Hockey glossary, A to Z.

Rule terms below name the rulebook and edition they come from: the IIHF Official Rule Book 2026/27 (Version 1.0, June 2026), the NHL Official Rules 2026-2027, Hockey Canada's 2026-28 Playing Rules and USA Hockey's 2025-29 rules, in effect from 1 August 2025. We did not read the USA Hockey rulebook itself; its entries rely on USA Hockey's September 2025 summary of the changes. Where the bodies define a term differently, each version is given. Leagues and local associations add rules of their own, so check your association's current rulebook before relying on any entry. Results are as of October 2026: the 2026-27 NHL, European, college and junior seasons are in progress, the PWHL season opens on 5 December 2026, and the women's World Championship (6 to 16 November 2026) is still to come.

Jump to: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W

A

American Development Model (ADM)

USA Hockey's blueprint for age-appropriate player development. Its 8U parent guide describes cross-ice games and station-based practices that shrink the ice to a child's size for more puck touches, and lists eight stages from Active Start (6U) to Hockey for Life, among them Learning to Train, Training to Train and Training to Win. (Player development)

Angling

Forcing an opponent to go where the checker wants, normally toward the boards or the outside, as the Canadian Hockey Association's 2002 manual Teaching Checking defines it. Hockey Canada makes positioning and angling the first of its four checking steps, the first line of defence, because it lets a player check without contact. (Checking and body contact)

Attacking zone

The NHL Official Rules 2026-2027 glossary defines it as the area between the opponent's blue line and the end boards behind the opponent's goal. IIHF Rule 1.6 (2026/27) calls it the zone farthest from a team's own goal, and Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary bounds it by the nearest blue line. Offside is judged at this zone's blue line. (The rink)

Awarded goal

A goal given without the puck going in. Under NHL Rule 25.1 (2026-2027) it is awarded when a team has pulled its goalkeeper and an attacker with possession and control in the neutral or attacking zone, with no defender between him and the goal, is stopped by an infraction; Rule 25.2 adds a defender or goalkeeper displacing the goal post, deliberately or accidentally, when an attacker has an imminent scoring chance. Hockey Canada covers awarded goals in Rule 4.12 of its 2026-28 Playing Rules. (Penalties)

B

Bench minor

A two-minute penalty against the team rather than one player. IIHF Rule 17.1 (2026/27) and NHL Rule 17.1 (2026-2027) let the coach, through the captain, choose any player other than the goaltender to serve it; Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary says it is served by a player who was on the ice at the time. The IIHF lists too many players on the ice, abuse of officials, illegal substitution and faceoff violations among bench minors (Table 3). (Penalties)

Blocker

The rectangular pad a goaltender wears on the hand that holds the stick. IIHF Rule 11.7 (2026/27) bans raised ridges and caps the back padding at 20.5 cm wide and 38.5 cm long, binding included. Hockey Canada's Goaltending 1 manual (2020) teaches meeting the puck on the middle to upper blocker and turning it to the corner. (Goalie equipment)

Blue line

One of the two lines that divide the ice into three zones; IIHF Rule 1.5 (2026/27) makes them 30 cm wide. Wikipedia (secondary) places each NHL blue line 75 ft from the end boards, so the two are 50 ft apart, and gives 15.0 m between them on an IIHF rink. (The rink)

BNQ certification

The certification that Canadian neck guards carry, from the Bureau de normalisation du Quebec. Hockey Canada Rule 3.6(c) (2026-28) requires a BNQ-certified throat protector for players registered in minor and female hockey, and goaltenders with a throat attachment on the mask must still wear one. Hockey Saskatchewan's January 2024 memo says cutting, taping or altering a neck guard so it is no longer BNQ-approved counts as improper wear. (Neck guards)

Boarding

Checking or pushing a defenceless opponent so that they hit the boards violently or dangerously. IIHF Rule 41.1 (2026/27), NHL Rule 41.1 (2026-2027) and Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary use nearly the same words, and the IIHF and NHL put the onus on the checker. For US high schools, the NFHS dropped "violently" for 2026-27, so boarding without violence is a minor while violently throwing an opponent into the boards stays a major. (Penalties)

Body checking

Hockey Canada's 2026-28 Playing Rules define it as gaining an advantage by deliberate use of the body: contact with opposite-directional force, leaving one's skating lane to make contact, or extending an arm, shoulder or hip after angling. Its Rule 7.3 penalizes body checking in U13 and below, in female hockey and in other divisions a Member approves. USA Hockey makes full body checking legal in games from 14U (USAHockey.com, 2016). (Body-checking rules)

Body contact

Hockey Canada Rule 7.3 (2026-28) calls it incidental contact between two opponents chasing the puck in the same direction, which is not penalized. USA Hockey's 2009 manual Checking the Right Way describes it as legally blocking or impeding a puck carrier through skating, angling and positioning, without overt force from the hip, shoulder or arm. In IIHF women's play, Rule 101.1 (2026/27) allows body contact only with a clear intention of playing the puck. (Checking and body contact)

Breakaway

Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary: a player in full control of the puck in the neutral or attacking zone with no opponent between them and the goaltender, or the goal if the goaltender has been pulled. Scouting the Refs (2023) lists four conditions for an NHL breakaway penalty shot under Rule 57.3: the foul is in the neutral or attacking zone, it comes from behind, it denies a reasonable scoring chance, and no opponent is between the player and the goaltender. (Penalties)

Breakout

The defending team's move of the puck up and out of its own zone. Hockey Canada's 2020-21 defence guide calls breakouts the essence of attacking and asks defence pairs and the goaltender to agree call words for the options, such as quick up, wheel, over, reverse, rim and set. (Positioning and systems)

Butt-ending

Using the shaft of the stick above the upper hand to check or jab an opponent (NHL Rule 58.1, 2026-2027; Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary). In the NHL an attempt is a double minor and a butt-end that lands is a major (Rules 58.2 and 58.3); the IIHF also lists attempted butt-ending as a double minor (Table 4, 2026/27). (Penalties)

Butterfly

The save position that Hockey Canada's Goaltending 1 manual (2020) sums up as "knees in, toes out, butt up": knees together to close the five-hole, toes out for coverage to the sides, seat up and chest tall, hands forward and the stick on the ice. Andy Eide (NHL.com, 2020) says Glenn Hall was the first to use it, in the 1950s, and that most goaltenders now play a hybrid of butterfly and stand-up. (Goaltending)

