the other goalies.
Embellishment
See “dive.”
Empty Net
When a team pulls the goalie, they are left with an empty net.
End Boards
The glass and boards that make up the end of the ice hockey rink, they are behind the goals and are 85 feet long.
Enforcer
A hockey player known for their fighting and tough play more than skill; their role is to stand up for their teammates.
The initial contract hockey players sign when they enter the NHL; the length and amount vary depending on the player.
Even Strength
When both teams have the same amount of players on the ice.
Extra Attacker
When a team pulls the goalie and gets an extra skater on the ice. This is used on a delayed penalty or at the end of the game when the team is behind and desperate to score.
Faceoff
When a referee drops the puck between 2 players’ sticks, they try to get the puck to a teammate. After every whistle or stoppage of play, there is a faceoff.
When a goalie covers or catches the puck with their glove resulting in a whistle and stoppage of play followed by a face-off.
Game Misconduct
When a hockey player gets kicked out of a game and has to sit out the remainder of the game.
Goal
When the puck goes into the net and completely across the goal line.
Goal Lines
The red lines near the end of the ice rink that go from one corner to the other, they are eleven feet from the end boards. The puck must completely cross the goal lines to count as a goal.
Goalie Interference
When an offensive player makes excessive and unnecessary contact with the goalie, this can be a minor penalty.
Grinder
A player known more for their physical presence than skill and finesse; they usually play with a lot of energy. They’re usually on the third or fourth line.
Half Wall
The area halfway in between the goal and the blue line, the halfway point of the offensive or defensive zones.
Hand Pass
When a player uses his hand to hit the puck, and it goes directly to someone on his team, a hand pass is only legal in the team’s defensive zone.
Hat Trick
When a player scores 3 goals in a single game, one of the greatest achievements in hockey.
Head Man Pass
When a team passes the puck to the player who is furthest up the ice and closest to the opponent’s goal.
Healthy Scratch
When a player does not suit up for a game but is not injured.
Heel
The part of the hockey stick blade closest to the shaft, opposite the toe.
High Slot
The area in front of a goal, between the two faceoff circles, and around or above the faceoff dots.
High Sticking
Making contact with an opponent with your stick, the contact must be above the shoulders, usually a minor penalty, but can be longer. OR, When a player hits the puck out of the air with a stick above their shoulders, then that team touches the puck; this is not a penalty, just a defensive zone faceoff.
When a player hits or checks an opposing player leading with his hip or backside.
Hit
The same as a body check – When a player hits another player with their body (usually the shoulder area) and tries to knock over their opponent.
Hockey Stop
Skating fast and coming to an abrupt stop by angling the ice skates perpendicular to the direction the player is traveling, resulting in a cloud of ice being sprayed up, also called a snow shower.
Holding
A minor penalty where a player grabs an opponent with their hands, obstructing their movement.
Holding the Line
When a defenseman stands inside the blue line of the offensive zone and doesn’t let the puck out of the zone.
Hooking
A minor penalty where a player uses the blade of the stick on an opponent’s body in a pulling motion, impeding their progress. Click here to learn everything about hooking.
Ice Time
How much time a player actually plays in the game and is out on the ice.
Icing
When a player shoots the puck from behind the center red line all the way down into the offensive zone past the goal line, and the defensive team gets to the puck first, icing is waved off if the goalie plays the puck, or the offending team is short-handed.
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Instigator
A player who starts a fight, usually a minor penalty is added in addition to the major fighting penalty.
Insurance Goal
A goal scored to put a team up by 2 or more.
Interference
A penalty where a player intentionally gets in the way of an opponent or makes contact with an opponent when the puck is somewhere else. Read our article for an in-depth look at interference.
Knob
The very end of the hockey stick, where a player holds it, it’s opposite the blade, and the tape is thicker than on the rest of the stick.
Line Brawl
A fight where everyone on the ice is involved.
Line Change
Another name for a substitution; when a line or group of players come to the bench, and a group from the bench takes their place on the ice; this happens every minute or so.
