What change to NHL rules would you be in favor of?
John Grigg recently posted his Top10 list of rules changes that changed hockey. Among them are the advent of video replay, icing and the mandatory wearing of helmets. Topping Grigg’s Top 10 list was the introduction of the forward pass in 1929.
Gotta admit…it’d be kinda tough to play/watch ice hockey without players being allowed to pass the puck up-ice.
As you can see, rules changes have been a part of the game pretty much since the game has been around. Recently, there were a number of rules changes that have shaped the NHL game in the post-lockout era. Two-line passing was permitted and players having to remain on the ice after icing the puck were two changes I personally like the most.
That stupid trapezoid behind the net, well, I don’t much care for that at all. If goalies have the skill and ability to play the puck in the corner, why take that away from them? Also, I still am not a big fan of the shootout. I just don’t like having the outcome of a team sport determined by an individual skills competition. However, I recognize I’m in the minority opinion there and given that it is a hit with the NHL masses, it shall remain.
With that said, I will now ask you to put a little cerebral activity to the rules of NHL hockey and come up with one…just one… thing you would change if you had the ability to do so. Whether it be to eliminate a current rule, change a current rule or add something new altogether…what do you feel needs to be tweaked a bit to make an already exciting sport just that much better?
Would you change the overtime rules…maybe adding an extra five minutes before going to the shootout?
Would you go back to power plays lasting the full two minutes, regardless of how many goals might be scored? That’s the way it was done before 1956.
How about not being able to ice the puck when you’re killing a power play?
Maybe you think touch-up icing is too big a risk for injury. Thus you would push for no-touch icing, the whistle is blown once the puck crosses the red line.
Or would you advocate something as radical as changing the size of the goal, maybe larger to allow for more scoring? I wouldn’t, but I’m sure there are some among us that might like to see that.
Me…what I would do away with is that silly trapezoid rule that the league has experimented with for the last five seasons. Like I said, let the netminders play the puck in the corners if they see fit.
That…or maybe I’d like to see refs have to make a public apology to the crowd if they blow a call. You know, like they do in Japan with baseball umpires.
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196 comments Add your comment
DB
August 19th, 2010
9:37 am
Eliminate the shootout but award no points for a tie. Decreased points for an OT win and no point for an OT loss.
Spud Webb
August 19th, 2010
9:44 am
I vote for the instigator penalty to be gone. I’m not advocating all out brawls, but we need these guys to police themselves as it used to be. Taking a run at someone has to have it’s consequences…old school thinking!!!!
GaVaHokie
August 19th, 2010
9:49 am
Thrashers Mt. Puckmore article is up from Puck Daddy…
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Mount-Puckmore-The-four-faces-of-the-Atlanta-Th?urn=nhl-262248
kracker
August 19th, 2010
9:53 am
I don’t particularly agree with Puck Daddy’s Mount Puckmore choices for the Thrashers.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Mount-Puckmore-The-four-faces-of-the-Atlanta-Th?urn=nhl-262248
It is in very poor taste to have Heatley on there with Dan Snyder. Heatley cause Snyder’s death! Selecting Don Waddell is sure to be controversial. I mean, are any presidents on Mount Rushmore there for being failures??
kracker
August 19th, 2010
9:58 am
I chose Kovalchuk, Exelby, Savard and Kane.
The offensive tour-de-force, the all time favorite defensive face, our best ever centerman and rally-cap cheerleader and the current/future face of the franchise.
Tom Lysiak
August 19th, 2010
9:59 am
The rule change I would propose is that Waddell is required to return Sage’s emails…..
Rawhide
August 19th, 2010
10:05 am
The four Thrashers I would have placed on Mt. Puckmore would have been Kovalchuk, Snyder, Kozlov and Ferraro.
Putting Don Waddell up there would be like placing Jimmy Carter on Mt. Rushmore. Both are very decent, respectable men, in my book. But both were complete disasters in the historic roles they are remembered for, IMHO.
