NHL looking at some rule changes

Some of these are quite interesting. The one that stuck out to me was goalies likely being fair game if too "adventurous" with the puck when puck handling.

http://www.ottawasun.com/2011/08/02/nhl-set-to-experiment-with-some-rule-changes

Don't like the hand pass idea, but otherwise, these all make sense. I like the refs being mic'ed for sure. Also like the bear hug idea.

Love the goalies being fare game if wandering and stick handling... heh heh.

POW!!!!

Did I read that right ? Why would they even think about bringing pack 2 line passes ??

Don't mind the hand pass rule changes at all. You're still not allowed to close your hand on the puck. This would eliminate whistles when the guy jumps up in the air to bat it down only to have it go to a team mate instead of himself. A different take on the "slap pass".

I never could stand the trapezoid and I'll be glad to see it gone. One skate in the crease to freeze a puck is going to create more stupid replays. I hope they leave that one up to the ref's discretion and not be like the old skate in the crease fiasco.

Not sure about the goalies being fair game to forecheckers. They may be better protected but only from the impact by a small rubber disk, not a 200+ lb player traveling at 40 mph or more. All that bulky equipment only serves to make them far less mobile. Now, if they did away with the instigator, sure.

What's this about the red line? They want to re-introduce the red-line but nothing for no-touch icings?

Hoags wrote:Did I read that right ? Why would they even think about bringing pack 2 line passes ??

I missed that...please no!

Hoags wrote:Did I read that right ? Why would they even think about bringing pack 2 line passes ??

Yeah, a "roll back" rule with the red line coming back into play. Not sure about that one. Trying to slow the game down? Head hits?

SpezDispenser wrote:

Hoags wrote:Did I read that right ? Why would they even think about bringing pack 2 line passes ??

I missed that...please no!

I agree. I didn't like that one either.

wprager wrote:Don't mind the hand pass rule changes at all. You're still not allowed to close your hand on the puck. This would eliminate whistles when the guy jumps up in the air to bat it down only to have it go to a team mate instead of himself. A different take on the "slap pass".

I never could stand the trapezoid and I'll be glad to see it gone. One skate in the crease to freeze a puck is going to create more stupid replays. I hope they leave that one up to the ref's discretion and not be like the old skate in the crease fiasco.

Not sure about the goalies being fair game to forecheckers. They may be better protected but only from the impact by a small rubber disk, not a 200+ lb player traveling at 40 mph or more. All that bulky equipment only serves to make them far less mobile. Now, if they did away with the instigator, sure.

What's this about the red line? They want to re-introduce the red-line but nothing for no-touch icings?

I think if your dumb enough to saunter out in that bulky equipment to chase down a puck and know you're fair game then to bad so sad.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:
I think if your dumb enough to saunter out in that bulky equipment to chase down a puck and know you're fair game then to bad so sad.

Still .. as if we need more goalie injuries in the NHL ....

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

wprager wrote:Don't mind the hand pass rule changes at all. You're still not allowed to close your hand on the puck. This would eliminate whistles when the guy jumps up in the air to bat it down only to have it go to a team mate instead of himself. A different take on the "slap pass".

I never could stand the trapezoid and I'll be glad to see it gone. One skate in the crease to freeze a puck is going to create more stupid replays. I hope they leave that one up to the ref's discretion and not be like the old skate in the crease fiasco.

Not sure about the goalies being fair game to forecheckers. They may be better protected but only from the impact by a small rubber disk, not a 200+ lb player traveling at 40 mph or more. All that bulky equipment only serves to make them far less mobile. Now, if they did away with the instigator, sure.

What's this about the red line? They want to re-introduce the red-line but nothing for no-touch icings?

I think if your dumb enough to saunter out in that bulky equipment to chase down a puck and know you're fair game then to bad so sad.

You won't be saying that in February/March when the Leafs are done and we're fighting for a playoff spot and some Marily callup eager to make a name for himself runs through Anderson.

wprager wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

wprager wrote:Don't mind the hand pass rule changes at all. You're still not allowed to close your hand on the puck. This would eliminate whistles when the guy jumps up in the air to bat it down only to have it go to a team mate instead of himself. A different take on the "slap pass".

