Rover (ice hockey)
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In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, ice hockey consisted of seven positions. Along with the goaltender, two defencemen and three forwards who remain today, a Rover was also part of the team. Unlike all the others, the rover did not have a set position, and roamed the ice at will, going where needed.
As the skill level of players increased, the need to have a rover was decreased. When it was formed in 1910, the National Hockey Association decided to keep the rover out. Its successor, the NHL, did the same in 1917. However, the Pacific Coast Hockey Association, formed in 1911, kept the rover. The Western Canada Hockey League also used a rover when it was founded in 1921.
As the NHA and later NHL didn't have a rover, and the PCHA did, a compromise was made during Stanley Cup matches. Games would alternate between the NHA/NHL rules and PCHA versions, allowing each team an advantage and disadvantage during games.