C

C-cut

A push in which the skate blade carves a half circle. Hockey Canada's Coach 1 manual (2022) teaches the backward C-cut with the heel of the driving skate turned out and the final push off the toe; its Goaltending 1 manual (2020) uses C-cuts to adjust angle and depth in the crease, for example when coming out or backing up on a breakaway. (Skating)

Cage

A full face protector attached to the helmet. IIHF Rule 9.7 (2026/27) recognises three types of facial protection: a visor, a cage or a full-face visor. Under IIHF Rules 102.1 and 202.2, women's senior players and men's U18 players must wear full-face protection (a full visor or a cage), and Hockey Canada Rule 3.6(b) (2026-28) requires every player, goaltenders included, to wear a CSA-certified facial protector on a CSA-certified helmet. (Face protection)

Captain and alternate captain

Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary defines the captain as a player, other than the goaltender, chosen to represent the team with the officials, and says "Captain" in its rules also covers designated alternates. The IIHF changed Rule 6.1 for 2026/27 so a team may name one captain and two alternates, or no captain and three alternates. Only a captain or alternate may ask for a stick measurement under IIHF Rule 10.5. (How hockey works)

Catching glove

The goaltender's catching mitt, called the trapper in Hockey Canada Rule 3.6(d) (2026-28). IIHF Rule 11.6 (2026/27) caps its perimeter at 114.5 cm, the cuff at 10.5 cm wide and 20.5 cm long, and the pocket at 46.0 cm. Hockey Canada's Goaltending 1 manual (2020) teaches catching the puck out in front rather than chasing it. (Goalie equipment)

Centre (center)

The middle forward of a line. NHL.com (Seattle Kraken site, 2022) says the centre takes most faceoffs, leads breakouts and also defends in the team's own end. Goaltenders may not take faceoffs (IIHF Rule 76.1, 2026/27). (Positions)

Centre red line

The 30 cm red line across the middle of the ice (IIHF Rule 1.5, 2026/27). It divides the ice into halves for icing under IIHF Rule 81.1 and NHL Rule 81.1 (2026-2027), and an IIHF goaltender who takes part in play beyond it gets a minor (Rule 27.6). See also two-line pass. (Offside and icing)

Charging

The bodies draw the line differently. NHL Rule 42.1 (2026-2027) defines charging by distance travelled: violently checking an opponent as a result of the distance covered, into the boards, the goal frame or in open ice. Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary is more specific: jumping into a check, taking two or more strides immediately before contact, travelling an excessive distance just to deliver a hit, checking violently and unnecessarily, or body-checking an opponent on the blind side. (Penalties)

Checking from behind

NHL Rule 43.1 (2026-2027) defines it as a check on a player who is not aware of the hit and cannot protect himself, with contact on the back of the body, and Rule 43.2 makes no provision for a minor. Under IIHF Rules 43.2 and 43.3 (2026/27) it is at least a major with a game misconduct. Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary covers any push, check, high stick, cross-check or other hit from behind. (Penalties)

Clipping

NHL Rule 44.1 (2026-2027): throwing the body across or below an opponent's knees, from any direction. Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary sets the line higher, at any body contact below an opponent's hips. (Penalties)

Coach's challenge

A coach's request for video review. NHL Rule 38.1 (2026-2027) limits it to goal and no-goal calls and to delay of game for a puck shot over the glass, and overturns the call on the ice only on conclusive video evidence. The NHL approved it in June 2015 for goals that may have involved offside or goaltender interference (The Globe and Mail). The PWHL dropped its coach's challenge for 2025-26 in favour of review by a Central Situation Room. (Officials)

Coincidental penalties

Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary: time penalties of equal length given to players of both teams at the same stoppage. Under NHL Rule 19.1 (2026-2027), substitutes go on immediately for equal numbers of coincidental minors, and the penalized players stay in the box until the first stoppage after their penalties expire. (Penalties)

Concussion protocol

Each body's procedure for a suspected concussion. Hockey Canada's protocol (effective 6 May 2025, adapted from Parachute's 2024 guideline) removes the player at once, asks everyone to use the Concussion Recognition Tool 6 (CRT6) to recognise a suspected concussion, reserves the SCAT6 for licensed healthcare professionals, and requires written medical clearance before any activity with a risk of contact or falling. Massachusetts Hockey says USA Hockey policy allows a return only with a health care professional's permission on USA Hockey's return-to-play form. Diagnosis and clearance belong to a doctor. (Concussion and injuries)

Crease

The marked area in front of each goal. IIHF Rule 1.7 (2026/27) says the red crease line is part of the crease and the crease extends up to the top of the crossbar. NHL Rule 1.7 (2026-2027) lays it out as two 4 ft 6 in lines starting 1 ft outside each post, joined by a semicircle of 6 ft radius. Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary calls it the half-circle that protects the goaltender. The IIHF also marks a 3.0 m officials' crease in front of the scorekeeper's box. (The rink)

Cross-checking

Checking an opponent with the shaft of the stick held between both hands (Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary; NHL Rule 59.1, 2026-2027, adds "forcefully"). TSN (2025) recalls an NHL enforcement push on cross-checking in 2021-22. (Penalties)

Crossover

A stride in which one skate crosses over the other, used to turn and build speed. Hockey Canada's Coach 1 manual (2022) teaches forward crossovers by leaning into the circle, pushing with the outside leg on its inside edge, then with the inside leg on its outside edge as the outside leg crosses over. Backward lateral crossovers let a defender move sideways while staying in front of an attacker. (Skating)

CSA certification

The Canadian certification for hockey helmets and face protectors. Hockey Canada Rule 3.6(b) (2026-28) requires a CSA-certified helmet with a CSA-certified facial protector attached for every player, and says any alteration destroys the certification. Hockey Canada's 2022 reminder says CSA certification has no expiry, the date on the CSA sticker is the year the helmet was made, and the sticker must stay visible. (Helmets)

Curve

The bend of a stick blade, measured as the perpendicular distance from a straight line between the heel and the end of the blade to the point of greatest curve. The limit is 1.9 cm under IIHF Rule 10.1 (2026/27) and 3/4 inch under NHL Rule 10.1 (2026-2027). Retailers describe heel, mid and toe curves and open or closed faces (retailer claims). (Sticks)

