Fan's Guide to NHL Video Review and Coach's Challenge 2026-27

Every goal is reviewed by the NHL Situation Room. The situations subject to review are:

• Puck crossing the goal line.
• Puck in the net before the goal frame was dislodged.
• Puck in the net before or after time expired at the end of a period.
• Whether a "distinct kicking motion" was evident when a foot or skate was used.
• Puck deliberately directed, batted or thrown into the net by an attacking player by any means other than his stick.
• Puck deflected directly into the net off an on-ice official.
• Puck struck or deflected into the net with a high stick above the height of the crossbar.
• Puck entering the net properly through the goal mouth (not through the netting or under the frame).
• Puck entering the net at the end of a continuous play that was unaffected by a whistle blown when the Referee lost sight of the puck.
• The legitimacy of all potential goals on penalty shots and shootout attempts (for example a double tap, a goalkeeper throwing his stick or dislodging the goal, or a shooter cradling the puck above shoulder height).

The Situation Room can also use video to establish the correct time on the clock.

Source: NHL Official Rules 2026-2027, Rules 37.2, 37.3 and 37.6.

A puck that enters the net as a direct result of a distinct kicking motion is ruled NO GOAL. For video review, a distinct kicking motion is one where the video makes clear that an attacking player deliberately propelled the puck with a kick of his foot or skate and the puck then enters the net.

• A goal cannot be scored where an attacking player propels the puck into the net with his skate using a distinct kicking motion, even by way of a later deflection off another player.
• A goal cannot be scored where an attacking player kicks any equipment (stick, glove, helmet, etc.) at the puck, including kicking the blade of his own stick, causing the puck to cross the goal line.
• A puck that deflects into the net off an attacking player's skate without a distinct kicking motion is a GOAL.
• A puck directed into the net by an attacking player's skate is also a GOAL, as long as no distinct kicking motion is evident.

Source: NHL Official Rules 2026-2027, Rule 37.4.

A puck struck or deflected into the net with a high stick, above the height of the crossbar, is one of the situations the NHL Situation Room reviews.

The deciding factor is where the puck makes contact with the stick in relation to the crossbar. If the puck makes contact with a portion of the stick that is at or below the level of the crossbar, and enters the goal, the goal is allowed, even if some other portion of the stick is above the crossbar.

Source: NHL Official Rules 2026-2027, Rules 37.3(g) and 37.5.

• If the review needs to delay the restart after an apparent goal, the Off-Ice Official at ice level signals a Referee to delay the centre-ice face-off. Once the goal is confirmed, play resumes.
• For an expanded review, the Situation Room has the in-arena horn sounded and the Public Address Announcer says the play is under review. If a goal is disallowed, the Referee announces the reason.
• When the Referee signals a video review, all players except the goalkeepers must go to their players' bench immediately. Failing to do so may result in a game misconduct penalty for the offending players and a fine to the coach.
• If the Situation Room spots a potential goal that the on-ice officials missed, it contacts the Referee at the first stoppage. If the goal is counted, the game clock and any penalty clocks are reset to the time the goal was scored. If no goal is found, no clock adjustment is made.
• A goal cannot be awarded or disallowed by video review once play has resumed.

Source: NHL Official Rules 2026-2027, Rule 37.2.

The Coach's Challenge is extremely narrow in scope. It applies only to goal/no goal calls and "delay of game, puck over the glass" penalties. A team may challenge only:

1. Offside leading to a goal: a goal was called and the defending team claims the play should have been stopped for offside by the attacking team.
2. Missed stoppage in the offensive zone leading to a goal: a goal was called and the defending team claims the attacking team caused a play stoppage in the offensive zone that was missed. The exception is when the puck strikes the spectator netting and goes unnoticed by the on-ice officials.
3. Goalkeeper interference: either a goal was called and the defending team claims it should be disallowed for interference on the goalkeeper, or "no goal" was called despite the puck entering the net and the attacking team claims there was no contact by its player, its player was pushed or fouled into the goalkeeper, or its player's position in the crease did not impair the goalkeeper and had no discernable impact on the play.
4. Delay of game, puck over the glass: a minor penalty was assessed for shooting or batting the puck out of play from the defending zone, and the puck is claimed to have deflected off a player, stick, glass or boards. A challenge can only rescind a penalty, never have one assessed.

