There are many regulations in the NHL rules that specify what hockey players can and cannot do while on the field. A hand pass is among a few complex rules that are needed rarely. Many participants and match fans are unaware of the actual regulations of legal hand pass NHL.
According to the NHL hand pass rule, a player can grab the ball directly from the air, but they must dump it instantly. It is because they cannot play with it. Additionally, the player can pass the ball to a squad in the middle or defense area or hit the ball into the air. But they can never hit the ball into the attacking zone.
Well, you must also know its legal rules in depth, restrictions, implications, and how it works. Let’s get started!
NHL Rules on the Hand Pass
You must learn about the NHL regulations to gain the best knowledge of the NHL’s position on hand passes. It can be a little challenging to understand the terms of NHL hand-pass rules, but it is essential to understand the rules.
67.1 Handling Puck
The game will be continued unless the umpire determines that a player intentionally oriented the ball to a team member in an area other than the defensive area. In that scenario, the game will be paused and a face-off will be held. Players are allowed to halt or “bat” a ball in the air with an open hand. They can move it into the ground with their hand.
Any hand transfer/pass made by team members in their defensive line will not pause the game.
79.1 Hand Pass
The game will not be paused unless the player has given the ball to a fellow player or has given his team an advantage. The hold of the ball is gained by a player of the opposite crew, either instantly or by a deflection of any player. Players are permitted to halt or “bat” a ball in the air with their open hands.
It is rule 67 to handle the puck for any offenses such as “wrapping hands on the ball.”
You can also read this article: Can You Kick the Puck in Hockey?
79.2 Defending Zone
According to rule 79.2, any hand pass made by team players in their defensive area will not pause the game. The region of the ball will specify when it is touched by a player who is either making the hand pass or getting the hand pass.
79.3 Face-off Location
In case when the face-off will be at the closest face-off location in the area where the timeout of the game happened, the opposite team will get an edge. Otherwise, the face-off after a hand pass infraction will happen at the closest face-off location in the region where the offense took place.
Is a Hand Pass Legal in Hockey?
In hockey, there are both legal and illegal hand passes as per the NHL hand pass rules.
There are mainly two types of hand passes that are allowed. In the legal hand pass, a player bats the ball from the air to a team partner who is in the defensive zone, and in which a player knocks the ball to a teammate who is on the ground. This type of hand pass is allowed in ice hockey according to the NHL rules.
When you ask about the non-permissible hand passes, they are not allowed in the attacking or neutral zone. It indicates that in the attacking area or neutral area, a hand pass is not legal.
When You Catch it How Long Can You Hold it?
You can’t hold it for very long according to the law. The team player must quickly return a ball that they have caught in the air with their pole. A player is not allowed to move with the ball after catching it. After catching it, the player has to pass it to a partner.
The player can keep it for three seconds. A player is only allowed three seconds of ball control. The method of performing the game would alter if a player skates the full length of the rink in less than three seconds.
You can also read this article: What is a Penalty Shot in Hockey?
Are Goals Scored as a result of a Hand Passing Reviewable?
Yes, goals scored due to the hand passes are reviewable. The NHL started analyzing hand pass scores in the 2020 NHL season as a result of these missed chances. A hand pass can be examined to determine whether or not a score was valid. But it cannot be examined to determine whether or not a punishment was called.
Conclusion: What is the Hand Pass Rule in Hockey?
A hand pass is when a player passes the ball to the team player through the air only when he is not in the offensive or attacking zone. When it is about legal hand pass NHL, there are two possibilities. One is when a player passes the ball to the player who is on the defensive zone or the ice. Also, the player will have to leave the ball within three seconds.