Thrashers27
August 19th, 2010
10:17 am
I would like to see diving called more often without a penalty going the other way as well. It is simply ridiculous to call a player for diving and still call the opposing player for a tripping, interference, or whatever infraction.
If a player dives then by definition he has caused himself to fall, or appear to be impeded. If said player is caused to fall, or is impeded by an opposing player then he is not diving…period.
While he was here in Atlanta, I recall Hossa being called for diving on several occasions without the opposing player being penalized, but I don’t believe I’ve ever seen it elsewhere.
Joe Friday
August 19th, 2010
10:23 am
The only proposed rule changes that I like are these:
Delayed penalties: play won’t be whistled dead until the offending team gets the puck out of its zone.
No touch icing.
Narrowing the shallowness of the net by four inches to create more ice behind the net and enable more wrap-around attempts
Everything else is fine as is, although I would like to see them drop the instigator, but we’re never going back there in Gary Bettman’s kid friendly NHL.
Heatley on Mt. Puckmore? Bah.
Old Time Hockey
August 19th, 2010
10:31 am
Any time you give the referees “discretion” in making calls you bring on problems. It doesn’t have to be intent to a penalty. The whole point of the puck over the glass rule is to keep the puck in play and not give the defense an easy out. Makes them keep the puck lower on the boards/glass and that lets pinching d-men keep more pucks in play in the offensive zone.
Number one in rules is enforcement. For 40 years I’ve suffered watching penalties committed and the referee just shakes his head because he doesn’t want to interfere with the flow of the game. Hooking a guy under his arm while he’s trying to get around a defender effects the flow of the game…just call it!
The best thing they could do rule wise is strictly enforce the goalie equipment. Make them wear a glove on their catching hand, not some shrimp net that unfolds to cover 20% of the goal. Why do they all look like the Michelin man? (Well, our old goalie looked like that without his pads on, but that’s another story). They don’t need to be that big to be protected. I’m all for their safety, but c’mon! Google goalie equipment through the years and take a look at Ken Dryden or Tony Esposito. Then look at the current goalies and guess why scoring was down. Correct that and the game is WAAAY more exciting.
Cliff Fletcher
August 19th, 2010
10:35 am
I can’t believe they left Todd White and Curt Fraser off ATL’s Mt. Rushmore!
Zombie Steve
August 19th, 2010
10:42 am
Open things up more! Remove both blue lines. have the single center line serve in identifying the zones. Wide open hockey
schroeder
August 19th, 2010
10:43 am
gs29 in regards to goalie equipment in general,I agree. Looking at old pictures of goalies looking like a defenseman with a 1st basemans mitt to the Roy days of looking like the Michelin man on steroids I believe they have come to a good compromise. I never wanted real wide pads as they inhibited post-to-post movement.I always regarded the guys who used the loose sweaters and the wider pads as someone who was not as confident in his positioning or his mobility.Hated the “cheater bars” I never had the quickest glove,added weight,slower reflex. I would have welcomed attaching the chest protector to pants,old crap I had almost ripped out my adams apple when it rode up. I think as long as they continue to monitor the equipment,”cause I ‘m sure that if not they will always look for an edge,goalie equipment of today is a non-issue.
Jack
August 19th, 2010
10:53 am
the sheriff needs to be on Mt. rushmore. So Snyder Kchoke, Odgers, and Kozlov
schroeder
August 19th, 2010
10:54 am
Old Time, those pictures don’t show those pads at the start of the season when they are new. Those things were not matched anatomically,they were leather and by the time you got them broken in wher they fit properly they weighed about 80lbs.The reason there was more scoring was that by mid season the padding had been soaked the leather would shrink and they were so heavy that you could not move side to side. That is why they were mostly stand-up goalies because once you went down it took 10 min to get up. Better lighter equpment allows for butterfly type goalies and todays athletes are much better conditioned. Old Time I suggest you grab a flat paddle and try both types of pads and get back to me.
Jack
August 19th, 2010
10:57 am
I would say remove the trapazoid. It will make some of the goalies improve there stick handling, and for those that do not could lead to more goals.
Alan R.
