For the 2021-22 season, there will be a new IIHF Rule Book. With the help of experts from European leagues, the NHL and the IIHF, a Rule Book Writing Group developed the new book. The goal is to have a harmonized set of rules for everyone, with the possibility to adapt them to stay up to date.
“The goal is to create a standard for ice hockey’s playing rules so that they can be used uniformly across leagues and clubs around the world. As leagues have continued to grow and develop around the world, sometimes the rules are being adjusted or changed. This sometimes leads [to] confusion from players, fans, and officials with application of the official playing rules in IIHF and other international competitions," IIHF Vice President and Player Safety Committee Chairman Bob Nicholson stated.
There have also been examples of some rules that will be in the new Rule Book, like installing a trapezoid familiar to the ones in the NHL and KHL, more video review options, major penalties without an automatic misconduct, and the consideration of the blue line as three-dimensional when entering.
There will be a roadmap created by the IIHF for the Rule Book to be implemented amongst the top leagues in the coming season.
