General managers from the NHL are meeting this week in Boca Raton, Florida. This is where they discuss proposing new rules for next year. Here a few of the rules that they are considering.
The first is reviewing goalie interference. This is a hot topic because of the way it is called on the ice. David Polie, General Manager of the Nashville Predators, said, “Due to different interpretations it’s a very complicated issue.” It’s really a judgment call by the NHL refs. The rules define interference, but defining incidental contact and impacting a goalie’s ability to make a save are vague. This leads to difficulty for the referees to decide on the right call. If the NHL general managers figure out a way to create a clearer rule that is easy to enforce then we could have the situation room in Toronto review play.
The NHL is also looking at changing overtime. So far this year 14% of NHL games have gone to a shootout. They want to reduce that amount so games end in overtime rather than a shootout. A possible solution could be to adopt an overtime format similar to the American Hockey League.
In the AHL overtime is 7 minutes. The 1st four minutes of play is 4 on 4. The final three minutes are played 3 on 3 for the remainder of overtime. After that they go into a shootout. By adding this rule to the league, only 5.6% of the games this season have gone past overtime.
The NHL should change the overtime rule. It seems during the five minute, 4 on 4, there are few scoring chances and most teams wait for the shootout. They should change it to the AHL rules. Not only would we have more scoring chances with teams playing 3 on 3, games may finish in overtime rather than a shootout.
All the hockey GM’s will meet for three days as they talk about potential rule changes. Any modifications they come up with, will go to a joint, NHL/NHL players Association Competition Committee. After that the Board of Governors must approve the rule change. We will have to wait to see if there will be any changes to the NHL game.
What rules should the NHL change?
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