August 19th, 2010
11:12 am
Was Ferraro ever a “face” of the Thrashers franchise, Bill? I think that’s where that all comes in. As I told Ben earlier on Twitter, I would have picked Odgers instead of hid pick of Stefan. Odgers is one man whose face is definitely memorable.
I disagree with “no-touch” icing. There should be some modicum of competition to get to the puck. Hybrid icing is a better idea, and I think that’s one that is more supported amongst NHL personnel right now. Well, the GMs support it, at least. People complain about the game becoming softer, and I know I’ve seen some complaints here about that in the past. “No-touch” icing is probably the softest rule that could come about.
The one change that interests me the most is the proposed line behind the goal line, to determine, once and for all, whether or not the puck has completely crossed the goal line. I’m not keen on the centered faceoff circles, nor am I really all that interested in the lighter blue area in front of the benches (supposedly to help determine whether a line change was properly executed).
Dwayne
August 19th, 2010
11:13 am
I nominate Sara’s 6:12 am post for off season post of the year!!!!!!
Any woman who talks about (read it again) gets my vote!!!!!!
Not Blind
August 19th, 2010
11:20 am
Something else I would like to see. Intentionally touching the other player with the blade of your stick should be illegal. A lot of teams cheat on this, Carolina being one of the worst. They are constantly ‘mini’slashing and ‘mini’ hooking. Makes up for poor positional play.
Dwayne
August 19th, 2010
11:20 am
and i am not talking about Crotchby and Ovachikin
Zombie Steve
August 19th, 2010
11:25 am
Kracker – do you realize how many gloves would drop once goalies started getting smeared in the corners??! That would basically be the only defense against an open net and a downed goalie.
Rawhide
August 19th, 2010
11:27 am
Actually, I’ll ammend my Mt. Puckmore four…Kovy, Kozlov, Snyder and Dan Kamal. If there has to be one “non-player” there, I’d chose The Grand Kamalian over Waddell any day.
kracker
August 19th, 2010
11:29 am
Bigger and better (?) shootouts?
twitter – mirtle, One change they’re looking at which could gain traction is five shootout shooters a side. After that, sudden death and players can be reused.
That is fine with me. Adding four more shooters, if needed, is only a couple of minutes time-wise. It’s a little more stress on the goalie but will make it a bit more of a team affair if more players participate.
glovesave29
August 19th, 2010
11:34 am
shroeder – my first pads were leather stuffed with deer hair, and the inner channel was thick felt. Weighed a ton and absorbed EVERYTHING. Towards the end, when I went down to make a save, you would see hair all over the crease. The chest protectors were little more than a cheap baseball catcher’s blocker with arms sewn on. The padding was thin foam – no more than 1/2 thick. Insides of the elbows had NOTHING. The lining was felt. Old goalies ALWAYS were buised after a game. Gloves were leather too. Everything was nice and heavy and absorbent.
Jack
August 19th, 2010
11:42 am
Zombie- Fights are down and so is attendance. Thus more fights in the corner could raise attendance. So, admonish the trapazoid.
Rawhide good pick on Kamal.
Have we found your next blog.
Also there could be a argument for Hartley to be on rushmore, since he was the only coach to get us in the playoffs. However he may be on Colorado’s Rushmore for winning Lord Stanley
kracker
August 19th, 2010
11:44 am
Zombie, Yeah, it would definitely be high-risk for a goalie to venture into a corner w/o the artificial protection of a rule. But would it really be any different than an NFL quarterback advancing the football? QBs get mauled and blindsided behind the line of scrimmage and they can get hammered like any other player if they advance the ball over the line…or behind it, for that matter.
As for it starting more retaliation fights in the NHL, I’m not so sure it would, not if you remove the “can’t touch” label for those that choose to be adventurous. If the watchword is “goalie beware, proceed at your own risk” then most goalies would probably be wary.
kracker
August 19th, 2010
11:49 am
Who is this Freddy Krueger…er, Meyer the Thrashers have signed? Looks like a depth signing?
