All players are well aware of the surface they are playing on. They know the length of the ice and the amount of room they have to play in the neutral zone. Advancements in the game of hockey have led to frequent modifications to the markings on the playing surface. Please note that the below layouts reflect the expectations from the National Hockey League, but there have been teams throughout history, particularly the earlier years, who have had some discrepancies with their hockey markings.
Throughout the history of the NHL, there have been many variances from rink to rink such as Edmonton's center ice facing the players benches or the shorter rinks like the one in the Chicago Stadium. There were quite a few of these abnormalities, but for the sake of the overall history of the NHL, the following graphics will be based upon the typical 200 by 85 foot rink.
Vintage Rinks
1917-1949
1917-1918 Season
The rink started out with only a face-off dot and a line between each of the goal posts to show where the nets should set. Those lines cannot be seen in the image as they are covered by the net itself.
1918-1919 through 1925-1926 Seasons
The playing surface was divided into three zones, with forward passing permitted in the middle "neutral zone." Kicking the puck was also permitted in the neutral zone. These zones were divided up by adding 2 inch thick blue lines 40 feet apart.
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Neutral Zone: 40 feet.
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Defensive Zones: 80 feet.
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Goal line (not painted) to end boards: 10 feet.
1926-1927 through 1928-1929 Seasons
The blue lines were moved 10 feet closer to each of the end boards to expand the neutral zone.
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Neutral Zone: 60 feet.
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Defensive Zones: 70 feet.
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Goal line (not painted) to end boards: 10 feet.
1929-1930 through 1930-1931 Seasons
Additional face-off dots are added to the ice surface, 10 feet in front of each goal. Every time a goaltender failed to clear the puck after making a save, a face-off would be held at the dot in front of his net. No player other than the goalie was permitted to stand between the face-off spot and the net.
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Neutral Zone: 60 feet.
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Defensive Zones: 70 feet.
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Goal line (not painted) to end boards: 10 feet.
1931-1932 through 1932-1933 Seasons
Three additional face-off dots are added in the neutral zone along each blue line, inside the neutral zone.
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Neutral Zone: 60 feet.
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Defensive Zones: 70 feet.
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Goal line (not painted) to end boards: 10 feet.
1933-1934 Season
L-Shaped boundaries were placed in front of each net defining a goaltenders safe area. The boundary was 8 feet by 5 feet.
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Neutral Zone: 60 feet.
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Defensive Zones: 70 feet.
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Goal line (not painted) to end boards: 10 feet.
1934-1935 through 1936-1937 Seasons
Two 20 foot diameter "penalty shot" circles were added, one in front of each goal, centered at 38 feet from the goal lines. If a player was tripped preventing him from shooting while on what we now call a "breakaway", a player takes a penalty shot which must be taken from inside this circle. A full goal crease was also painted on the ice at this time.
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Neutral Zone: 60 feet.
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Defensive Zones: 70 feet.
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Goal line (not painted) to end boards: 10 feet.
1937-1938 Season
Two face-off dots are added in each defensive zone. The dots in front of each of the goals are removed. The goal line was also introduced as new rules governing icing the puck were introduced.
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Neutral Zone: 60 feet.
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Defensive Zones: 70 feet.
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Goal line to end boards: 10 feet.
1938-1939 Season
The width of each of the blue lines were increased to 12 inches.
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Neutral Zone: 60 feet.
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Defensive Zones: 70 feet.
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Goal line to end boards: 10 feet.
1939-1940 through 1940-1941 Seasons
The goal crease is modified to 7 feet by 3 feet.
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Neutral Zone: 60 feet.
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Defensive Zones: 70 feet.
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Goal line to end boards: 10 feet.
1941-1942 through 1942-1943 Seasons
Twenty-foot face-off circles are added at center ice and in each corner. The penalty shot circles are replaced with short penalty shot lines 28 feet in front of the goal. Minor penalty shots are taken from the line while major penalty shots allow the player to skate in on the goaltender.
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Neutral Zone: 60 feet.
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Defensive Zones: 70 feet.
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Goal line to end boards: 10 feet.
1943-1944 through 1944-1945 Seasons
The center red line was introduced to speed up the game and reduce offside calls. The red line is 12 inches in width.
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Neutral Zone: 60 feet.
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Defensive Zones: 70 feet.
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Goal line to end boards: 10 feet.
1945-1946 through 1946-1947 Seasons
The penalty shot line is removed and all penalty shots are now taken from center ice.
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Neutral Zone: 60 feet.
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Defensive Zones: 70 feet.
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Goal line to end boards: 10 feet.
1947-1948 through 1948-1949 Seasons
The area inside each goal net is painted white to make it easier for referees and goal judges to determine if a goal has been scored.
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Neutral Zone: 60 feet.
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Defensive Zones: 70 feet.
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Goal line to end boards: 10 feet.
Original Six Era
1950-1964
1949-1950 through 1950-1951 Seasons
The entire surface is painted white following the popularity of the white goal area among fans and officials.
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Neutral Zone: 60 feet.
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Defensive Zones: 70 feet.
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Goal line to end boards: 10 feet.
1951-1952 Season
The size of the goal crease is increased to 8 feet by 4 feet. Face-off circles were expanded to 30 feet in diameter.
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Neutral Zone: 60 feet.
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Defensive Zones: 70 feet.
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Goal line to end boards: 10 feet.
1952-1953 Season
The middle set of neutral zone face-off dots were removed.
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Neutral Zone: 60 feet.
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Defensive Zones: 70 feet.
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Goal line to end boards: 10 feet.
1953-1954 through 1955-1956 Seasons
The neural zone and defensive zone face-off dots are enlarged from 6 inches to 12 inches in diameter.
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Neutral Zone: 60 feet.
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Defensive Zones: 70 feet.
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Goal line to end boards: 10 feet.
1956-1957 Season
Hash marks were added to the defensive zone circles to keep players onside when lining up for a face-off.
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Neutral Zone: 60 feet.
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Defensive Zones: 70 feet.
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Goal line to end boards: 10 feet.
1957-1958 through 1960-1961 Seasons
A single horizontal hash mark was added through each of the four defensive zone faceoff dots. The referee's crease was also added. Its position would vary from rink to rink.
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Neutral Zone: 60 feet.
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Defensive Zones: 70 feet.
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Goal line to end boards: 10 feet.
1961-1962 through 1963-1964 Seasons
"Crosshairs" were added to face-off dots in defensive zones.
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Neutral Zone: 60 feet.
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Defensive Zones: 70 feet.
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Goal line to end boards: 10 feet.
Expansion Era
1965-1986
1964-1965 through 1972-1973 Seasons
Though some teams had already started using checkered red lines, they are now listed as required in the NHL rule book. Its purpose was to help TV viewers distinguish the red line from the blue lines. This would become less important once color TV became widely available.
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Neutral Zone: 60 feet.
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Defensive Zones: 70 feet.
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Goal line to end boards: 10 feet.