by Joshua Mcintosh

Created on: March 24, 2009

NHL Rules: What is Roughing?

The NHL definition of roughing from NHL.com is:
Roughing - Roughing is a punching motion with the hand or fist, with or without the glove on the hand, normally directed at the head or face of an opponent. Roughing is a minor altercation that is not worthy of a major penalty to either participant. (An altercation is a situation involving two players, including goalkeepers, with at least one to be penalized.)

Minor Penalty - A minor penalty shall be imposed on a player or goalkeeper who strikes an opponent with his hand or fist.
Match Penalty - If, in the judgment of the Referee, a goalkeeper uses his blocking glove to punch an opponent in the head or face in an attempt to deliberately injure an opponent, a match penalty must be assessed.

But in reality the roughing call is the NHL's version of catch all. If there is a penalty committed, where are player gains a competitive advantage, and the ref can't quiet define it - it's roughing. Usually when a couple of players get pushing back and forth, and it's not quite a fight, it's roughing. The key to the definition is the punching motion. A actual punch can be considered a fight even if the player misses the opponent.

When a player has committed a roughing penalty the ref with the orange bands around his arms (the others are linesmen) puts his arm straight up. This signals that he is calling a penalty, this process is the same for all penalties. Once he blows his whistle, which means the penalized team has gained control of the puck, the Ref points to the player who took the penalty and makes the appropriate sign. In the case of roughing he clenches his fist and extends his arm out the the side of his body. The arm is held about shoulder length. The Linesmen (the other refs without orange stripes) escort the penalized player to the penalty box, as the ref gives the same sign to the official scorekeeper.

Roughing is a common call in hockey, and one of the few grey area calls. In a game where physical contact is encouraged this is a call that allows the refs to keep the game in control. A ref can call a player or two for a rough, place them into the box and the other players feel as though justice has been served. If a ref doesn't make the call, the other players see that as acceptable contact for this game and they continue to be more physical until either the ref makes some calls or several fights break out.

Roughing is the 'catch all' penalty of the league, but it has it's place.

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