I never could stand the trapezoid and I'll be glad to see it gone. One skate in the crease to freeze a puck is going to create more stupid replays. I hope they leave that one up to the ref's discretion and not be like the old skate in the crease fiasco.

Not sure about the goalies being fair game to forecheckers. They may be better protected but only from the impact by a small rubber disk, not a 200+ lb player traveling at 40 mph or more. All that bulky equipment only serves to make them far less mobile. Now, if they did away with the instigator, sure.

What's this about the red line? They want to re-introduce the red-line but nothing for no-touch icings?

I think if your dumb enough to saunter out in that bulky equipment to chase down a puck and know you're fair game then to bad so sad.

You won't be saying that in February/March when the Leafs are done and we're fighting for a playoff spot and some Marily callup eager to make a name for himself runs through Anderson.

Not really. The goalies will know and I'd happily drop in the standings for another lotto pick.

wprager wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

wprager wrote:Don't mind the hand pass rule changes at all. You're still not allowed to close your hand on the puck. This would eliminate whistles when the guy jumps up in the air to bat it down only to have it go to a team mate instead of himself. A different take on the "slap pass".

I never could stand the trapezoid and I'll be glad to see it gone. One skate in the crease to freeze a puck is going to create more stupid replays. I hope they leave that one up to the ref's discretion and not be like the old skate in the crease fiasco.

Not sure about the goalies being fair game to forecheckers. They may be better protected but only from the impact by a small rubber disk, not a 200+ lb player traveling at 40 mph or more. All that bulky equipment only serves to make them far less mobile. Now, if they did away with the instigator, sure.

What's this about the red line? They want to re-introduce the red-line but nothing for no-touch icings?

I think if your dumb enough to saunter out in that bulky equipment to chase down a puck and know you're fair game then to bad so sad.

You won't be saying that in February/March when the Leafs are done and we're fighting for a playoff spot and some Marily callup eager to make a name for himself runs through Anderson.

I assume you mean 2-3 years from now?

Need I remind you of the Colorado Avalanche the year before last? They were fairly similar to us - including one of the finalists for the Hart and Vezina, Craig Anderson.

All that to say...who the heck knows?

shabbs wrote:

wprager wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

wprager wrote:Don't mind the hand pass rule changes at all. You're still not allowed to close your hand on the puck. This would eliminate whistles when the guy jumps up in the air to bat it down only to have it go to a team mate instead of himself. A different take on the "slap pass".

I never could stand the trapezoid and I'll be glad to see it gone. One skate in the crease to freeze a puck is going to create more stupid replays. I hope they leave that one up to the ref's discretion and not be like the old skate in the crease fiasco.

Not sure about the goalies being fair game to forecheckers. They may be better protected but only from the impact by a small rubber disk, not a 200+ lb player traveling at 40 mph or more. All that bulky equipment only serves to make them far less mobile. Now, if they did away with the instigator, sure.

What's this about the red line? They want to re-introduce the red-line but nothing for no-touch icings?

I think if your dumb enough to saunter out in that bulky equipment to chase down a puck and know you're fair game then to bad so sad.

You won't be saying that in February/March when the Leafs are done and we're fighting for a playoff spot and some Marily callup eager to make a name for himself runs through Anderson.

I assume you mean 2-3 years from now?

Nope. I'll say it right now -- Florida and Philly have destroyed team chemistry in a big way. Buffalo as well, if to a lesser extent (you don't think the old-guard Sabres will feel a little resentment about some of those recent contracts given out to free agents?) I think Toronto is going to be disappointed with Reimer just like Washington was with Varlamov and Philly was with Bobrovsky -- having a good 37 game season when all pressure was off and nobody had the book on you is not the same as what he will face now. Boston got older, not necessarily better.

Look, I'm not saying we are magically better than any of those teams, but I think there are more opportunities to win a few more games here and there. And that's all it might take.