What is the difference between Olympic hockey and traditional hockey?

Answer

The biggest difference is that traditional hockey uses a ball and a shorter stick like the ones used in field hockey. Skates worn are the "traditional" model with 2 wheels in front and 2 in the back. Olympic hockey is played on ice so the skates are obviously different. The stick is longer and a puck, not a ball is used. Rules, equipment, net dimensions and rink size are also different but the objectives of the 2 games are the same. Get the ball/puck and put it into the net.

Answer

I don't know if the last person answering the question is thinking of the difference between ball hockey and olympic hockey but I think the question was actually asking the difference between Olympic hockey and traditional hockey as played in the NHL. The rink size is larger in Olympic hockey and the offside rules and lines are different. There are likely other rule variations but the main differences are the rink sizes and the offside rules.

Answer

in olympic hockey the time counts up from 0:00 to 20:00 while NHL and NCAA counts down from 20:00 to 0:00. The olympic rink is 100 feet wide while the NHL and NCAA rink is only 85 feet wide. In olympic and NCAA hockey there is no touch up icing unlike the NHL meaning when a player shoots the puck from his side of the redline to past the opposing teams goal line he may race down and if he (or the opposing teams goalie) is the first to touch the puck icing is waved off. This is not allowed in Olympic or NCAA for safety reasons, but is allowed in the NHL for more excitement.

First answer by anonymous. Last edit by ID406155878. Question popularity: 170 [recommend question]