NHL Competition Committee's recommended rule changes

[McKain]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?ID=129421&hubName=nhl

I love pretty much everything they suggested; finally, hockey is making a comeback, baby.

[General]

Yeah! Screw our homework, cause we love hockey!

Here's to HOCKEY, a real man's sport!

[awefullspellare]

The calling of more penalties more consistently, specifically for obstruction on players with and without the puck and not just in the netural zone.
The institution of a shootout to eliminate tie games in the NHL. Before going to the shootout, though, overtime would be modified to include one five-minute period of four-on-four overtime and, if still tied, a three-minute period of three-on-three. If, after eight minutes of overtime, the game is still tied, then it would go to a shootout.

Love those rules. Ready for NHL to return. Hopefully with Foppa .

[Steak]

Patrick Reusse, the Star Tribune columnist, made some great points that I agree on.

I agree with him about having shootouts after overtime if the game is tied. That is the stupidest thing I heard. It does not make sense. I believe teams need to continue to play even if the team is still tied after the first overtime so that fans don't have to feel cheated when they go to the games or watching the game on television. You know coaches will always go for the tie instead of going for the loss in overtime which is one of the reasons why the sport has become a joke. Unless the league have a rule in which teams needs to play past overtime if the game is still tie, coaches will continue to go for the tie as players just skate in circles. Also I feel there are not that many good hockey players out there as it used to be when the sports was popular in the early 90s.

Expanding the goaltenders net or decreasing the pads won't solve problems either. In fact expanding the net is as stupid as having a shootout in overtime. I think what the NHL needs is better players. There are not that many stars in the NHL as you see in other sports. That's the sport biggest problem not the blue line or the nets and all.

http://www.startribune.com/stories/508/5497954.html

[awefullspellare]

How do you fix that though? If NHL doesn't increase scoring it will never be a major sport in the US. They are working on that and making it more exciting. Better players would be nice but they can't really effect that.

[Fishercat]

I don't know hockey, so someone tell me why, but why don't they play a full period of OT in sudden-death? The MLB and NBA don't stop and the NFL plays a full quarter of OT if needed. I don't think the NHL needs a shootout, but why have a 5 minute period and then have a tie? If I were to watch hockey for 65 minutes, I don't want to see a tie. I want a victor.

[awefullspellare]

Games sometimes go for long long times of OT so I gues that is one reason. With the amount of energy required with 82 games a year that could effect it to. 4 on 4 OT and then 3 on 3 and then Shootout sounds great to me. Very exciting.

[Fishercat]

Even if it is a single OT only and then they call it a tie. Or 10 minutes of normal OT, 10 minutes of 4 on 4 OT, and then a shootout if needed. I think that would make the shootout a little rarer.

[awefullspellare]

I don't mind the 5 minute 4 on 4, 3 minute 3 on 3. Lots of games should be won there. Lots of open ice for superstars.

[Steak]

I don't know hockey, so someone tell me why, but why don't they play a full period of OT in sudden-death? The MLB and NBA don't stop and the NFL plays a full quarter of OT if needed. I don't think the NHL needs a shootout, but why have a 5 minute period and then have a tie? If I were to watch hockey for 65 minutes, I don't want to see a tie. I want a victor.

I always wonder that myself when I first follow the game in 1994. I never got that and I never will. Fans are being cheated out there. Teams will go for the tie because the coach does not want to lose a point. It's pretty silly. Pat Burns was so guilty of that when he coach the Devils.

[Halladay_is_God]

i like ties but now coaches won't even play for the win no matter

The reinstitution of the tag-up offside rule. (a great rule, the old offside rule was making no sense to keep around and will make the game move faster)

The centre red line will be removed for the purposes of allowing two-line passes (more chances for scoring and hopefully stop some teams from using the trap so much, or will cause more team to use the trap)

Goaltenders will only be permitted to handle the puck in a designated area directly behind the goal net, as per the AHL experiment this season. (a nice rule i think, hopefully teams won't depend on their goalie for the trap)

Any player in the defensive zone that shoots the puck directly out of play will receive a two-minute minor for delay of game. In the past, only the goalie was penalized for shooting the puck out of play. (a good rule too)


Automatic fines to the coach and suspensions to the player for any fight with an instigator in the last five minutes of the game. (now this rule makes no sense, we want to see fights!!!)


one rule they should have got rid of if they want all of this ****ing hooking and holding to end is to stop using the instigator rule