New rule changes for the NHL...

GROGtheNailer · Post by **GROGtheNailer** » Tue Feb 10, 2004 11:24 pm

I´ll just copy and paste, these sound like they are a done deal.
 
 The rule changes still have some important hurdles to clear, but it´s hoped a more entertaining league will evolve from these decisions.
 
 
 
 ``A couple of these changes will make a major difference to the way the game is played,´´ New York Islanders GM Mike Milbury said as the day-long meeting ended.
 
 
 
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 Tuesday´s recommendations will be further re-examined at another GMs meeting in the spring, and then passed on in July to a blue-ribbon panel of hockey experts including coaches, players, media and some GMs.
 
 
 
 Then the end package must be approved by the league´s owners at a board of governors´ meeting in late summer.
 
 
 
 ``In the final analysis it is subject to a board vote but as far as I´m concerned I think this process is moving along the way I anticipated,´´ said commissioner Gary Bettman.
 
 
 
 The GMs´ recommendations include:
 
 
 
 - Goalies can no longer handle the puck behind the back-end red-line (behind the net);
 
 
 
 ``The original thought right now is that if the puck is behind the line and the goalie touches it, it´s a two-minute penalty,´´ said Bettman.
 
 
 
 - The width of goalie pads will be reduced to 10 inches from the current limit of 12 inches; also, the league´s head office will act as a clearing house for goalie´s equipment before they can wear it, in other words inspect it before giving it to goalies.
 
 
 
 - The nets being brought back to 10 feet from the back boards from the current 13 feet;
 
 
 
 - The tag-up offsides will be brought back;
 
 
 
 ``The sense in the room is that the tag-up offsides will lead to less whistles,´´ said Bettman.
 
 
 
 - The AHL will be asked to try out three points being awarded for a victory in regulation time with the NHL possibly going to that format in 2005-06 if it works well in the minors; that would also include two points for an overtime win; it may also include two points for a penalty shootout win.
 
 
 
 ``We´d like to provide an incentive for teams to win in regulation,´´ Bettman said.
 
 
 
 - The AHL will also be asked to try out the so-called ``fat lines´´ of both blue-lines and the centre red-line next season. But they will be 24 inches instead of the 36 inches tried out this year in the AHL. They´re currently 12 inches wide in the NHL.
 
 
 
 Responding to low-scoring games and dwindling attendance in some markets, the NHL´s GMs didn´t hold back when given a mandate by Bettman to find ways to open up the game.
 
 
 
 ``Yes, it is quite a bit,´´ said Carolina Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford.
 
 
 
 There are also two changes that will go into effect as soon as this week. The penalty shot rule was clarified so as to include players who clearly are in a pursuit of a loose puck that would lead to a breakaway and are hauled down will now be awarded a penalty shot. Before, a player had to be in control of the puck.
 
 
 
 Also, a clarification of the rule regarding goals scored when the net is slightly off - those goals will now count.
 
 
 
 Of all the changes that could be adopted, the limit on goalies playing the puck behind the net could prove to have the biggest impact, especially on some of the league´s top puck-handling netminders like Martin Brodeur and Marty Turco.
 
 
 
 But Bettman said GMs put the league ahead of their individual teams´ concerns, which has been a problem in the past.
 
 
 
 ``There was a very candid dialogue,´´ Bettman said.
 
 
 
 Legendary coach Scotty Bowman took part in the decision-making Tuesday.
 
 
 
 ``They´re asking me as a coach what I would do in certain situations and since I´m not active anymore I can give an unbiased opinion on that,´´ Bowman said.
 
 
 
 There were other issues that didn´t make the cut.
 
 
 
 ``With respect to bigger nets, it was discussed, but we decided it wasn´t worth doing now,´´ Bettman said.
 
 
 
 St. Louis Blues defenceman Al MacInnis, invited by the league to take part, pushed hard for no-touch icing, an issue close to his heart after suffering a near-career ending injury earlier in his career rushing to a puck on an icing play.
 