D

Danger zone

The Canadian Hockey Association's 2002 manual Teaching Checking defines it as the 3 to 4 metres in front of the boards, where players must never check, bump or shove an opponent from behind and should keep moving rather than stand still. USA Hockey's 2009 manual calls the area beside the boards the Respect Zone. (Checking and body contact)

Defenceman (defenseman)

One of the two skaters who play behind the forwards. NHL.com (Seattle Kraken site, 2022) says defencemen play in left and right pairs, coordinate so one stays back when the other joins the attack, block passes, clear the crease and often run the power play from the point. (Positions)

Defending zone

The zone containing a team's own goal, between its own blue line and the end boards behind its goal (NHL glossary, 2026-2027; IIHF Rule 1.6, 2026/27). IIHF Rule 79.2 allows hand passes in a team's own defending zone. (The rink)

Deferred penalty

Hockey Canada's 2026-28 term for a time penalty that cannot start right away because the offending team is already down to the minimum three skaters. The NHL handles the same case under Rule 26.1 (2026-2027), which it calls a delayed penalty: the third penalized player's time does not start until one of the first two penalties expires, and he may be replaced on the ice so the team keeps three skaters. (Penalties)

Deke

A fake to beat an opponent while keeping the puck, or to disguise a pass or shot, as Hockey Canada's Coach 1 manual (2022) frames it. The manual groups dekes into body fakes, skating fakes such as a change of speed or direction, and stick fakes such as a fake shot or pass, and says the fake must look real and be followed by acceleration. (Stickhandling)

Delay of game

Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary: deliberately causing a stoppage or delaying the restart of play. Rulebook examples include a goaltender playing the puck behind the goal line outside the trapezoid (IIHF Rule 27.7, 2026/27; NHL Rule 27.8, 2026-2027) and two faceoff violations by one team on the same faceoff, which bring a bench minor for delay of game under IIHF Rule 76.7. (Penalties)

Delayed offside

Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary: attackers have entered the zone ahead of the puck but not yet played it, and the defending team can bring the puck out without delay or contact. Under IIHF Rule 83.3 (2026/27) the linesperson lets play continue and cancels the call once all the offending players clear the zone together, touching the blue line, or the defenders move the puck into the neutral zone. USA Hockey's September 2025 summary of its 2025-29 rules allows it for Youth 15 Only and older and Girls 16U and older. Scouting the Refs dates NHL tag-up offside to 1988-89, dropped in 1996-97 and restored in 2005-06. (Offside and icing)

Delayed penalty

In Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary, the referee raises an arm to show a team will be penalized but waits for that team to gain possession and control before stopping play. NHL Rule 84.2 (2026-2027) refers to a goaltender going to the bench for an extra attacker during a delayed penalty. NHL Rule 26 uses "delayed penalty" for a different situation (see deferred penalty). (Penalties)

Diving and embellishment

Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary separates them: diving tries to draw a penalty where no foul happened, while embellishment makes a real foul look worse, both to deceive the referee. NHL Rule 64.1 (2026-2027) gives a minor for blatantly diving, embellishing or feigning injury, including a goaltender who deliberately creates the look of contact. Scouting the Refs dates the NHL's diving minor to 1992-93. (Penalties)

Double minor

A four-minute penalty (IIHF Rule 18, 2026/27; NHL Rule 18.1, 2026-2027). If the other team scores during the delayed call, one of the two minors is wiped out; Wikipedia (secondary) adds that a power-play goal cancels only the two-minute portion then running. The IIHF lists attempted butt-ending, head-butting or spearing and accidental high-sticking that causes injury as double minors (Table 4), and Hockey Canada gives one for slew-footing (Rule 8.8(a), 2026-28). (Penalties)

E

Edges

Each skate blade has an inside and an outside edge. Hockey Canada's Coach 1 manual (2022) says the inside edge does most of the pushing and the outside edge is mainly for turning and stopping, that weak skaters control only two of the four edges and average skaters three, and that every player should work toward all four. Sparx, a sharpener maker, says sharpening produces the two edges on each blade. (Skating)

Elbowing

Using an extended elbow on an opponent, whether or not it causes injury (NHL Rule 45.1, 2026-2027). The referee chooses a minor or a major based on the degree of violence, and the IIHF lists elbowing among its minor-penalty infractions (Table 2, 2026/27). (Penalties)

Emergency backup goaltender

Bleacher Report (2026) reports that under the NHL's new collective agreement, effective 16 September 2026, each team must designate a full-time emergency backup goaltender instead of relying on random emergency backups. (Positions)

Encroachment

Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary: any player other than the centre standing with a skate inside or on the faceoff circle, or between the hash marks, before the puck is legally dropped. The stick may be inside the circle but not between the hash marks. (Faceoffs)

Extra attacker

A skater sent on in place of the goaltender. IIHF Rule 5.3 (2026/27) says the extra skater gets no goalkeeper privileges, and Rule 84.2 allows it in overtime. Under NHL Rule 84.2 (2026-2027), a team that loses a regular-season overtime game while its goalkeeper is pulled forfeits the point it earned for the tie, unless the goalkeeper left on a delayed penalty. When a team with no goaltender on the ice fouls an attacker with a clear path, NHL Rule 25.1 awards a goal. (How hockey works)

F

Faceoff

The referee or a linesperson dropping the puck between two opposing players' sticks to start or restart play (IIHF Rule 76.1, 2026/27; Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary, which says the faceoff ends when the puck is legally dropped). Goaltenders may not take faceoffs. Under IIHF Rule 76.4 the defending player puts the stick down first, except at centre ice where the visitor goes first, and from 2026/27 a violation removes the offending team's centre from the draw, except after an icing, where the first violation brings a warning. (Faceoffs)

Faceoff spots and circles

There are nine faceoff spots (IIHF Rule 76.2, 2026/27). IIHF Rule 1.9 makes the centre spot blue and 30 cm across inside a 4.50 m circle, with the four end-zone spots inside red circles marked with hash marks and L-shaped restraining lines. NHL Rule 1.9 (2026-2027) gives a 12-inch blue centre spot inside a circle of 15 ft radius. (The rink)

