Only a few of the sports fans delve into the technical standards for organizing competitive events. Especially in hockey, it is difficult for the amateur eye to assess the influence of rink parameters, markings, player ammunition and other factors on the course of a 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, consequently, the size of the hockey field are the hockey leagues (NHL, KHL) and the IIHF International Federation.
It can immediately be noted that the key watershed 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 major tournaments. The North American League, in turn, has high authority in hockey sports, and therefore its principles in establishing the rules are quite common.
Despite differences in technical standards, 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 for a particular tournament will be.
KHL Regulation
Due to the close connection between the IIHF and the KHL, the rules for organizing league tournaments are mainly adopted from the federation. Most often, the configuration is 60 x 30 meters. At the same time, deviations are possible, but in a strictly specified range - in particular, the extreme dimensions of the hockey box in length can be 56 and 61 m. A width of 30 m is a feature of the "continental" court - this is a maximum that increases in rare cases. In recent years, a tendency has been shown to narrow the field to the NHL 26 meters.
It can also be argued that the size of the KHL hockey field is relevant for domestic Russian tournaments, which, however, is not surprising. The league was based on the CIS platform, so the IIHF’s dimensions also apply in the post-Soviet space.
Hockey Box Dimensions in the NHL
As you know, hockey was invented in Canada. The first officially “built-up” sites at the beginning of the 20th century had dimensions of 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 were nevertheless made - in accordance with the NHL regulations, the hockey field should have a configuration of 60.96 x 25.90 m.
Disagreements with European standards among North Americans began in the postwar years. In the Old World, they decided to revise the size of the hockey court, increasing the playing space. At that time, those same 30 m in width were approved. At the moment, 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 in its approach to setting the rink dimensions. Of course, this does not mean that any organizer can create the size of a hockey box for the next competition to his taste. We are talking about officially acceptable parameters. So, the largest deviation from the “golden mean” suggests a format of 40 x 20 m. By the way, boxes with regular sizes are also used in junior tournaments. As for the rest, deviations from the standard size 60 x 30 are rarely observed, which is logical, because the variety of ice rinks limits the possibilities of hockey players - after a season, you have to reconfigure on one field on another field.
The 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 court, 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 - tight defense and closer contact wrestling, which made Canadian hockey more aggressive.
The spacious hockey box used by the KHL, on the contrary, creates all the conditions for a thoughtful and measured game. There are opportunities for calculating tactical actions, which also necessitated the construction of effective defense schemes.
It cannot be said that the size of the Canadian hockey field simplifies the actions of the teams, but they are more focused on achieving a quick effect. For example, playing a pass does not provide for multi-stage combinations from edge of field to 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 KHL hockey player will not be able to maximize his potential on the Canadian site, and vice versa. Nevertheless, the statistics of the largest tournaments are not so clear. In any case, there are many examples when hockey players were more productive in a foreign field, compared with the owners.
Differences in goalkeeper game at different sites
In addition to the defense itself, which in the case of the Canadian field is tightly pressed against the goal, the difference in the goalkeeper's playing styles is no less interesting. The large size of the hockey field in Russia gives greater scope, so the main defender, even in ammunition, has the opportunity to call in the goal and throw the puck. On the rinks of the national league, such manipulations are complicated due to insufficient space and a higher threat from the opponent.
Characterizing the actions of goalkeepers, one cannot but note the dynamics inherent in matches between North American clubs. Here the role of defense becomes crucial, since the main struggle takes place in the corners and directly in the goal area.
Is perfect size possible?
All modern sizes of hockey gates have their own justification. The nature of the gameplay, tactics, entertainment and dynamics are changing. The choice of a single format means the loss of the merits of other options. On the other hand, the variety of sizes has its negative features, as mentioned above. These regulations as a whole 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 many bright moments, and the IIHF format will allow observing no less interesting implementations of strategic techniques. Therefore, the ideal size hockey platform, probably, can not be, because only a variety of genres can satisfy the preferences of the entire audience of fans.
Other hockey box options
In terms of configuration, the field for playing hockey is a very complex area in which not only dimensions are important. The device of the gate, marking, side height and other attributes contribute to the formation of the gameplay. On the field itself, the regulator of the match is the marking of the hockey court. Its dimensions and format are strictly defined and are intended for zoning the rink. The height of the sides can reach 1.22 meters, and the minimum should not fall below 1 m. The height of the gate (1.22 m) is similar, the width of which corresponds to 1.83 m.
Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that there are no strict and generally accepted standards regarding the parameters of a hockey court. Although there are no significant differences in the sizes established by leagues and federations. This uncertainty makes hockey a truly lively and evolving game.