In this lesson, we will give a short rundown into the fundamental rules of hockey that every player, coach, and fan should be familiar with. Understanding the rules of the game is essential for proper gameplay and to ensure fair competition. From penalties to offside calls, we will cover the basics to help you navigate the hockey rink with confidence.

We will explore key concepts such as player positions, pulling goalies and how to run a bench. By the end of this lesson, you will have a solid grasp of the rules that govern the game, allowing you to fully enjoy the fast-paced and exhilarating sport of hockey.

Key Lesson Concepts:

• Understanding the fundamentals of hockey rules
• Learning about standard Coaching instances
• Exploring player positions and lines

Icing -  Icing occurs when a player shoots the puck over the center line and into the opposing team's zone without hitting the net.

Offside - In ice hockey, offside occurs when an attacking player crosses the defending team's blue line before the puck.

Delayed Offside - A delayed offside occurs if the puck is passed or shot into the offensive zone while an attacking player or players are offside but the puck has not touched an attacking teammate yet. In most leagues, the attacking team may "tag up" by having all players exit the offensive zone before they can reattack.

How to properly change on the fly - The best time to change is when your team is in the offensive zone or has possession of the puck and is breaking into the offensive zone. The worst time to change is when they are in the Defensive Zone. It is best to change 1-2 players at a time. If all players come to the bench while play is live it gives the other team a chance to get fast breaks against your goalie.

How to run a bench - Have players change for their position. This keeps the line in order. That way you don't have 2 left wingers on the ice at the same time. Make sure the players on the ice allows for the players on the bench to get on first before they come off.

How to organize lines - The easiest way to organize lines are using their stick hands. If they are right they could be a Right Winger or Right D. If they are Left they could be Left Winger or Left D. Centre's can be either or and they are typically some of your stronger players as they are usually all over the ice supporting everyone. This isn't the golden rule but it's fairly easy to organize lines with.

Standard Shift length - 45 seconds - 1 min. They should be coming back to the bench with gas in the tank so they don't have to fully recover while on the bench. That way if they need to go back on the ice for some reason they have energy to go.

When to Pull the Goalie - The typical time to pull a goalie is at the end of the game when you're down a goal or two. Or when you have drawn a penalty, your team has possession of the puck and you can add another player till the other team touches the puck. The standard ratio for a goalie pull per goal is 1 goal/1-1:30 mins. This can vary obviously depending on certain variables of the game. Maybe you are down by 1 with 2 mins left. You have a power-play and a face-off in the ozone. Might be a good time to add another attacker.

Delayed Penalty- Another time to pull the goalie is when the ref has his hand up signalling a penalty for the other team but the other team hasn't touched the puck yet. If your team has control of the puck you can call for your goalie to come off which would give your team a man advantage until the other team touches the puck. When the ref blows the whistle for the penalty you would send your goalie back in the net.

Focus on keeping pucks out of the middle in D Zone- Common action for kids is to throw pucks up the middle because that is where most kids are especially a young age. If you can teach kids to throw pucks up the boards instead of the middle it will help keep your team from turning pucks over especially if your players are where they should be.

Emphasize chipping pucks off the boards and going around still standing Defenders - If a defender is standing still its a lot easier to chip to the boards and go around them then it is to try and beat them through their skates or sticks. Kids at a young age have a tough time matching speeds so chips and go around works very well.

Emphasis on making the Right/Simple Play - Now a days everyone wants the highlight reel goal. But these goals/plays usually (not always) come when there is a chance to make a smart hockey play to a teammate for a better chance to make a play or score a goal. Even if they work out it should be emphasized that there was a better play to be made and as you get older those plays won't work and to make the smart play. Creating good habits at a young age set them up better when they are older.