Fighting

NHL Rule 46.1 (2026-2027) and Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary use the same test: at least one player punches or tries to punch an opponent repeatedly, or two players wrestle so that the linespersons find it hard to separate them. IIHF Rule 46.1 (2026/27) says fighting is not part of international hockey's identity and gives a major plus an automatic game misconduct. (Penalties)

Five-hole

The opening between a goaltender's legs. Hockey Canada's Goaltending 1 manual (2020) closes it with the knees together in the butterfly and covers it with the angle of the stick blade in the stance, and IIHF Rule 11.5 (2026/27) requires knee pads to be strapped so that they do not block it. (Goaltending)

Flex

A stick's stiffness rating. Russell and Hunt (2009) explain the number as roughly the force in pounds needed to bend the shaft 1 inch in a three-point test, with typical ratings from about 40 for youth sticks to 110 for extra stiff. A retailer says cutting a stick shorter makes it stiffer (retailer claim). (Sticks)

Forecheck

Pressure on the opponent in its own zone to win the puck back. Hockey Canada's Coach 1 manual (2022) gives an aggressive 2-1-2 forecheck as an example of a team play system, and Wikipedia (secondary) describes the 2-1-2 as two forwards deep, one high and two defencemen at the blue line. (Positioning and systems)

Forward

A centre or winger. NHL.com (Seattle Kraken site, 2022) says forwards usually play as a line of three, that many teams use three or four forward lines, and that lines often stay together for weeks or months. (Positions)

Frozen Four

The final rounds of the NCAA national championships in US college hockey. In 2026 Denver beat Wisconsin 2-1 for its 11th men's title (NBC Los Angeles), and Wisconsin beat Ohio State 3-2 in the women's final (AP). The 2026-27 college season is in progress. (College hockey)

G

Gagarin Cup

The KHL's playoff trophy. Lokomotiv Yaroslavl won it in 2025 and again in 2026, beating Ak Bars Kazan 4-2 in the 2026 final (KHL.ru). The 2026-27 KHL season is in progress. (European leagues)

Game misconduct

Removes a player for the rest of the game, but the team may substitute, so it is not short-handed. The bodies record it differently: 20 penalty minutes under IIHF Rule 23.1 (2026/27), 10 under NHL Rule 23.1 (2026-2027) and 10 under Hockey Canada Rule 4.8 (2026-28). Hockey Canada also has a game ejection penalty, for example for three minors for stick infractions in one game (Rule 4.8(b)). (Penalties)

Goaltender

Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary: the person named on the game report who uses special equipment and privileges to keep the puck out of the net. Only one per team may be on the ice (IIHF Rule 5.3, 2026/27), and an IIHF goaltender who takes part in play beyond the centre red line gets a minor (Rule 27.6). (Positions)

Goaltender interference

NHL Rule 69.1 (2026-2027) starts from the premise that an attacker's position in or out of the crease does not by itself decide whether a goal stands; a goal is disallowed when, for example, an attacker's position or contact impairs the goaltender's ability to move freely in the crease. Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary defines interference with the goaltender as an attacker impeding the goaltender's movements by actual physical contact. (Penalties)

Grandfather clause

How the NHL brings in equipment rules: they bind new players and exempt veterans. Helmets became mandatory for players entering from 1979-80 (ESPN), visors from 2013-14 for players with fewer than 25 NHL games (Rule 9.7, 2026-2027), and cut-resistant neck protection from 2026-27 for players with no NHL games (Rule 9.8). Wikipedia (secondary) says Craig MacTavish, the last NHL player without a helmet, retired after 1996-97. (Helmets)

Gross misconduct

A Hockey Canada penalty (Rule 4.9, 2026-28): the player is removed from the game, a substitute may go on at once, 10 minutes are recorded, and one given in the last 10 minutes, in overtime or after the game brings an automatic suspension. Wikipedia (secondary) says the NHL has eliminated it. (Penalties)

H

Hand pass

Moving the puck to a teammate with the hand. NHL Rule 79.1 (2026-2027) lets a player stop or bat the puck with an open hand, but stops play if he directs it to a teammate or gains an advantage and his team then gets possession and control. IIHF Rule 79.2 (2026/27) allows hand passes in a team's own defending zone, and Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary counts a hand pass when the teammate gains control in the neutral or attacking zone. (How hockey works)

Head contact

IIHF Rule 48.1 (2026/27) says there is no clean check to the head or neck. NHL Rule 48.1 (2026-2027) bans hits in which the head was the main point of contact and the contact was avoidable. Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary defines head contact as any contact with an opponent's head (Rule 7.6). Scouting the Refs dates the NHL's major for an illegal check to the head to 2010-11. (Body-checking rules)

HECC certification

The helmet and face-protector certification used in the United States. USA Hockey's 2013 memo says HECC added an expiry date to its sticker and set a certification life of six and a half years, and that a helmet past the date is no longer certified for USA Hockey games that require HECC. Hockey Canada's 2022 reminder says the HECC sticker does not apply in Canada, where only the CSA sticker counts. (Helmet sticker checker)

Heel

The point where the stick's shaft meets the blade (NHL glossary, 2026-2027; Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary). Lengths are measured from it: NHL Rule 10.1 allows at most 63 inches from heel to end of shaft and 12.5 inches from heel to end of blade, and IIHF Rule 10.1 (2026/27) allows 1.63 m and 32.0 cm. (Sticks)

High-sticking

Under NHL Rule 60.1 (2026-2027), a high stick contacts an opponent above the shoulders, provided the opponent's shoulders are at waist level or higher; the IIHF adopted the same test for 2026/27 (Rule 60.1). Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary defines high-sticking as carrying the stick above the normal height of the shoulders. The IIHF makes accidental high-sticking that causes injury a double minor. (Penalties)

Hockey Canada

The governing body for hockey in Canada and the country's IIHF member, based in Calgary, as The Canadian Encyclopedia describes it; it traces back to the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association, formed in Ottawa on 4 December 1914. Hockey Canada reported more than 603,000 registered players in 2024-25. Its current rulebook is the 2026-28 Playing Rules. (Governing bodies)

Hockey Hall of Fame

The hall in Toronto. Its class of 2026 (Patrice Bergeron, Carey Price, Pekka Rinne, Keith Tkachuk, Cindy Curley and builder Brian Burke) was announced on 22 June 2026 and is due to be inducted in November 2026 (hhof.com). The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame is a separate institution. (Hall of Fame)

