Quick answer
Hockey referees communicate almost everything with arm signals, and once you know a dozen of them you can follow every call from the stands. The most common: an arm pointed at the net after a scramble means goal; arms crossed above the head means washout / no goal (or no icing); a raised arm with no whistle means a delayed penalty is coming; tapping the shin means slashing; pulling both fists apart at chest height means tripping... each penalty has its own gesture. The table below covers the signals you'll actually see at a youth game, what each means, and what happens next. Signals are nearly universal, though small details vary between rulebooks and countries.
Key takeaways
- A raised arm without a whistle = delayed penalty; play continues until the penalized team touches the puck.
- Arms crossed overhead = no goal, no icing, or "wash out" — nothing happened.
- Each penalty has a specific gesture (shin tap = slashing, chopping motion = hooking, fists apart = tripping).
- Pointing at the net = goal; pointing at the faceoff dot = where the next faceoff goes.
- Linesmen call offside and icing; referees call penalties and goals.
- Details vary slightly by country and level, but the core signals are the same everywhere.
The signals you'll see most often
| Signal | What it means | What happens next |
|---|---|---|
| Arm raised, no whistle | Delayed penalty coming | Whistle when the penalized team touches the puck |
| Point at the net | Goal | Faceoff at center ice |
| Arms crossed overhead | No goal / wash-out / no icing | Play continues or faceoff |
| Arm straight up, then point at blue line | Offside | Faceoff outside the zone |
| Arm folded across chest, then extended | Icing | Faceoff in the offending team's end |
| Tap the shin with hand | Slashing | 2-minute minor |
| Pulling motion, fists apart | Tripping | 2-minute minor |
| Tugging one arm with the other hand | Hooking | 2-minute minor |
| Grabbing own wrist | Holding | 2-minute minor |
| Crossed fists in front of chest | Interference | 2-minute minor |
| Rotating fists in front of chest | Roughing / charging (rolling motion) | 2 minutes, sometimes more |
| Both hands on hips | Boarding (varies) / body-check infraction at youth levels | 2 minutes or more |
| Hands to the head | Head contact | Often a major at youth levels |
| T-shape with hands | Timeout | 30–60 second break |
Coach Toms's tip: The delayed-penalty arm is the one that confuses everyone. The referee raises the arm but doesn't whistle — because stopping play would punish the team that was fouled. Watch the goalie: smart teams pull them for an extra attacker the moment the arm goes up, since play stops automatically as soon as the penalized team touches the puck. It's a free power play shift.
Who calls what: referees vs linesmen
Most games have two kinds of officials. Referees (orange or red armbands) call penalties and goals — they make judgment calls. Linesmen handle offside, icing, and faceoffs — the "line" calls. At youth levels you'll often see a two-official system where both do everything. Knowing the split helps you understand why one official waves off an icing while the other is watching for a penalty behind the play. They're not disagreeing — they're each watching their own responsibilities.
How a penalty call unfolds
- The referee sees the foul and raises an arm straight up — the delayed penalty signal.
- Play continues until the penalized team gains control of the puck.
- The whistle blows, and the referee points at the player being penalized.
- The signal is given — the specific gesture for the penalty (slashing, tripping, etc.).
- The referee reports to the scorekeeper: player number, penalty, and minutes.
- The faceoff takes place, usually in the penalized team's defensive zone.
If you missed the play, watch step 4 — the gesture tells you exactly what the call was, even from across the rink. Our penalties guide explains what each infraction actually looks like on the ice.
Coach Toms's tip: Make it a game with your player on the drive home: "what was the signal for the second penalty?" Players who can read the officials commit fewer careless penalties — the data from our team seasons is consistent on this — because they understand exactly where the line is instead of guessing.
Learning the signals as a family
The fastest way to learn the signals is to watch one period of any game — live or on a broadcast — with the table above open, and call out each signal as it happens. Most families have the core fourteen down within two or three games. It changes how you watch: instead of waiting for the scoreboard or the crowd to tell you what happened, you read the play in real time. Young officials also appreciate a rink where parents clearly understand the calls — the loudest complaints almost always come from someone who misread a wash-out. And if your player ever wants to earn money as a teenager, officiating is one of the best-paying rink jobs there is; knowing the signals early is the first step toward a referee certification course.
Common mistakes and misconceptions
- Thinking a raised arm means the whistle is late. It's a delayed penalty — the referee is waiting on purpose.
- Yelling "no goal!" at crossed arms on an icing. The same wash-out signal means different things in different situations.
- Expecting professional-broadcast precision at youth games. Two officials cover everything; some signals get abbreviated.
- Arguing calls from the stands. Officials at youth games are often teenagers learning too — model the respect you want your player to show.
- Ignoring the report to the scorekeeper. If you missed the gesture, the referee repeats the call at the scorer's table.
- Assuming every rulebook is identical. Signals are near-universal, but penalty standards vary by league and age — especially around body contact.
FAQ
Why does the referee raise an arm but not blow the whistle?
That's a delayed penalty. Stopping play immediately would punish the fouled team, so play continues until the penalized team touches the puck. The fouled team often pulls their goalie for an extra attacker during the delay.
What does it mean when the referee crosses both arms overhead?
Wash-out — no goal, no icing, or no infraction, depending on the situation. It's the universal "nothing happened" signal.
Who calls offside and icing?
Linesmen. Referees handle penalties and goals. At youth levels with two officials, both share all duties, which is why the same official may call an icing one minute and a penalty the next.
How do I know which penalty was called?
Watch the gesture after the whistle — each penalty has its own signal (shin tap for slashing, pulling fists for tripping, wrist grab for holding). The referee also announces it at the scorer's table.
Are signals the same in every country?
The core signals are essentially universal, with small variations between rulebooks. If you learn the fourteen in our table, you'll follow games anywhere.
What should I teach my player about referees?
Respect the call, play to the whistle, and learn the standards. Players who understand what officials are watching for take fewer careless penalties — and officials notice players (and benches) that treat them well.
Summary
Fourteen signals cover practically everything you'll see: the delayed-penalty arm, goal and wash-out, offside and icing, and a gesture per penalty. Watch the referee's hands after the whistle and you'll never wonder what was called again. Pair this with our penalties explained and offside guide, and the rules side of hockey is covered — more parent guides in the Hockey Parents hub.
