What Is the NHL Broken Stick Rule? answered

What Is the NHL Broken Stick Rule?

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Hockey sticks can often break at the most inopportune times during a game, such as when you’re winding up for a slapshot with the goalie out of position. But when your stick breaks you have no choice but to drop it immediately or face a two-minute minor penalty for playing with a broken stick.

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Can You Use a Broken Hockey Stick?

According to rule 10.3 of the NHL Rule book, a skater must immediately drop his stick as soon as he realizes it is broken. If a referee deems that the player didn’t drop the stick quickly enough he will be assessed a two-minute minor penalty. Once a player drops a broken stick he may remain on the ice and continue to play without a stick or head to the bench for a new one.

Why Can’t You Use a Broken Hockey Stick?

A player isn’t allowed to use a broken stick as it could prove to be dangerous to himself and other players on the ice if it makes contact with them.

What Happens if You Break Your Hockey Stick?

Once you realize your stick is broken you must drop it to the ice as quickly as possible. You then have the choice of continuing to play without a stick, retrieve another one from the bench or have a teammate hand you a new one.

Can You Pick Up a Dropped Stick in Hockey?

If you happen to drop your stick while playing hockey it’s perfectly legal to pick it up as long as it isn’t broken in any way.

How Do You Get a New Stick During Play?

If you break your stick during the action you may head to your bench for a new stick. A teammate, trainer or equipment manager will then quickly hand you a new one while the play is still going on. It’s also legal for a teammate on the ice to hand you their stick to play with.

This means the teammate will then have to play without a stick until going to the bench for a new one. In most cases, when an NHL forward breaks his stick and drops it to the ice he will continue to play without a stick or head to he bench for a new one when he has a chance.

However when a defenceman breaks his stick a forward will usually give their stick to him as it’s more important for a defender to play with a stick than a forward as you don’t want to allow a goal against.

In addition, in the defensive zone the forwards are typically closer on the ice to the bench and don’t have as far to travel when heading there for a new piece of lumber.

If a player’s teammate throws, slides or shoots a stick onto the ice from the player’s or penalty bench, it’s legal for the player without a stick to use this stick but the teammate who tossed the stick onto the ice will be assessed a two-minute minor penalty.

A minor penalty will also be handed to any player who picks up and uses an opponent’s stick during a game or uses a goalie stick.

Watch Sidney Crosby pass his stick to his teammate on defense, then go grab a new stick from the bench and score. It is an unbelievably smart play by Crosby, who is one of the smartest hockey players to play the game. Take a look:

Why Do Hockey Players Leave their Sticks on the Ice?

A hockey player will leave their stick on the ice if it’s broken or if retrieving a dropped unbroken stick could lead to a missed defensive assignment. Most players will play without a stick to make sure they aren’t scored against and then either pick their stick up or head to the bench for a new one when they feel they can do so without placing their team in jeopardy.

What Happens if a Goalie Breaks their Stick?

According to rule 10.4 of the NHL rule book, a goaltender may continue to play with a broken stick until the next whistle or until a teammate has legally handed him a new one. A goalie may not head to the bench during play for a new stick and a teammate on the bench may not throw, slide or shoot a new stick to the goalie as it will result in a minor penalty. The teammate must hand the stick to the goaltender.

This rule is also in affect when a netminder has dropped his unbroken stick. However a goalie may legally play with a teammate’s stick if necessary. This often happens when the goaltender loses his stick or only has the shaft/handle to play with of a broken stick and will be handed a teammate’s stick to use.

Can You Hold 2 Hockey Sticks at Once?

Rule 10.3 of the NHL rule book states that a player may legally hold two sticks at once as long as he isn’t involved in the play in any way. This allows a player to take a replacement stick to his goaltender or another teammate and hand it to them. If the player participates in the play however, a minor penalty will be assessed.

Do Refs Pick Up Broken Sticks?

On-ice NHL officials may pick up a broken stick and take it over to the penalty/scorekeeper’s but this rarely happens. Broken sticks are usually left on the ice during the play as the officials have more pressing matters to attend to.

An official who is busy taking a broken stick from the ice surface could miss a key offside, goal or penalty call. Any player who intentionally affects the play by moving a broken stick while it’s on the ice may end up with a minor penalty.

What Happens if You Break Another Players Stick?

If an NHL player breaks an opponent’s stick with his own stick it usually results in a slashing penalty. However if the opponent’s stick is accidentally broken due to blocking a shot or pass or while taking a faceoff then play will continue without a penalty call.

Can You Get a Penalty for Breaking Your Own Stick?

Breaking your own stick in the course of the action won’t result in a penalty if it’s accidental. It is possible to receive an unsportsmanlike conduct minor penalty though if you purposely break your stick over the net, on the ice or over the boards out of frustration or anger.

You will also likely receive a minor penalty if you break your stick while checking an opponent’s stick or body with your stick as this typically results in a slashing or cross-checking infraction.

Final Thoughts

The sight of NHL players breaking their sticks during a game is a pretty common occurrence these days, even with the expensive carbon composite models in use. You’ll notice that most players will instantly drop a broken stick to make sure they don’t receive a minor penalty on the play.

You’ll also notice that most-on-ice officials will leave a broken stick where it is and won’t pick it up and clear it from the ice surface until the next whistle. The league has a pretty good grip on things when it comes to the rules for broken sticks as penalties for infractions of them are quite rare these days.

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