Red Light
August 19th, 2010
11:50 am
Freddy Meyer? Hmmmm?
rob
August 19th, 2010
11:51 am
that is one bottle neck at the blue line now, isn’t it?
fes
August 19th, 2010
11:55 am
remove the trapezoid and the need to modify the icing rules becomes less of an issue. if goalies can play the puck in the corners, there will be fewer rushes towards the boards by other players, thus reducing the potential for injuries.
Smoothie
August 19th, 2010
11:55 am
I see the put Don Waddell on Mount Schmuck-more for the Thrashers! Could not be a more deserving candidate for such a distinction.
Also making the cut for Mt Schmuckmore honors are Dany Heatley, Ilya Nikulin and John Anderson’s post-game press conference archives.
kracker
August 19th, 2010
11:55 am
I guess this rules out Schubert??
Jack
August 19th, 2010
11:56 am
Freddy Kruger could be our new instigator.
schroeder
August 19th, 2010
11:57 am
gs29-you look at the marks on Cheevers’ mask, I can only imagine the permanent knots and welts all over his forearms and inside the elbows. A frozen puck traveling at 85-90mph hitting 1/2 in padding hurts like hell. My first pads sagged at the top where I leaned on them and I swear every deflection hit between the top of the pads and and the bottom of the pants. Both knees look like I’m trying to hide marbles under my kneecaps.
Jack
August 19th, 2010
11:58 am
Love Sarah’s blog. Although based on the time she wrote it, she may of woke up on the wrong side of the puck.
Great job Sarah.
Zombie Steve
August 19th, 2010
11:58 am
Flames – what’s the “organization move” that C-Viv is talkin’ bout?
World Be Free
August 19th, 2010
12:01 pm
Meyer is a good depth signing and yes, I do believe this means no Schubert.
rob
August 19th, 2010
12:06 pm
Vivs taunts us with “another organizational move”! Damn it man!
Jack
August 19th, 2010
12:09 pm
Coould it be they inked another investor?
ChippersLoveChild
August 19th, 2010
12:10 pm
Ooohhh Ben’s twitter “Hearing a lot of good things around the office today. None of which I can share yet.” Moves are on the way, folks! Bring me my scoring! Woohoo!
schroeder
August 19th, 2010
12:10 pm
Didn’t Dudley say that if they decide to move Buff to foward ,they would look at a defenseman,Man i hope they aren’t done. A 5′10″ defenseman? We still have issues in the scoring dept!!!!
Smoothie
August 19th, 2010
12:14 pm
Okay, who wants to make predictions on what Ben is talking about?
Little’s deal must be done and I expect it to be announced today. It was probably signed earlier in the week or else I don’t think B-Lits would be taking part in on and off-ice work-outs at the Duluth Ice Forum this week. Bergfors will likely get done next week.
Perhaps there is a trade in the offing. Thrashers need a CF who can get on base more consistently and provide some punch at the bottom of the…oh wait. Wrong team. Let’s go Bravos!!
World Be Free
August 19th, 2010
12:16 pm
Another interesting note-Andrew Peters signed with Florida today. Peters is a light-weight enforcer.
The side note to this; a few seasons back, Buffalo had to choose between Peters and Boulton and they chose Peters. Boulton wasn’t too happy. I think Bolts will be looking for Peters early in the season.
lola – get ready!
Jack
August 19th, 2010
12:18 pm
or Little is working out for scouts and he is part of a trade?
Jack
August 19th, 2010
12:18 pm
Little for KANE
J.B.
August 19th, 2010
12:20 pm
Per Ben’s Twitter (@BenThrashers) “Hearing alot of good things around the office today, none of which I can share yet.”
Jack
August 19th, 2010
12:21 pm
Go Bolts Thrash Peter Pan
rob
August 19th, 2010
12:21 pm
more taunting
rob
August 19th, 2010
12:27 pm
for those who “know but can’t tell” can you give us a timeframe in which we might know?
Thrashers PR staff
August 19th, 2010
12:37 pm
Goalie coach named, vuvuzelas reinstated, Section 222 designated as “All You Can Scream” seats and “Flames” named official Blog monitor and rumor monger.