 
 
 But the league at this point won´t go to the no-touch icing, which is in use in international hockey.
 
 
 
 ``There wasn´t quite enough interest on no-touch icing to bring it to the threshold of a rule change but we´ll keep it in mind because we know the concerns of the players,´´ Bettman said.
 
 
 
 Also passed over was the idea of playing the full two minutes of a penalty no matter whether a goal was scored or not.

bigmoe · Post by **bigmoe** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 12:18 am

- The width of goalie pads will be reduced to 10 inches from the current limit of 12 inches; also, the league´s head office will act as a clearing house for goalie´s equipment before they can wear it, in other words inspect it before giving it to goalies............................This is one of the best things the NHL should do. The equipment for the goalies has gotten way out of hand.Watch some games from the 70s and you will see what i mean.Better equipment to protect the goalie....yes....more of it to block the net.....no....I love this change and it should lead back to an older style of equipment...c...ya <IMG SRC="images/forum/icons/icon_biggrin.gif">

GROGtheNailer · Post by **GROGtheNailer** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 12:39 am

I really like the goalie rule where he cannot play the puck behind the net.

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 1:01 am

So that list of changes have all been approved by the GMs?
 
 Wow. I never would have thought such radical changes would come so quickly. That being said, I LOVE the changes.
 
 Hockey is my favorite sport, but I have been watching less and less the last few years (apparently a lot of people have), and making changes became absolutely necessary. I also agree that the biggest problem was the goalies, as how they routinely dominate games these days has thrown of the balance of the game. I agree with Grog too about them handling the puck...it drives me nuts to see guys like Brodeur always go back, stop the back, turn their back to the forechecker so they can´t touch him, then pass it up the ice.
 
 My only critique is that there is no mention of the clutching and grabbing. Here´s to hoping that´s merely a behind the scenes change...

James_E · Post by **James_E** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 1:16 am

One clarification I heard on the radio is that goalies can still go back behind the net and stop the puck (like they do on dump ins now) but won´t be able to play it after that.

mudtiger · Post by **mudtiger** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 1:26 am

Eliminate at least 5 teams, 6 would make it easier.
 
 Over expansion diluting the talent level is number one issue for me with the nhl. While I like the proposed rule changes, all the rule changes in the world won´t increase player skills. Too many unskilled guys that only know how to clutch, grab, and slash.
 
 I volunteer Nashville, Columbus, Tampa or Predators, Wild (forcing stars to move back north), Ducks, and Coyotes...or just drop last place team from each division.

GROGtheNailer · Post by **GROGtheNailer** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 1:41 am

No way man, I think the talent is there...in fact...add Winnipeg to list of cities where I want a NHl franchise.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 2:40 am

They want to get excitement back in the game how about installing the international 15-sec rule. You have 15 secs until the puck is dropped.
 
 Maybe make it 35 seconds to accomadate TV commercials but they need to make the TV market more fluid. Nothing worse to kill the flow for the spectactur when you have two infractions, offsides or icing in a row and then you have a few minutes of commercial in between a few seconds of play.
 
 Ya I have to agree on league restriction. They should stop it somewhere. The quality of play isn´t going up. Just like basketball there are two many players for the league to have excellent play. But if you have a consoladation of goalies than that might also restrict scoring. But this is an entertainment thing not so much a talent thing. No one wants to watch a losing team and with more teams you are going to have more losing markets.

vader29 · Post by **vader29** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 6:37 am

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD>Quote:<HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><BLOCKQUOTE>
 On 2004-02-10 19:24, GROGtheNailer wrote:
 
 - Goalies can no longer handle the puck behind the back-end red-line (behind the net);
 
 </BLOCKQUOTE></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>
 
 Sounds like the way Microsoft´s NHL Rivals plays where the goalie stays in the crease at all times. <IMG SRC="images/forum/icons/icon_wink.gif">
 
 Seriously though rather than do that just keep it the way it is now but have the goalies be fair game and allow anyone to check them if they are out of their crease.

lexbur · Post by **lexbur** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 11:56 am

What´s with all the Blue Jackets bashing? Granted, they´re not doing much this year, but, in case you guys haven´t noticed, and apparently you haven´t, they´ve got as promising a future as any franchise in the league. Not to mention a 19-year-old who´s been leading the league in goals all season.
 