Lines
A group of players who play together on the ice. The three forwards make up a line, and the two defensemen make up a line. There are usually four lines of forwards and three lines of defensemen.
Linesmen
On-ice officials who watch the blue lines to determine if the play was offside or icing. They are not referees and cannot call penalties unless they are major penalties. To learn more about NHL linemen, read this.
Low Slot
The area directly in front of the blue goal crease.
Major Penalty
A five-minute penalty, usually for fighting, but can also be called for a dirty or dangerous play where there is a clear attempt to injure the other player, such as boarding. Teams can score as many goals as possible, and the player does not come out of the penalty box until the time is up.
Match Penalty
When a player intentionally tries to injure an opponent. They get kicked out of a game and served with an automatic suspension until the NHL makes a ruling; the team is also assessed a five-minute major penalty.
Minor Penalty
A two-minute penalty, there are 18 different kinds of minor penalties. The most common are tripping, slashing, roughing, cross-checking, or high-sticking. If a team gets scored on while shorthanded, the penalty is over, and the player is allowed back on the ice.
Misconduct Penalty
There are two types of misconduct penalties, a ten-minute misconduct, where the player has to go to the penalty box for ten minutes, and a game misconduct, where the player is ejected for the duration of the game; these penalties do not cause the team to lose a skater on the ice.
Natural Hat Trick
When a player scores 3 consecutive goals, and no other goals are scored by anyone else in between.
Neutral Zone
The area between the two blue lines in the middle of a hockey rink.
Odd-Man Rush
When a team is in the attacking or offensive zone and outnumbers the defensive team, as in a two-on-one or three-on-two.
ODR
Outdoor Rink.
Offensive Defenseman
A defenseman who is skilled or fast and contributes offensively.
Offensive Zone
Also referred to as the attacking zone, the third of the rink where the opponent’s goal is, the goal you’re trying to score on. This is from the end wall behind the net to the nearest blue line.
Official
Another name for referees or linesman; two of each (four total) are on the ice.
Offsetting Penalties
When both teams get a penalty, and the penalty minutes are even, often resulting in 4-on-4 hockey.
Offsides
When an attacking player enters the offensive zone before the puck crosses the blue line.
When a player passes the puck to a teammate, and they shoot it without stopping it.
Overtime
At the end of 3 periods of hockey, if the score is tied, the game goes to overtime, where the next goal wins. In the regular season, there is a 5-minute 3-on-3 overtime period followed by a shootout; in the playoffs, they play as many 20-minute periods of 5-on-5 hockey as needed until one team scores.
Penalty
When a player commits an illegal action and has to go to the penalty box for the required amount of time, examples of penalties are tripping, hooking, slashing, fighting, etc.
Penalty Box
Also known as the “Sin Bin, “the box on the opposite side of the ice rink from the benches where players go to serve their penalty time.
Penalty Kill
When a team gets a penalty and has to send a player to the penalty box, leaving them with fewer players on the ice than the other team.
Penalty Shot
A one-on-one opportunity where a skater takes the puck from center ice and tries to score on the goalie; this is awarded when a player draws a penalty, and gets taken down from behind when on a clear-cut breakaway.
Pickup Hockey
An informal game of hockey without refs.
PIM
Abbreviation for Penalty Minutes.
Pinch
When a defenseman tries to keep the puck in their offensive zone when the other team has the puck, and they usually skate further in the zone to accomplish this, it can be a risky play.
Plus Minus +/-
An official stat, if a player is on the ice when their team scores a goal, they get a plus +1, and if they’re on the ice when the opponents score, they get a minus -1, and the total tally is added up.
Point
When a player gets a goal or an assist, this is a point. OR Another word for the defensemen’s position in the offensive zone inside the blue line.
Poke Check
When a defensive player uses their stick to poke the puck away from the offensive player.
Post
The red bars on the side of the net.
Powerplay
When one team has more players on the ice than the other team due to a penalty.
Puck Line
A gambling term referring to the goal spread a team is supposed to win by; usually, the puck line is 1.5 goals, and there are odds associated with it.