Holding

Restraining an opponent so as to impede their progress, whether or not they have the puck (NHL Rule 54.1, 2026-2027); Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary adds impeding their ability to pass, shoot or receive. The NHL rule lets a player with body position use an arm in a blocking strength move, as long as he is not holding with his hands. (Penalties)

Hooking

Using the stick to restrain or impede an opponent (NHL Rule 55.1, 2026-2027); Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary describes a pulling or tugging motion with the blade. The NHL rule says stick-on-stick contact alone is not hooking. (Penalties)

Hybrid icing

Icing decided by judging the race rather than waiting for a touch. Under IIHF Rule 81.1 (2026/27) and NHL Rule 81.1 (2026-2027), the linesperson first judges whether the puck will cross the goal line, then which player would touch it first, deciding no later than when the first player reaches the end-zone faceoff dots; a race too close to call is icing. The NHL adopted it for 2013-14 (CBS Sports). Hockey Canada Rule 6.7(e) (2026-28) applies it in U18 AAA and Junior, and in Senior at the Member's option. (Offside and icing)

I

Icing

Sending the puck from your own half of the ice past the opponents' goal line. IIHF Rule 81.1 (2026/27) and NHL Rule 81.1 (2026-2027) apply it to a team at equal or greater strength that shoots, bats or deflects the puck from its own side of the centre red line; Hockey Canada Rule 6.7 (2026-28) adds kicking, and its glossary says the puck must pass the goal line without touching any player. Under IIHF Rule 81.1, a team avoids icing by "gaining the line": the puck touches the centre red line while on the stick, not the skate. A short-handed team may ice the puck (IIHF Rule 81.6; Hockey Canada Rule 6.7(b)), but USA Hockey's September 2025 summary of its 2025-29 rules allows it only for Youth 15 Only and older and Girls 16U and older. (Offside and icing)

IIHF

The International Ice Hockey Federation, founded on 15 May 1908 in Paris as the Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace. Its associations page lists 84 member national associations, 61 Full and 23 Associate Members; Wikipedia (secondary) splits the 84 differently. Its Official Rule Book governs IIHF championships, including the Olympic tournament. (Governing bodies)

Illegal hit

The women's-hockey infraction in IIHF Rule 101.1 (2026/27): body contact is allowed only to play or win the puck, players may not use the boards to pin an opponent or push her out of play, and any step or glide into an opponent is at least a minor. Switzerland's women's league voted in May 2025 to allow body checks from 2025-26, citing inconsistent interpretation of this rule (EV Zug), and the PWHL has allowed some body checking since its start (AP, 2025). (Women's hockey)

Instigator and aggressor

Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary calls the instigator the player responsible for starting, or trying to start, a fight, and the aggressor the one who keeps a fight going by throwing punches or grappling to intimidate or punish. NHL Rule 46.11 (2026-2027) also defines the instigator, and Scouting the Refs dates the NHL's game misconduct for instigating to 1992-93. (Penalties)

Interference

Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary: impeding an opponent who does not have the puck, delivering a late hit, knocking a stick out of an opponent's hands, or stopping an opponent from regaining a dropped stick. NHL Rule 56.1 (2026-2027) calls for a strict standard, and Scouting the Refs reports that from 2025-26 the NHL rule says a minor "can" rather than "shall" be imposed. (Penalties)

J

Jock and jill

Pelvic protection: a jock (protective cup) or a jill. The Pashby fitting guide says a jock or jill strap is fitted by waist size and that cups come in sizes for all players. The NFHS lists a cup or pelvic protector among required equipment for US high school goaltenders (Rule 3-3-1, 2024-25); no governing-body rule requiring one for skaters was found. (Mouthguards and protective cups)

K

Kneeing

Leading with the knee, sometimes extending the leg, to make contact with an opponent (NHL Rule 50.1, 2026-2027); Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary covers any contact where the knee is the main point of contact. The referee chooses a minor or a major based on severity. (Penalties)

L

Learn to Play

An entry-level programme name used by several bodies. The NHL/NHLPA Learn to Play program, run with USA Hockey, is for first-time players aged 5 to 9 and supplies equipment and on-ice classes. In Canada the NHL/NHLPA First Shift programme, built on a Hockey Canada curriculum, offers a six-week trial for children aged 6 to 10 who have never registered. Learn to Play is also a stage in Hockey Canada's Long-Term Player Development plan. (Getting started)

Lie

The angle between the blade and the shaft when the blade sits flat on the ice; a retailer gives 4, 5 and 6 as common lies (retailer claim). Hockey Canada's Coach 1 manual (2022) says the lie is right when the blade sits flat in the player's normal skating stance. (Sticks)

Line change

Changing players on the fly, during play. IIHF Rule 74.1 (2026/27) requires the player leaving to be within 1.50 m of the bench and out of the play before the substitute joins; NHL Rule 74.1 (2026-2027) uses five feet, and a substitute who comes on too early can bring a bench minor for too many men on the ice. (How hockey works)

Linesperson

The on-ice official who calls offside and icing. Under IIHF Rule 31.4 (2026/27) referees do not stop play for offside or icing unless a linesperson is prevented from doing so, and under Rule 31.3 linespersons conduct every faceoff except the drop that starts each period. Wikipedia (secondary) adds that linespersons break up fights. (Officials)

Long-Term Player Development (LTPD)

Hockey Canada's development plan (Version 2, 2013), its hockey version of Canada's Long-Term Athlete Development model. Its stages run from Discovery and FUNdamentals through Learn to Play, Learn to Train, Train to Train, Train to Compete and Train to Win to Excel, and it calls hockey a late-specialisation sport. (Player development)

M

Major penalty

Five minutes with no substitute, served in full even if the other team scores, but the extras differ. IIHF Rule 20 (2026/27) reserves it for a physical foul that recklessly endangers an opponent and adds an automatic game misconduct for a second major or for listed infractions (Rule 20.4). NHL Rules 20.1 and 20.2 (2026-2027) rule the offender off for five minutes for a first major, and the player stays in the box after a goal. Hockey Canada Rule 4.4 (2026-28) adds a game misconduct to every major, and a teammate serves the five minutes. (Penalties)

