The size of the hockey field. The size of the Canadian hockey field

Only a few of the sports fans go into the technical standards for the organization of competitive events. Especially in hockey amateur eye is difficult to assess the impact of the parameters of the ice rink, markup, ammunition of players and other factors on the course of the match. Nevertheless, there are different rules and regulations for competitions. The basic characteristics that cause discussion in the hockey leagues and federations include the configuration of the site.

Who are the judges?

The main organizations that determine the parameters of the game and, therefore, the size of the hockey ground, are the hockey leagues (NHL, CHL) and the International Federation of IIHF.

Immediately it can be noted that the key divide in the approach to the formation of standards concerns the IIHF and the NHL. The first organization is rightfully the main "legislator" in the rules governing the format of matches in the largest tournaments. The North American League, in turn, has a high reputation in hockey sports, and therefore its principles in setting the rules are quite common.

Despite the differences in technical regulations, disagreements and disputes on this basis take place only among theorists and judges. However, their opinion becomes decisive in making the final decision as to what the size of the hockey field will be in a particular tournament.

KHL Regulations

In view of the close relationship between the IIHF and the KHL, rules for the organization of league tournaments are mainly adopted from the federation. The most common configuration is 60 x 30 meters. In this case, deviations are possible, but in a strictly defined range - in particular, the extreme dimensions of the hockey box along the length can be 56 and 61 m. The width of 30 m is a feature of the "continental" site - this is the maximum that increases in rare cases. In recent years, there has been a tendency to narrow the field to the NHL's 26 meters.

It can also be argued that the size of the KHL hockey arena is relevant for domestic tournaments, which, incidentally, is not surprising. The league was based on the CIS platform, so the size of the IIHF is also valid in the post-Soviet space.

The dimensions of the hockey box in the NHL

As you know, hockey was invented in Canada. The first officially "affected" sites in the early 20th century measured 56 x 26. Over time, the length of the box added 4 m and in this form it is used to this day. However, some adjustments have still been made - in accordance with the regulations of the NHL, the hockey field must have a configuration of 60.96 x 25.90 m.

Discrepancies with European standards for North Americans began in the postwar years. In the Old World decided to revise the size of the hockey area, increasing the playing space. At that time, those same 30 m in width were approved. To date, the length has remained the same, but, as already noted, in the KHL there are prerequisites for reducing the size of the site.

Custom sizes

Unlike the NHL, the federation is very liberal approaching the regulations in terms of setting the size of the rink. Of course, this does not mean that any organizer can tailor the size of the hockey box for the next competition to its own taste. We are talking about officially acceptable parameters. So, the greatest deviation from the "golden mean" assumes a format of 40 x 20 m. By the way, in tournaments for juniors also boxes with usual sizes are used. Otherwise, slopes from the standard size 60 x 30 are rare, which is logical, because the variety of rollers limits the ability of hockey players - after a season in one field on the other, you have to reconfigure.

Influence of field parameters on the game

The nature of the differences in the two styles of hockey (Canadian and European) largely determined the size of the hockey area, which sets the conditions for an optimal strategy.

A small field reduces the possibilities for "long" combinations and makes hockey players act promptly. In this case, there are two features - dense defense and a closer contact struggle, which made Canadian hockey more aggressive.

A spacious hockey box, used by the KHL, on the contrary, creates all conditions for a thoughtful and measured game. Opportunities arise for calculating tactical actions, which also necessitated the construction of effective defense schemes.

It can not be said that the size of the Canadian hockey site simplifies the actions of the teams, but they are more focused on achieving a quick effect. For example, a game in pass does not involve multistage combinations from the edge of the field to the edge. Such chains are ineffective in a small space, so short and instant transmissions become the main "weapon" of attackers.

Given the differences in the styles of the game, we can conclude that the hockey player of the KHL will not be able to effectively realize its potential on the Canadian site, and vice versa. And yet the statistics of the largest tournaments are not so unambiguous. In any case, there are many examples when hockey players turned out to be more effective on someone else's field, in comparison with the hosts.

Differences in the game goalkeeper at different venues

In addition to the defense, which in the case of the Canadian field is tightly pressed to the gate, no less interesting is the difference in the style of the game goalkeepers. The large size of the hockey field in Russia gives more scope, so the main defender even in the ammunition has the opportunity to stop by the gate and throw the puck. On the rinks of the national league, such manipulations are complicated due to lack of space and a higher threat from the opponent.

Characterizing the actions of goalkeepers, we can not fail to note the dynamics inherent in the matches between North American clubs. Here the role of defense becomes decisive, since the main struggle unfolds in the corners and directly in the gate zone.

Is it possible to have an ideal size?

All modern sizes of hockey gates have their justification. The nature of the game process, tactical devices, entertainment and dynamics are changing. The choice of a single format means the loss of the merits of other options. On the other hand, and the variety of sizes has its own negative features, as discussed above. These regulations in general can be called unified, but at the same time leaving the opportunity to demonstrate different styles. So, the size of the NHL hockey field will provide the viewer with a lot of bright moments, and the IIHF format will allow watching no less interesting implementation of strategic techniques. Therefore, the ideal size of the hockey ground, probably, can not be, because only a variety of genres can satisfy the preferences of the entire audience of fans.

Other parameters of the hockey box

In terms of configuration, the field for playing hockey is a very complex area in which not only dimensions are important. The gate arrangement, marking, board height and other attributes contribute to the development of the game process. On the field itself, the hockey field layout is the regulator of the match. Its dimensions and format are strictly defined and are intended for the zoning of the rink. The height of the sides can reach 1.22 meters, and the minimum should not fall below 1 m. The gate height (1,22 m), the width of which corresponds to 1,83 m, is similar.

Based on the foregoing, it can be concluded that there are no strict and generally accepted standards regarding the parameters of the hockey field. However, there are no significant differences in the sizes established by the leagues and federations. This uncertainty makes hockey a truly lively and evolving game.