New to this

by Jeremy Galton on Nov 28, 2011 11:58 AM EST

Hello all. Just had a quick question, still learning hockey. I have been a Pens fan forever but never really got into games until recently so I am still learning all the rules. I know everything about NFL, MLB, and enough about NBA. my question is: Can Sidney Crosby win comeback player of the year?

Also how is a player actually offsides in hockey? I understand football offsides with not problem but hockey not so much.

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Hello!

An offside is when a player enters the other team’s zone before the puck. There’s then a faceoff in the closest neutral zone.
The Bill Masterton is the trophy that goes to the person who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey”. It’s usually given to people who have missed a significant amount of time because of a life-threatening illness or a personal crisis (eg. Jason Blake overcame leukemia but still played all 82 games in ‘07-’08, Phil Kessel suffered from testicular cancer and only missed 12 games). Last year, Ian Laperriere won for coming back to play after missing a season because of post-concussion symptoms, so Sid will probably be nominated. I guess him winning it would depend on if anyone else has had a worse problem. I can’t think of anyone off the top of my head, so here’s hoping that no one does :)

Get well soon Army, Grabbo, Lombo, Komi, canoli & Reim
Certified Grabbo lover & self-appointed PM of the Colby Armstrong Fanclub. Now a twit and blogger.

by Leafer87 on Nov 28, 2011 12:37 PM EST reply actions

Just to expand on what Leafer said

Zones are defined by the two Blue Lines on the ice. So you’ll quite often see skaters ahead of the puck stop right at the blue line to wait for the puck carrier to reach the blue line to avoid being offside. Similarly, if there is a turn-over in the neutral-zone (the area between the two blue lines), and the team with the puck still has skaters in the opposing zone, the puck will usually be passed around or back to a defensemen to allow those skaters to get onside.

by downandout on Nov 28, 2011 1:59 PM EST up reply actions

Offsides was the most confusing rule for me when I was a youngster trying to learn hockey.. I ended up learning what it was by playing the NHL video games!

Basically Leafer’s explanation is it… the puck has to cross the blue line into the offensive zone before any player of the attacking team. The rule is in place so that “cherry-picking” is illegal.. offensive players can’t be in the offensive zone before the puck.

by SidgeniMalsby on Nov 28, 2011 1:56 PM EST reply actions

And if you want to get precise, the blue lines are a part of whichever zone the puck is in until it crosses ALL the way over the blue line.

So the puck has to be all the way over the blue line before any player can be fully in the zone, and the puck is then in the offensive zone until it comes all the way over the blue line into the neutral zone.

If there is an offside, the faceoff goes to the dot closest to where the pass came from. So if it was a stretch pass from the defencive zone, then the faceoff will be back in your own zone.

Look at Lemieux! Oh my goodness! What a goal! What a move! Lemieux, Whooa Baby!

by The Malk-Man on Nov 28, 2011 2:47 PM EST reply actions