 Good young talent, great attendance figures, why should the NHL dump Columbus?

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 12:09 pm

DAMN IT, will the NHL ever get some f*cking common sense and eliminate the two-line offside rule?
 
 It´s the stupidest f*cking rule in hockey, especially with bigger players competing in tight quarters in the neutral zone on rinks that haven´t changed sizes. Toss in the neutral-zone trap, and the two-line offsides rule completely stifles creativity in the neutral zone and fast-paced hockey.
 
 Can you imagine a football game where you couldn´t throw a pass longer than 20 yards when between the 30s (middle of the field)? Can you imagine soccer where no long through passes or long balls could be made from a team´s defensive zone?
 
 No, I can´t either. And that´s exactly what the two-line offsides rule does.
 
 s***, you´d still have offsides, but at least a defenseman could spot a wing streaking along the boards for a long outlet pass and create an exciting breakaway or odd-man rush instead of diddling the puck through the neutral zone.
 
 And I don´t think you´d see wings sitting past center ice, waiting for cherry-pick passes, either. Current NHL defensive systems won´t allow that -- forwards need to skate their lanes and backcheck.
 
 But at least the opportunity for more excitement would be created. And it would be a hell of a lot more effective than widening the blue lines 12 inches, one of the stupidest ideas going.
 
 I do like the idea of reducing the size of goalie padding. Reduce the glove and blocker sizes, too! Some of the gloves look more like pasta colanders, and the blockers (remember when they were called tackboards? <IMG SRC="images/forum/icons/icon_smile.gif">) look like freeway billboards.
 
 The goalie no-touch rule is smart, too.
 
 All in all, this is definite progress for one of my favorite sports, one that is sadly dying on the vine here in the U.S. Hopefully this will perform the Lazarus act that hockey so desperately needs and deserves here in the States.
 
 Sadly, though, all of this talk about new rules really is a smokescreen for the looming labor problems that threaten to shut down the NHL for a year or more after this season. Let´s get labor peace and then fix the rules because the greatest rules package in the world is moot if no one is on the ice.
 
 P.S.: I agree with Grog: Get rid of hockey in the Sunbelt and return it to where it belongs in places like Winnipeg. Quebec City needs a team again, too. The Nords-Habs rivalry was one of the best in sports.
 
 Take care,
 PK [ This message was edited by: pk500 on 11-02-2004 08:12 ]

James_E · Post by **James_E** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 12:54 pm

I honestly believe that alot of these rule changes would not be necessary if they would just ENFORCE THE RULEBOOK AS IT IS NOW!
 
 Stop all the clutching and grabbing like they always promise. Call penalties. Call them like crazy for 1 year... sure we´ll all hear "the refs are managing the game" complaints. NO THEY AREN´T! They are just calling the rules. The players are making the decisions to break the rules by hooking, clutching and grabbing.

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 1:38 pm

PK,
 
 As someone who held your point of view about the two-line pass for a long time, I definitely understand your frustration. The thing is, whether or not getting rid of the rule is ultimately a good thing is up for debate.
 
 The point generally passed around is that Europe does not have the two line pass rule, and the result is an even more conservative trap (let´s not forget that the trap was conceived in Europe, where the ice surface is bigger as well). Dmen are afraid to get caught by the homerun pass, and just sit really far back and make a bunch of long, low percentage passes. The end result are a ton of icings every game. Now you can´t say this would definitely happen in the NHL, but it is certainly worth considering when that happens in the more skill oriented Euro-leagues.
 
