Why are ice hockey rinks in North American smaller than in Europe?
Why are ice hockey rinks in North American smaller than in Europe?
How and then did the difference begun?
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5 Answers
metric?
Actually sounds like the difference between NHL & IIHL regulations
Because Europeans are smaller than Americans.
Wouldn’t smaller players work more effectively on a smaller rink, not larger? European hockey is more wide open, with less physical play(usually) than North American hockey, so that might be a possible reason.
I would think it would be the opposite considering there’s like no space left in Europe…
A little bit more technical info:
A standard NHL rink is 200 feet long and 85 feet wide, with goal lines 11 feet from the end boards.
International ice is 210 feet long and 98 feet wide. Goal lines are 13 feet from the end boards. The extra room can sometimes lead a team to play a more passive “positional” defense, angling attackers away from the goal rather than pursuing the puck carrier.
Doesn’t explain why although 210ft = 64meters and 98ft = 30m which doesn’t make any more sense than 61m x 26m (which would be the nearest rounding)
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