It's not news that the collective hockey community has raised concerns about 'head-checks' and the potential severity of injury arising from these infractions.
As a result, Hockey Canada and referee associations have placed emphasis for the upcoming season on strict enforcement of penalties against contact to the head. The severity of the penalty is expected to match the severity of the infraction and the intent behind the infraction.
Click on Read More (next page) to view ~ 23 video clips , with approximately half demonstrating minor and major penalties.
Hockey Canada has prepared the following video clip to clarify the definition and consequences of contact to the head penalties, and to illustrate varying degrees of potential penalty scenarios based on actual game footage. (Double click on the link to view).
Hockey Canada - Head Contact Definitions and Head Check Video Clips
As the video illustrates, body contact, shoulder to shoulder, arms / sticks remaining below the shoulders will not constitute a 'head check' (although other penalties may apply depending on the situation). However, the video provides numerous examples of head contact, including 'face-washing', and head shots during 'scrums', which will constitute a head-check penalty.
Referees are all viewing these clips during recertification and referee clinics, and are being instructed to strictly enforce the contact to the head rules. The intention behind this reinforcement is to
increase player safety and to enforce the code of conduct around FAIR PLAY and RESPECT.
Please continue to show your support and respect for our referees and for the safety all players in the game.
Let the games begin!