Source: NHL Official Rules 2026-2027, Rules 38.1 and 38.2.

• The coach must tell a Referee verbally, before the centre ice face-off following a goal. For a "no goal" call due to goalkeeper interference, or a minor penalty for delaying the game (puck over the glass), the challenge must be made before play resumes.
• The coach must give the Referee, with reasonable specificity, the actual infraction being claimed and the approximate time on the clock when it happened. Failing to do so may result in the right to challenge being denied.
• Only one Coach's Challenge per team per stoppage is permitted.
• Teams may not unduly delay the resumption of play while deciding whether to challenge. Delay tactics may cost the right to challenge and, at the Referee's discretion, a minor penalty for delaying the game.

Source: NHL Official Rules 2026-2027, Rule 38.4.

No. Teams can challenge at any time during the game except in the final minute of regulation or at any time in overtime (regular season and playoffs). In those windows, the exclusive right to start a review of any play that would otherwise be subject to a Coach's Challenge passes to the NHL Situation Room, which initiates the review itself.

For plays involving offside, a missed stoppage in the offensive zone, or goalkeeper interference, Hockey Operations first determines that the puck entered the net legally before the play is reviewed further, whether by challenge or by a league-initiated review.

If a team requests a challenge but the standard goal review makes it unnecessary, the challenge is treated as not having been made.

Source: NHL Official Rules 2026-2027, Rules 38.3 and 38.6.

The original call on the ice is overturned only if a conclusive and irrefutable determination can be made from video that the call was clearly not correct. If the review is not conclusive, or there is any doubt whatsoever, the original call stands.

Specific standards:

• Offside: one or more attacking players preceded the puck into the attacking zone before the goal, so the play should have been stopped. The goal is only reviewed for offside if the puck does not leave the attacking zone again between the offside and the goal.
• Missed stoppage in the offensive zone: the play should have been stopped, but was not, at some point after the puck entered the attacking zone and before the goal. Examples include a hand pass, high-sticking the puck, or the puck going out of bounds. Missed penalty calls that depend on an official's judgment cannot overturn a goal, even if the official would now call it differently.
• Goalkeeper interference: the goal should have been disallowed under Rules 69.1, 69.3 and 69.4. A "no goal" call is reversed only if there was no contact initiated by the attacker, the attacker was pushed or fouled into the goalkeeper, or his position in the crease did not impair the goalkeeper and had no discernable impact on the play.
• Puck over the glass delay of game: the puck was deflected, so it should not be a minor penalty.

Source: NHL Official Rules 2026-2027, Rules 38.1 and 38.9 to 38.12.

• Offside or missed stoppage leading to a goal: the goal is disallowed and the clock is reset to the time the play should have been stopped. The face-off is held where it would have been had the infraction been called properly. Any minor or major penalties assessed between the missed infraction and the challenge are still served, and are recorded at the time the play should have been stopped. If such a penalty would have resulted in a penalty shot for the attacking team, it is instead assessed as a minor or major to the defending player.
• Goalkeeper interference on a goal call: the goal is disallowed and the face-off is at the nearest neutral zone face-off spot outside the attacking zone. This review is used only to overturn the goal, not to assess goalkeeper interference penalties.
• "No goal" call overturned (puck entered the net, ruled goalkeeper interference): the goal is allowed and the face-off is at centre ice.
• Delay of game, puck over the glass: the minor penalty is rescinded and a face-off is held in the defending zone.

Source: NHL Official Rules 2026-2027, Rules 38.7 and 38.12.

If a Coach's Challenge on any of the allowed situations does not result in the original call being overturned, the challenging team is assessed a minor penalty (2:00) for delaying the game.

If that team has already made one or more unsuccessful challenges, a further failed challenge costs a double-minor penalty (4:00) for delaying the game.

For a failed challenge of a delay of game (puck over the glass) penalty, the extra minor (or double minor, as appropriate) is assessed in addition to the existing delay of game penalty.

Source: NHL Official Rules 2026-2027, Rules 38.2(d) and 38.8.