NHL players and officials won’t be going to the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, but one part of the NHL rulebook will be – the Coach’s Challenge.

The IIHF will permit Coach’s Challenges in the Olympics under the same situations currently allowed in the NHL: offside prior to a goal and goaltender interference.

Teams who challenge the play unsuccessfully will be penalized in the same manner they are currently in the National Hockey League. A failed challenge for goaltender interference will cost the team a timeout, while an unsuccessful offside challenge will result in a two-minute minor penalty for delay of game.

Like in the NHL, all plays in the final minute of regulation or any time in overtime will automatically be reviewed by the IIHF review team.

 

On-Ice Officials Make The Call

Before reviewing video, the on ice officials will need to advise the referee supervisor what the initial call on the ice was, and what they saw on the play. Video will then be reviewed by both the IIHF Video Review Booth and referees (for interference) or linesmen (for offside plays).

The final ruling on any Coach’s Challenge will come from the on-ice officials.

 

Technology, or Lack Thereof

Teams won’t have it as easy as their National Hockey League counterparts, as coaches aren’t permitted to have any screens behind the bench under IIHF Rule 26:

No team official who stands at or near the players’ bench during the game is allowed to utilize any form of technology except for radio-type contact with an assistant coach in the press box. This includes, but is not limited to, video apparatus, computers, smart phones, iPads, or other forms of electronic  assistance or consultation.

Olympic hockey coaches will have to depend on the scoreboard replays or assign a video coach to keep an eye on the replays and potential challenges.

 

IIHF Rulebook

From the IIHF:

A team may only request a Coach’s Challenge to review the following scenarios:

1) “Off-side” Play Leading to a Goal (IIHF Rule 78, 79, 81)

A play that results in a “GOAL” call on the ice where the defending team asserts that the play should have been stopped by reason of an “Off-side” infraction by the attacking team.

a) The standard for overturning the call in the event of a “GOAL” call on the ice is that the Linesman responsible for the call, after reviewing any and all available replays and consulting with his colleague Linesman and the IIHF VGJ Booth Operations, determines that one or more Players on the attacking team preceded the puck into the attacking zone prior to the goal being scored and that, as a result, the play should have been stopped for an “Off-side” infraction; where this standard is met, the goal will be disallowed.

b) If the result of the Challenge is that the play was “On-side”, the goal shall count and the team that issued the Challenge shall be assessed a Bench Minor Penalty for delaying the game which can be served by any Player designated by the Head Coach of the penalized team.

c) In the event a goal is reversed due to the Linesman responsible for the call after consulting with his colleague Linesman and the IIHF VGJ Booth Operations, determining that the play was “Off-side” prior to the goal being scored, the clock (including penalty time clocks, if applicable) will be re-set to the time at which the play should have been stopped for the “Off-side” infraction.

NOTE 1:

Goals will only be reviewed for a potential “Off-side” infraction if: (a) the puck does not come out of the attacking zone again; or (b) all members of the attacking team do not clear the attacking zone again, between the time of the “Off-side” play and the time the goal is scored.

NOTE 2:

If one or more penalties (major or minor) are assessed between the time of the “Off-side” play and the video review that disallows the apparent goal, the offending team(s) (and responsible Player(s)) will still be required to serve the penalty (ies) identified and assessed, and the time of the penalty (ies) will be recorded as the time at which the play should have been stopped for the “Off-side” infraction.

2) Scoring Plays Involving Potential “Interference on a Goaltender”

A play that results in a “GOAL” call on the ice where the defending team asserts that the play should have been stopped by reason of an “Interference on a Goaltender” infraction by the attacking team.

a) A play that results in a “GOAL” call on the ice where the defending team asserts that the goal should have been disallowed due to “Interference on a Goaltender”, as described in Rules 94xiii, 95i, 95iii, 95iv, 151 Definition, 151i-151v, 183i-183v, 184 Overview, 184ii –184iv, 185ii, 185iv, 186i-186v.

The standard for overturning the call in the event of a “GOAL” call on the ice is that the Referee, after reviewing any and all available replays and consulting with the IIHF VGJ Booth Operations, determines that the goal should have been disallowed due to “Interference on a Goaltender”, as described in Rules 94xiii, 95i, 95iii, 95iv, 151 Definition, 151i-151v, 183i-183v, 184 Overview, 184ii – 184iv, 185ii, 185iv, 186i-186v.

b) A play that results in a “NO GOAL” call on the ice despite the puck having entered the net, where the On-Ice Officials have determined that the attacking team was guilty of “Interference on a Goaltender” but where the attacking team asserts: (i) there was no actual contact of any kind initiated by an attacking Player with the Goaltender; or (ii) the attacking Player was pushed, shoved, or fouled by a defending Player causing the attacking Player to come into contact with the Goaltender; or (iii) the attacking Player is in the Goal Crease at the moment the puck crosses the plane of the goal line and in no way affects the Goaltender’s ability to make a save or play his position.

The standard for overturning the call in the event of a “NO GOAL” call on the ice is that the Referee, after reviewing any and all replays and consulting with the IIHF VGJ Booth Operations determines that the goal on the ice should have been allowed because either:

(i) there was no actual contact of any kind initiated by the attacking Player with the Goaltender; or (ii) the attacking Player was pushed, shoved or fouled by a defending Player causing the attacking Player to come into contact with the Goaltender; or (iii) the attacking Player is in the Goal Crease at the moment the puck crosses the plane of the goal line and in no way affects the Goaltender’s ability to make a save or play his position.

c) In the rare situation where the Referee overreacted and called “Interference on a Goaltender” where the puck was on its way to the net and after reviewing any and all replays and consulting with the IIHF VGJ Booth Operations determines that the goal on the ice should have been allowed, no penalty will be assessed for “Interference on a Goaltender”. All other penalties not associated with “Interference on a Goaltender” should be assessed and served in a normal way.

d) A team may only request a Coach’s Challenge for “Interference on a Goaltender” if they have their time-out available and the Coach’s Challenge must be effectively initiated prior to the resumption of play. If the Coach’s Challenge does not result in the original call on the ice being overturned, the team exercising such a Challenge will forfeit its Time-out. If the Coach’s Challenge does result in the call on the ice being overturned, the team successfully exercising such a Challenge will retain its Time-out.

With the challenge in place, this may give some Olympic referees a mic’d-up moment to shine… and to make Wes McCauley proud.