So, how did we like the new rules?

[Eleven]

Here are my thoughts.

 

Delayed offsides and elimination of two-line pass across the center line: Excellent changes, no doubt about that.

 

Linesman with increased discretion to call off icing: Bad. Inconsistency resulted, which is what results EVERY time NHL officials are allowed to make judgment calls. Icing is icing; if a forward missed a long pass, too bad. If the forward was interfered with, no icing (but I believe that was the rule before). Less discretion means more consistency and less fan frustration.

 

The trapezoid: Silly looking, but it probably led to more exciting offensive play. I'd like to see it modified so that the goaltender who is on a power play can dig into the corner and get the puck to his defenseman. Fewer shorthanded goals, I suppose, but how many fewer compared to how many powerplay goals would be scored if the defending team didn't get a few extra seconds off?

 

Automatic delay-of-game for shooting the puck out of the rink from one's own end: Controversial around here, to be sure, but I like it because it eliminates discretion and therefore means consistent calls (even though we saw some calls missed during the regular season). No warnings to the Kasparaitises out there under the new rule.

 

No change after icing: In my mind, this is the worst of the new rules. Fatigue leads to injuries. A team icing the puck already is penalized with the deep faceoff. What's a tired player's strategy now? Fall on the puck so his team can change after the whistle? Stupid rule.

[DR HOLLIDAY]

 

 

Automatic delay-of-game for shooting the puck out of the rink from one's own end: Controversial around here, to be sure, but I like it because it eliminates discretion and therefore means consistent calls (even though we saw some calls missed during the regular season). No warnings to the Kasparaitises out there under the new rule.

 

No change after icing: In my mind, this is the worst of the new rules. Fatigue leads to injuries. A team icing the puck already is penalized with the deep faceoff. What's a tired player's strategy now? Fall on the puck so his team can change after the whistle? Stupid rule.

 

I think the Automatic delay of Game penalty for shooting the puck over is brutal and should be changed to the icing rules. ie no chance and faceoff in own zone.

 

No change icing is pretty good, It gives extra consequence for slowing down the game.

[LabattBlue]

As I watched the game last night, it seemed to me that the refs were getting a little lax on making the interference call on a defenseman as an opposing forward attempts to go after the puck after shooting it in.

[mrjsbu96]

Overall, I liked what they did in the league this year. Maybe my only complaint was the hooking/obstruction calls that were away from the play, and had nothing to do with that obstructed player becoming part of the play/scoring chance.

 

I think that auto penalty has to go. The glass is just too low for a penalty to be called on such a play but I do like the previous post about changing it to a endzone faceoff and no change of line change.

 

The biggest addition that the league needs is to add a rule for "checking from behind." There is a call for it all the way up to the college level but for some reason the NHL does not have it. Boarding or cross-checking is usually the call, but they need to add this and they need to enforce it because guys are too big and too fast these days and it is only a matter of time before a player is paralyzed from a check from behind. (that said, and I say this as a hockey official, the toughest part about this call is determing when a guy turns his back. you have to know where you are the ice and you can't be turning your back just before you get hit. you watch/officiate a team enough, you can start to pick up on players that do intentionally turn their back at the last second)

[topshelfcookies]

Linesman with increased discretion to call off icing: Bad. Inconsistency resulted, which is what results EVERY time NHL officials are allowed to make judgment calls. Icing is icing; if a forward missed a long pass, too bad. If the forward was interfered with, no icing (but I believe that was the rule before). Less discretion means more consistency and less fan frustration.

 

I agreed with most of what your thoughts were Eleven, except on this. I felt that the NHL was so much more watchable because games finally had a good amount of flow to them. A big reason for the flow was having linesman call off icing when there was no need for it to be called. I think this was one of the NHL's best rule changes.

 

I've gone back and forth on the over the glass rule, and one thing I feel should be addressed. If the league is going to keep the rule, then they should at least install the high glass panes around the dasher boards that line the entire defensive zones, not just the corners. Also, the league should make sure that the glass is a uniform height across the league. I'm not sure if each arena currently has the same height glass, but this could certainly make a big difference. Currently, the glass rises right about at the goal line and is short the length of ice. Simply make sure that the glass is "tall" starting at the blue line if you're going to keep the "over the glass" rule.