Match penalty

Under NHL Rule 21.1 (2026-2027), the penalty for deliberately injuring or trying to injure an opponent: the player goes to the dressing room, a teammate serves five minutes, 15 minutes are recorded, and the player is suspended until the Commissioner rules. Hockey Canada Rule 4.10 (2026-28) keeps it as a five-minute penalty with the player removed from the game. The IIHF Official Rule Book 2026/27 has no match penalty; Wikipedia (secondary) says the IIHF dropped it in 2023/24 in favour of a major plus a game misconduct. (Penalties)

Memorial Cup

The Canadian Hockey League championship, contested by the OHL, QMJHL and WHL champions and a host team. In 2026 the Kitchener Rangers beat the Everett Silvertips 6-2 in the final in Kelowna (TSN). The 2026-27 CHL season is in progress. (Junior hockey)

Minor penalty

Two minutes with no substitute (IIHF Rule 16.1, 2026/27; NHL Rule 16.1, 2026-2027; Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary). If the short-handed team concedes a goal, the minor with the least time left ends; under IIHF Rule 16.2 this does not apply to a goal scored on a penalty shot. Scouting the Refs dates the NHL rule that a power-play goal ends a minor to 1956-57. (Penalties)

Miracle on Ice

The 4-3 win by a US team of amateur and college players over the Soviet Union at Lake Placid on 22 February 1980; the US then beat Finland for the gold medal (Wikipedia, secondary). At its centennial in 2008 the IIHF named it the top international hockey story of its first 100 years (The Hockey News). (Olympic hockey)

Misconduct

A 10-minute penalty to one player with an immediate substitute, so the team is not short-handed (IIHF Rule 22.1, 2026/27; NHL Rule 22.1, 2026-2027; Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary). Wikipedia (secondary) notes that it often comes with a minor, a "two and ten". (Penalties)

Mouthguard

Requirements vary by body. IIHF Rule 9.13 (2026/27) only recommends one for senior players, preferably custom-made, while Rule 202.3 requires one for men's U20 players without full-face protection. Hockey Canada's 2026-28 Rule 3.6 makes one compulsory in divisions that allow the half visor (recommended but optional in Senior) and applies its equipment rules to mouthguards wherever a Member has made them mandatory. Hockey Northwestern Ontario requires coloured, not clear, mouthguards so officials can see they are in. (Mouthguards and protective cups)

N

Neck laceration protector

A neck guard made to reduce the risk of cuts from skate blades. IIHF Rule 9.12 (2026/27) makes one mandatory for all players in all categories of IIHF competition. NHL Rule 9.8 (2026-2027) requires cut-resistant neck protection rated at least A5 on the ANSI/ISEA scale for players, goaltenders included, with no NHL games, in games and warm-ups, with no rolling, taping or cutting. USA Hockey's September 2025 summary of its 2025-29 rules requires it for youth, girls and high school players and for officials under 18, and Hockey Canada Rule 3.6(c) (2026-28) requires a BNQ-certified throat protector in minor and female hockey. (Neck guards)

Neutral zone

The centre area between the two blue lines, neither team's attacking or defending zone (NHL glossary, 2026-2027; Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary). (The rink)

Neutral-zone trap

A defensive system that sets up in the neutral zone. Wikipedia (secondary) describes one forechecker forcing the carrier to the boards, wingers near the red line and both defencemen near the blue line. Stan Fischler (NHL.com, 2023) writes that the New Jersey Devils under Jacques Lemaire used it on the way to the 1995 Stanley Cup, and that Montreal had played a similar system in the late 1970s. (Positioning and systems)

NHL

The National Hockey League, which came into being on 26 November 1917 at the Windsor Hotel in Montreal (NHL.com). Wikipedia (secondary) gives 32 teams, 25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. From 2026-27 each team plays 84 regular-season games; that season opened on 29 September 2026 and is in progress. (The NHL)

No-change icing

A team that ices the puck may not change players before the next faceoff, with exceptions such as replacing an injured player or returning a pulled goaltender (IIHF Rule 81.4, 2026/27). Hockey Canada Rule 6.7(d) (2026-28) applies it in U18 AAA and Junior, and in Senior at the Member's option. Wikipedia (secondary) dates the NHL version to its 2005-06 changes. (Offside and icing)

O

Off-ice officials

Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary lists the official scorer, game timekeeper, penalty timekeeper and goal judges, all under the referee's control during the game. IIHF Rule 30.1 (2026/27) adds officiating coaches and a video review consultant at IIHF events. (Officials)

Offside

Attackers may not precede the puck into the attacking zone, and the skates decide, not the stick. Under IIHF Rule 83.1 (2026/27) and NHL Rule 83.1 (2026-2027), a player is offside when both skates are completely over the leading edge of the blue line as the puck completely crosses it, and only the skate blade counts. A puck carrier who crosses first is onside only with possession and control of the puck on the stick; the NHL made that change for 2025-26 and the IIHF for 2026/27. Hockey Canada Rule 6.11 (2026-28) counts only skates in contact with the ice. (Offside and icing)

One-timer

A shot struck directly off an incoming pass. HockeyShare (2012) says it is hit much like a slap shot, meeting the puck between the middle of the feet and the back foot, with the weight moving to the front foot. Hockey Canada's 2020-21 shooting guide adds one-timers, with slap shots, in December of its seasonal plan. (Shooting)

Original Six

The six NHL teams of 1942-43 to 1967: Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Montreal, the New York Rangers and Toronto. Wikipedia (secondary) notes the name is not literal, since only Montreal and Toronto had been members from 1917-18, and that the 1967 expansion doubled the league to 12 teams. (Original Six and expansion)

Overtime

Extra time to break a tie, ending at the first goal. IIHF preliminary-round games get up to 5 minutes of 3 on 3 and then a shootout, while a top-category gold-medal game plays 3 on 3 periods until someone scores (Rule 84, 2026/27). NHL regular-season games get 5 minutes of 3 on 3 and then a shootout, and playoff games play 20-minute periods until a goal (Rule 84, 2026-2027). Hockey Canada Rule 6.16 (2026-28) sets a 10-minute "sudden-victory" period followed by a 20-minute one, and lets Members and leagues set their own overtime rules. (How hockey works)