 If you go back and watch hockey from the 80s, 2 things generally stand out IMO.
 
 One, the goalies are awful. I think A LOT has to do with equipment there, as save percentages these days are about 2% higher now than in the 80s, and it sure looks to me like the massive equipment of today takes up at least 2% more of the net. Thankfully this is at least beginning to be addressed (those massive chest protectors should be next on the chopping block IMO).
 
 Two, the neutral zone was wide open. It´s not because of the two line pass rule (which was in effect in the 80s), but because defending teams essentially forfeited the neutral zone and the defensemen would wait at the blue line. Today that style of play has been exposed as terrible strategy, and the only way I could imagine that being changed is if teams are forced to. To me that means rules like no hooking in the neutral zone, period, or something like that rather outlandish proposal that forwards wouldn´t be allowed to skate backwards in the neutral zone.
 
 Point two hasn´t been addressed by the GMs, so we can only hope that there is something of a trickle down effect from the other rules and the game opens up a little because honestly, a lot of NHL games these days are flat out boring.

mobiggins · Post by **mobiggins** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 2:02 pm

Being a goalie, I think the rule about playing the puck might be detrimental to younger goalies in the amateur leagues throughout the US and Canada. The amateurs almost always follow the dictates of the NHL, and I believe that this might stunt their growth as goaltenders.
 
 Maybe I´m overreacting, I dunno.
 
 I think they should get rid of the two line offside rule, widen the rink, drop a couple of teams like Nashville, Carolina, the Florida teams, Columbus, Atlanta, shorten the season by ten games, and lose the stupid OTL point. And get rid of the two ref system. The rink´s not big enough.
 
 Goalies are much more athletic now, too. Back in the 80´s there were alot of goals scored that would have given today´s goalies no trouble at all. Big, spectacular saves weren´t as common, either. [ This message was edited by: mobiggins on 11-02-2004 10:09 ]

James_E · Post by **James_E** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 2:17 pm

"To me that means rules like no hooking in the neutral zone"
 
 That´s the whole problem... this kind of attitude that hooking is ok anywhere. In the rulebook, hooking is a penalty ANYWHERE on the ice.
 
 Nowadays, the way to stop a player more skilled than you is to hook them to slow them down. Technically illegal but not enforced.

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 2:31 pm

You´re preaching to the choir James on calling interference stuff, but given today´s climate of hookings is okay as long as the player doesn´t flop, a rule change that says ´you touch a player with your stick in the neutral zone--automatic penalty´, would be very practical.

hrudey32 · Post by **hrudey32** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 2:40 pm

i definetly am ready for a change...heard an alarming stat. 50% of all games played thus far this year ended in at least one of the two competing teams only scoring one goal. thats pretty damn pitiful......
 
 i like goalies playing the puck...i would eliminate the two line pass before i eliminated that but at least something is being done.
 
 and sure if they called it by the book it would be a bit better but it never happens so its a mute point.
 
 for the most part i like the changes they are considering.....again, i just want something done because i admit, for the most part,this year´s hockey has been pretty boring to me a hockey fanatic. time for a change.....

Granatofan · Post by **Granatofan** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 2:50 pm

I don´t think it will ever happen, but all they need to do is make the rink bigger or go to 4 on 4 hockey. I think the players just need more space to make a faster more wide open game. I don´t think they would need to shrink rosters either, just means more rest and more lines to watch.

mobiggins · Post by **mobiggins** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 10:50 pm

They´re desperate. Colin Campbell, the NHL´s head of operations, said,
 
 ``We had suggestions like ´let´s give them two blockers, not a catching mitt,´´´ Campbell said. ``So we looked at everything.´´
 
 
 Ha! Can you imagine goalies with two blockers!!!?!?!?! That would be a total sacrilige.