A Timeline of Ice Hockey's Rules

Well, here we are. Post #10. If I had stayed on top of this project like I was supposed to do, I wouldn't have had to rush the entire thing, so I regret that. But we finally made it, were finally doing it. So without further ado, I will now answer the research question I formed on post 1; how has the sport of ice hockey changed between now and its first appearance? Using all of my previous research and this really good webpage that described current ice hockey rules, equipment, positions, and rink layout; "Basic Rules of Ice Hockey." Home. Web. <http://www.ohf.on.ca/new-hockey/basic-rules-ice-hockey>., I can list the differences in ice hockey's history and point out where changes were made. So, for starters, I'm going to talk about ice hockey's past rule book. The first form of official ice hockey rules was, as I have mentioned previously, set up by the MUHC. Most of the MUHC rules for ice hockey play were adopted from European field hockey playing rules, with a few changes and additions regarding players and equipment. At the time, there was no designated rink size or method of tie-breaking, but definite rules included that the goalposts be 8 feet apart, the puck be a circular wooden disk, the game consists of two 30-minute periods, and that there be 7 players per team; left wing, right wing, center, rover, point, cover-point, and goaltender. Then, the concept of adding a net to the goal posts was introduced by the CAHL, along with replacing the positions of point and cover-point with left defense and right defense. The IPHL made the sport professional with the concept of paying its players. Major changes occurred during the lifespan of both the NHA and the PCHA, with the NHA implementing reforms such as dropping the rover position so that there were 6 players per team, dividing games into 3 periods with each period being 20 minutes long, and creating minor and major penalties and the power-plays that go with them. The PCHA developed the layout and dimensions of the artificial ice hockey arena and built them across the U.S. and Canada, thus popularizing the sport. They also came up with the idea of an assist and numbered jerseys and invented the neutral zone across the middle of the ice where players can complete forward passes without being penalized, thus also changing the offside rule. And to finalize all the changes, the NHL brought the concept of sudden-death overtime and shootouts, along with a smaller goal net. And that concludes the timeline of ice hockey's changes. The official NHL dimensions of ice rinks are 200 feet long by 85 feet wide, goal nets are 4 feet tall by 6 feet wide, and hockey pucks are one inch thick with a 3 inch diameter and are made of vulcanized rubber. A skaters must wear pads, a helmet, gloves, and skates and carry a hockey stick, while a goaltender wears heavy padding along with blockers on their arms and legs, a mask, thick skates, and a trapper (a trapper looks similar to a baseball mitt) and carries a thick goalie stick. The objective of hockey is to score more points than the opposing team by shooting the puck into their goal, and there are three ways to shoot the puck; the wrist shot, the slap shot, and the backhand shot. The regular NHL season consists of 82 games that determine the 16 teams that qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs. The team that wins in every playoffs bracket and wins the Stanley Cup Finals series is declared the playoffs winner and is awarded with the Stanley Cup. So there you have it, the whole summary of ice hockey; the best sport ever created! And I believe I have perfectly answered my research question with detailed examples. I must admit that this project drained me of energy and I am happy it is over, but I still really enjoyed the research I conducted and I liked making these blog posts. I got the chance to learn so much about my favorite sport, and I love ice hockey even more because of it. I'm so ready to watch the Stanley Cup Finals series that is coming up soon, and I can't wait for the joys that will come with the start of the 2016-2017 season. Anyway, thank you so much for sticking alongside me through this research-based adventure, this is Cole Sears signing off!

Here is a labeled diagram of your standard NHL rink so you can see the layout for yourself.

 

And, just to prove how awesome hockey is, here is an epic highlights compilation I found on YouTube!

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taPTPxspRQ0   

The NHL (pt 2)

Hello guys! I'm back for post #9! So, I found this good article; Marsh, James H. "National Hockey League (NHL)." The Canadian Encyclopedia. 19 Dec. 2012. Web. <http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/national-hockey-league/>., to complete my research of the NHL, and here's what I found. As I had mentioned briefly at the end of post 7, the NHA lasted until 1917. The NHA fell apart by its own choice; it disbanded itself in an attempt to eject a few of the unfavorable PCHA members who had merged into the NHA. This plan was successful, and shortly after the NHA shutdown, the National Hockey League (NHL) formed in its place. The NHL started with 8 teams, but two teams dropped out and Detroit's team had a name change, resulting in the NHL's Original 6; the New York Rangers, the Boston Bruins, the Detroit Red Wings, the Chicago Blackhawks, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Montreal Canadiens. The year 1967 brought NHL expansion; the number of teams that year doubled into 12 teams. In 1972, the formation of another new 12-team league, the World Hockey Association (WHA), caused rivalry between the conflicting leagues. In 1979, the WHA was finally overlapped and merged into the NHL, which was at that point a 17-team league, to form a massive 21-team league. And by 1999, 30 teams were playing in the NHL, and although a few teams were relocated and/or renamed, and some even dropped from the league, there are still 30 teams to this day. But recent NHL news reports that there is a possibility that by the 2016-2017 or 2017-2018 seasons, we may see the number of teams reach 32. At the time of its creation, the NHL was considered the premier hockey league of the world, and it is still considered to be today. I have only one more post to finish, and the last one is going to be pretty lengthy. I will be comparing and contrasting the ice hockey rules, equipment, positions, and rink of the past to the current NHL rules, equipment, positions, and rink. So I will see you guys in the final post!

These are all of the current NHL team names and logos, and what division they are in. If you are a hockey fan, which is your favorite team (go Ducks!)?