P

Para ice hockey

The seated form of the game, also called sledge hockey, invented in the early 1960s at a rehabilitation centre in Stockholm and part of the Paralympics since Lillehammer 1994 (IPC). Players sit on double-blade sledges and carry two short sticks with a toothed pick at one end for propulsion (The Hockey News, 2026). The United States beat Canada 6-2 in the Milano Cortina 2026 final (Paralympic.ca). (Para hockey)

Penalty box

Where penalized players serve their time; the NHL and Hockey Canada rulebooks call it the penalty bench. IIHF Rule 3.2 (2026/27) requires penalty boxes at least 4.0 m long, on the opposite side of the ice from the players' benches. (The rink)

Penalty kill

Play by the short-handed team. A short-handed team may ice the puck without a stoppage (IIHF Rule 81.6, 2026/27), and a goal against it ends a minor penalty. In a 2024 Canadian Press report, NHL players and coaches point to skilled forwards killing penalties as a change that makes power plays more cautious about risky passes. (Positioning and systems)

Penalty shot

A free shot that restores a scoring chance lost to a foul (IIHF Rule 24.1, 2026/27; NHL Rule 24.1, 2026-2027). The shooter starts from the centre spot, must keep the puck moving toward goal, and may not score on a rebound except off a post or crossbar and then the goaltender; IIHF Rule 24.2 bans the spin-o-rama. Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary says it is awarded in place of a minor penalty. (Penalties)

Possession and control

The NHL glossary (2026-2027) gives possession to the last player to touch the puck and control to a player propelling it with stick, hand or feet; a player can have possession without control, but not control without possession. Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary adds that a goaltender must have control of the puck to have possession. Both terms decide offside entries. (Offside and icing)

Power play

Play by the team with more skaters while an opponent serves a penalty; NHL Rule 81.1 (2026-2027) describes it as being superior in numerical strength. After a penalty the power-play team chooses which defending-zone spot the faceoff uses (IIHF Rule 76.2, 2026/27). Jack Han (2023) writes that the 1-3-1 and the umbrella have largely replaced older NHL power-play formations. (Positioning and systems)

Presidents' Trophy

The NHL award for the best overall regular-season record by points (Hockey-Reference). Colorado won it for 2025-26 with 121 points; Detroit has won it most often, six times (NHL.com). The 2026-27 race is in progress. (The NHL)

Puck

Vulcanized rubber or another approved material, 2.5 cm thick and 7.6 cm across, weighing 156 g to 170 g, under IIHF Rule 13.1 (2026/27); the 2022/23 IIHF text gave the imperial equivalents as 1 inch, 3 inches and 5.5 to 6 oz. Game pucks are kept frozen at the penalty box (Rule 13.2). (Pucks)

PWHL

The Professional Women's Hockey League, established in 2023 by Billie Jean King and Mark Walter and first played on 1 January 2024 with six teams (ESPN). For 2026-27 it grows to 12 teams in two conferences, with the season opening on 5 December 2026 (Canadian Press). (The PWHL)

R

Radius of hollow

The concave groove ground along the bottom of a skate blade, written as an inch fraction; a smaller number means a deeper groove. Sparx, a sharpener maker, says 1/2 inch and 5/8 inch are the most common hockey hollows and that a deeper hollow gives more bite but more glide resistance (manufacturer claims). (Skate sharpening)

Referee

The official in general control of the game, whose decisions in disputes are final and who imposes penalties (IIHF Rules 31.2 and 31.4, 2026/27). The NHL made two referees and two linesmen standard in every game from 2000-01 (Scouting the Refs). Wikipedia (secondary) says referees wear orange armbands in the NHL and USA Hockey and red under Hockey Canada. (Officials)

Reverse VH (RVH)

A post technique in which the goaltender drops onto one knee with the short-side pad flat against the post, designed for sharp-angle plays from behind the net and below the circles. Kevin Woodley (NHL.com, 2020) says it was developed in Sweden and popularised by Jonathan Quick in 2011-12, and reports goalies and coaches disagreeing over how early and how often to use it. (Goaltending)

Rocker

The blade profile: the radius, in feet, of the circle the length of the blade follows. Sparx gives 9, 11 and 13 ft as common profiles, a smaller radius putting less blade on the ice for agility and a larger one more for speed, and notes that profile and radius of hollow are often confused (manufacturer claims). (Skate sharpening)

Roughing

NHL Rule 51.1 (2026-2027): a punching or slamming motion, usually at an opponent's head or face, or deliberately removing an opponent's helmet during play; it is a minor altercation not worth a major. Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary: unnecessary rough play. (Penalties)

S

Short-handed

Below the opponent's numerical strength on the ice (NHL Rule 16.2, 2026-2027; Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary). Coincidental minors to both teams do not make either side short-handed. (Penalties)

Shootout

A tiebreak of alternating penalty shots. IIHF Rule 84.4 (2026/27) uses five different shooters per team, then one pair at a time, when the same player may shoot every time. NHL Rule 84.4 (2026-2027) gives each team three shots first and applies only in the regular season. Scouting the Refs dates the NHL shootout to 2005-06. (How hockey works)

Slap shot

A shot with a backswing that brings the stick down onto the ice just behind the puck. The OMHA (2014) gives five points: one smooth weight shift toward the target, accuracy as much as power, hitting the ice 3 to 5 inches behind the puck to flex the stick, striking between the heel and middle of the blade, and a follow-through that sets the height. Laliberte (2009) concludes that technique and strength matter most for its speed. (Shooting)

Slashing

Swinging the stick at an opponent, whether or not it makes contact (NHL Rule 61.1, 2026-2027); non-aggressive contact to the pants or the front of the shin pads is not slashing. Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary: hitting an opponent with the stick held in one or both hands. TSN (2025) recalls an NHL crackdown on slashing in 2017-18. (Penalties)

Slew-footing

Using a leg or foot to knock an opponent's feet from under them, or pushing their upper body backward while sweeping their feet forward (NHL Rule 52.1, 2026-2027; Hockey Canada Rule 8.8, 2026-28). The penalties differ: the NHL gives a match penalty (Rule 52.2), while Hockey Canada gives a double minor, with a match penalty at the referee's discretion based on the violence of the impact. (Penalties)

Snap shot

A hybrid of the wrist shot and the slap shot, with a short backswing and a quick release, as the OMHA (2014) describes it; the bottom hand sits a little lower than for a wrist shot so the stick flexes. (Shooting)

