Officials 2023 – Module 5 Equipment – Topic 2 Sticks

RULE 10.1 – PLAYER’S STICK

The sticks shall be made of wood or other material approved by the IIHF and must not have any projections. Adhesive, tape of any color may be wrapped around the stick at any place for the purpose of reinforcement or to improve control of the puck.

The shaft of the stick, from the top down to the start of the blade, must be straight. No stick shall exceed 1.63 m (64 in) in length from the heel to the end of the shaft nor more than 32.0 cm (12½ in) from the heel to the end of the blade.

Requests for an exception to the length of the shaft (only) may be submitted in writing to and must be approved by the IIHF prior to any such stick being used. Only Players 2.0 m (6 ft, 6 in) tall or more will be considered for exception. Maximum length of a stick granted an exception under this rule is 1.65 m (65 in).

The butt end of the stick must be covered by a form of protection. If the cap at the top of a manufactured stick (i.e., metal or carbon) has been removed or falls off, the stick will be considered dangerous equipment.

The blade of the stick shall not be more than 7.6 cm (3 in) in width at any point between the heel and 1.5 cm (¾ in) in from the midpoint of the tip of the blade, nor less than 5.0 cm (2 in). All edges of the blade shall be beveled.

RULE 10.2 – GOALKEEPER’S STICK

The sticks shall be made of wood or other material approved by the IIHF and must not have any projections. Adhesive tape of any color may be wrapped around the stick at any place for the purpose of reinforcement or to improve control of the puck.

In the case of a Goalkeeper’s stick, there shall be a knob of white tape or other protective material approved by the IIHF. This knob must not be less than 1.3 cm (½ in) thick at the top of the shaft.

Failure to comply with this provision of the rule will result in the Goalkeeper’s stick being deemed unfit for play. The Goalkeeper’s stick must be changed without the assessment of a Minor Penalty.

The shaft of the stick, from the top down to the start of the blade, must be straight.

The blade of the Goalkeeper’s stick shall not exceed 9.0 cm (3½ in) in width at any point except at the heel, where it must not exceed 11.5 cm (4½ in) in width; nor shall the Goalkeeper’s stick exceed 39.5 cm (15½ in) in length from the heel to the end of the blade.

The curvature of the blade of the stick shall be restricted in such a way that the distance of a perpendicular line measured from a straight line drawn from any point at the heel to the end of the blade to the point of maximum curvature shall not exceed 1.5 cm. The widened portion of the Goalkeeper’s stick extending up the shaft from the blade shall not extend more than 71 cm (30 in) from the heel and shall not exceed 9.0 cm (3½ in) in width.

RULE 10.3 – BROKEN STICK – PLAYER

A “broken stick” is one which, in the opinion of the Referee, is unfit for normal play.

A Player without a stick may participate in the game. A Player whose stick is “broken” may participate in the game provided they drop the “broken stick”. A Minor Penalty shall be imposed for an infraction of this rule.

A Player who has “lost” or has “broken their stick” may receive a replacement stick by having one handed to them from their own Players’ Bench, by having one handed to them by a Teammate on the ice or by picking up their own unbroken stick or that of a Teammate from the ice.

A Player will be penalized if they throw, toss, slide or shoot a stick to a Teammate (Skater) on the ice, or if they pick up and play with an opponent’s stick.

A Player may not participate in the play using a Goalkeeper’s stick. A Minor Penalty shall be imposed for an infraction of this rule.

A Player using a stick thrown on the ice from the Players’ Bench or Penalty Box will not receive a penalty. However, the offending Team responsible for throwing the stick will receive a Bench Minor Penalty.

RULE 10.4 – BROKEN STICK / ABANDONED STICK – GOALKEEPER

A Goalkeeper may continue to play with a “broken stick” until a stoppage of play or until they have one legally handed to them by a Teammate.

Return of an “abandoned, intact stick”:

An abandoned, intact stick accidentally dropped by the Goalkeeper may be passed from hand to hand to the Goalkeeper, or moved, pushed, or slid toward the Goalkeeper by a Teammate near the Goalkeeper on the ice as long as the moved stick does not interfere with play or cause a distraction to the game or opposing Players. If a Player causes interference with play or distraction to an opposing Player by moving a lost stick, a Minor Penalty or “Penalty Shot” shall be imposed.

Replacement of a “broken stick”:

A replacement stick for a “broken stick” cannot be thrown to a Goalkeeper on the ice surface. The stick must be passed from hand to hand to the Goalkeeper by a Teammate on the ice. For a violation of this rule, the offending Player shall receive a Minor Penalty for “throwing the stick”.

The Goalkeeper shall not receive a penalty for receiving the stick.

A Goalkeeper whose stick is “broken or illegal” may not go to the Players’ Bench for a replacement but must receive their stick from a Teammate as described above.

A Goalkeeper may participate in the play using a Skater’s stick until such time as they are legally provided with a replacement Goalkeeper’s stick. For an infraction of this rule, a Minor Penalty shall be imposed on the Goalkeeper.

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