Keep the new qualification with the exception
The IIHF 2026/27 change summary expressly requires stick control for an attacking player entering the attacking zone before the puck to use the puck-carrier exception. Being near a loose puck is not the same observation as controlling it with the stick.
Compare a player carrying the puck on the stick with a player chasing a puck that has escaped ahead of their reach. A distant replay may show the same skating direction and a similar gap to the blue line. The control relationship differs.
Look before the line-crossing frame
An isolated frame can place player and puck on either side of the line without showing whether stick control existed through the relevant movement. The preceding frames are needed to explain the claimed exception.
This narrow article identifies the current qualification; it is not a complete account of normal entry, delayed offside and every way a player can become eligible to re-enter. Keep the exact situation attached to the explanation rather than using the puck-carrier exception as a general excuse for any player arriving before the puck. The same season label also should not be silently applied to NHL footage governed by a separate league rulebook.
Questions answered
Does chasing a loose puck alone establish stick control?
No.
Is this a universal statement about all hockey leagues?
No. It is explicitly scoped to IIHF 2026/27.
Sources & further reading
Official references for the subjects discussed. Service terms and device software can change.