Spearing

Stabbing an opponent with the point of the stick blade, whether contact is made or not (NHL Rule 62.1, 2026-2027; Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary says the toe of the blade). In the NHL a spear without contact is a double minor and one that lands is a major. (Penalties)

Stanley Cup

The NHL championship trophy. Lord Stanley of Preston, then Canada's Governor General, announced the challenge cup in 1892 and it was first won in 1893; it has been the NHL's alone since 1926-27 (NHL.com). The Carolina Hurricanes won the 2026 Cup, beating Vegas 4-2 in the Final. The 2026-27 season is in progress. (The Stanley Cup)

Stick checks

Using the stick to take the puck. Hockey Canada calls them the second line of defence, once angling has forced the opponent within stick reach. The Canadian Hockey Association's 2002 manual defines the poke check (from in front, the top-hand elbow tucked and then extended quickly at the puck), the sweep check, the lift check (lifting the opponent's stick near the blade, from the side or behind) and the press check (pressing down on the opponent's stick). (Checking and body contact)

Summit Series

The eight-game 1972 series between Canada and the Soviet Union, four games in Canada and four in Moscow. Canada won 4-3 with one tie, on Paul Henderson's goal with 34 seconds left in Game 8 on 28 September 1972 (Canadian Museum of History). (Best-on-best hockey)

T

T-push

A goaltender's move for longer distances when there is time to get set: eyes and head lead, the lead toe points at the destination and the back leg pushes, finishing back in stance on the lead foot (Hockey Canada, Goaltending 1, 2020). The same manual uses the shuffle, toes forward and staying square, for short moves with less time. (Goaltending)

Throat protector

Hockey Canada's term for the BNQ-certified neck guard required in minor and female hockey (Rule 3.6(c), 2026-28). The words also describe the protector goaltenders attach below the mask: IIHF Rule 9.12 (2026/27) allows one in addition to the mandatory neck laceration protector, and the NFHS requires a flapper-style throat protector as a separate piece for US high school goaltenders. (Neck guards)

Time-out

Each team may take one 30-second time-out per game, only at a normal stoppage (IIHF Rule 87.1, 2026/27). Where no-change icing applies, Hockey Canada Rule 6.7(d) (2026-28) still allows a time-out after an icing but no player changes during it by the team that iced the puck. (How hockey works)

Too many players

Having more players on the ice than allowed, for example when a substitute comes on before the player leaving is within the limit at the bench. It is a bench minor under NHL Rule 74.1 (2026-2027, "too many men on the ice"), Hockey Canada Rule 10.7 (2026-28, "too many players") and the IIHF's bench-minor table (2026/27). Wikipedia (secondary) says linespersons can call it. (Penalties)

Trapezoid

The goaltender's restricted area behind each goal line; playing the puck behind the goal line outside it is a minor for delay of game. IIHF Rule 1.8 (2026/27) makes it 6.80 m wide at the goal line and 8.60 m at the end boards. NHL Rule 1.8 (2026-2027) starts its lines 8 ft from each post at the goal line and ends them 11 ft from the post at the boards, though Rule 27.8 in the same book still describes lines beginning 6 ft from the posts. Scouting the Refs dates the NHL trapezoid to 2005-06. (The rink)

Tripping

Placing the stick or body so that an opponent trips or falls (Hockey Canada's 2026-28 glossary). TSN (2025) found tripping was still the most common NHL minor early in the 2025-26 season. (Penalties)

Two-line pass

A pass out of the defending zone across both the blue line and the centre red line. The Hockey News dates the centre red line to 1943-44, when passes out of the defending zone up to centre became legal, and the NHL removed the red line for two-line passes in its 2005-06 changes (Scouting the Refs). (Offside and icing)

U

Umbrella

A power-play formation with two forwards near the net for screens, tips and rebounds and three players above the tops of the circles shooting from the perimeter, as Jack Han (2023) describes it. He names its weaknesses as no presence in the high slot and the need for unusually strong shooters up top. (Positioning and systems)

USA Hockey

The national governing body for ice hockey in the United States, founded on 29 October 1937 as the Amateur Hockey Association of the United States, renamed in 1991 and based in Colorado Springs. It reported 577,864 registered players in 2024-25. Its playing rules run in four-year cycles; the 2025-29 rules took effect on 1 August 2025. (Governing bodies)

V

Visor

A shield on the front of the helmet covering the eyes. Under IIHF Rule 9.7 (2026/27), all players born after 31 December 1974 must wear at least a visor, fixed so it cannot be flipped up and covering the eyes and nose, and tinted visors that prevent eye contact are not allowed. NHL Rule 9.7 (2026-2027) has required a visor since 2013-14 for players with fewer than 25 NHL games. Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador warns that tinting a face protector voids its CSA certification. (Face protection)

W

Walter Cup

The PWHL championship trophy, announced on 4 April 2024 and named for the Walter family, the league's main backers (ESPN). Minnesota won it in 2024 and 2025, and the Montreal Victoire won it in 2026, the first Canadian team to do so (PWHL). The 2026-27 season has not started. (The PWHL)

Wild card

In the NHL playoffs, the top three teams in each division qualify, and the remaining four places go to the next two best teams in each conference regardless of division (NHL.com). The 2026-27 race is in progress. (The NHL)

Wing

A forward who plays on the left or right of the centre. NHL.com (Seattle Kraken site, 2022) says wingers were traditionally placed by shooting hand, but many now play the "off" wing for a better shooting angle, and that wingers battle in the corners and screen the goaltender. (Positions)

World Hockey Association (WHA)

A rival major league of the 1970s. Wikipedia (secondary) says it began play on 11 October 1972 and played its final game on 20 May 1979, after which the NHL admitted Edmonton, Hartford, Quebec and Winnipeg for 1979-80. (Original Six and expansion)

World Juniors

The IIHF World Junior Championship, an under-20 tournament. Sweden won the 2026 edition, beating Czechia 4-2 in the final in St. Paul, Minnesota, on 5 January 2026, its first title since 2012 (NHL.com). (World Juniors)

Wrist shot

A surprise shot that depends on a quick release and is especially useful near the net, in the words of Hockey Canada's Coach 1 manual (2022). The puck starts at the side, well behind the front skate, and the wrists snap as it reaches the front leg. (Shooting)