Puck Moving Defensemen
A defenseman who is very good at the offensive aspect of the game either by being a good passer and/or skater; and is good at bringing the puck up the ice on the breakout.
Pulling the Goalie
When a team’s goalie skates to their bench and a skater replaces them on the ice; this is done when a team is behind and trying to score a goal, or because of a delayed penalty.
Rebound
When a goalie makes a save on a shot, but does not freeze the puck, and the puck goes back into play.
Red Line
The thick red line in the center of the ice hockey rink.
Referee
The on-ice officials who enforce hockey rules by blowing their whistles, calling goals, penalties, infractions, and more. There are 2 referees on the ice in NHL games; they wear black and white striped shirts and have orange armbands.
Rink
Another name for the ice hockey arena.
Roughing
A minor or major penalty where a player uses excessive force on an opponent, usually hitting or punching the opponent with their gloves on.
Salary Arbitration
The process of negotiating player contracts in which a third party gets involved and determines the amount of the contract. To learn more about Salry Arbitration, check out our article here.
Saucer Pass / Sauce
A pass that goes in the air over the opponent’s sticks and then falls back to the ice just before reaching a teammate; this requires a high level of skill.
Scratch
When a player does not suit up for a game. Teams can carry 3 extra backup players; every game there are some players who do not play or dress for the game; they are said to be scratched.
Screen
When a player in the offensive zone stands directly in front of the opposing goalie, trying to block their view of the puck when a teammate is shooting.
Shift
The time when a hockey line is on the ice; when a new line comes out, a new shift begins.
Shootout
After the overtime period ends, if the teams are still tied, they go to a shootout where there is a series of three one-on-one penalty shots with only a skater versus the goalie; this only happens in the regular season.
Short Handed
When a team gets a penalty and has to send a player to the penalty box, leaving them with fewer players on the ice than the other team.
Shot on Goal
A shot by one team on the opposing team’s goalie, the puck must be deemed to go in the net if the goalie does not stop it; therefore, a shot that is wide of the net or hits the post is NOT a shot on goal.
Shutout
When a team and goalie do not allow the opposing team to score a goal in a game.
Slashing
A penalty where a player hits an opponent with their stick, often in a chopping motion.
Slot
The area directly in front of the goal; there is a high slot and a low slot.
Spearing
Another name for the jersey
Stack the Pads
When a goalie lays on his side and stacks his leg pads on top of each other to try and make the save.
Stick Check
When a player uses his stick to hit the opponent’s stick to try and knock the puck away from them or disrupt them.
Stretch Pass
A long pass that starts in a team’s defensive zone, and they try to pass to a teammate in the neutral zone, usually close to the offensive zone blue line.
Sweater
Another name for jersey
Toe
The part of the hockey stick blade at the end or tip of the blade.
Toe Drag
A skilled finesse puck handling move when a player uses the toe (the end) of their stick to drag the puck backward to get around the defender.
Touch Up
The act of leaving the offensive zone when a player is in an offsides position and getting back onside.
Traffic
When there are a couple of skaters in front of the net trying to create a screen on the goalie, and makes it hard for the goalie to see where the puck is.
Tripping
A minor penalty where a player causes an opposing player to fall with the use of a stick or body part.
Two Line Pass
An old NHL rule that did not allow for a pass from inside a team’s defensive zone past the center red line; if this happened, the play was whistled dead. This rule was removed from the game in 2005 in order to create more offense.
Two Way Forward
A forward who excels at both ends of the ice, not only contributing offensively but also an exceptional defender.
Unsportsmanlike Conduct
A penalty given when a player is acting inappropriately, such as saying something offensive to an official or falling to the ground when it’s not necessary in an attempt to draw a penalty on the other team; this is known as diving or embellishment.
Wrap Around
When an offensive player goes behind the opponent’s net from one side to the other and tries to score a goal.
Zamboni
The large machine that resurfaces the ice by scraping it to make it even and removing any divots or imperfections.
