For so long as I’ve been a fan of sports activities, I’ve been obsessive about the principles. To me, a sport with out guidelines is only a bunch of grown males working round like idiots. Okay, high-quality, that’s most likely what it’s even with the principles, however at the very least the principles make it appear extra official.
Significantly although, I like guidelines. I learn the whole rulebook every year earlier than the season begins, it’s that obsessive. At the moment, I wish to current a bunch of rule adjustments I imagine the NHL ought to enact. Right here we go.
The interval/recreation is not going to finish till the puck clears the zone with out an icing
A ticking clock is enjoyable and buzzer beaters are wonderful, however the recreation of hockey is performed over 60 minutes and there’s normally between three and 7 objectives scored in a recreation. The probabilities of there being a purpose moments earlier than the clock strikes zero are extraordinarily low. (In VGK historical past I can solely keep in mind one, Max Pacioretty’s in Nashville).
So, as an alternative, the principles ought to reward a workforce for holding the puck within the offensive zone and provides them as a lot time as they want on that possession to attain. For a interval to finish, both a purpose is scored by the attacking workforce or the defending workforce would both have to efficiently clear the zone or power a authorized recreation stoppage (one thing aside from a puck over glass delay penalty).
On the finish of the first and 2nd interval, assuming the puck is in one of many two offensive zones, the clock begins counting up from 0:00 after the 20 minutes expired. That point would merely be subtracted from the beginning of the subsequent interval. Within the third interval, the sport will both finish or be prolonged by a purpose.
The concept of that is to advertise extra late interval/recreation scoring. It doesn’t make a lot sense to reward a workforce for being hemmed in on the finish of a interval simply because the clock strikes zero. Make them earn it.
Any puck that goes within the purpose off a skate might be disallowed
The entire kicking movement factor has gotten out of hand. There are such a lot of alternative ways to find out whether or not a participant did or didn’t purposely use their skate to direct a choose into the purpose and fairly frankly, these guys are so good they most likely can do it on goal and make it seem like an accident.
No extra grey space. Merely put, if the puck does in off an attacking participant’s skate, the purpose is not going to rely. Fluky objectives will at all times be a part of the sport, however eliminating a few of them would make the game higher.
Use assessment system to vary location of faceoffs after incorrect calls
This one is fairly minor, however it’s really easy to enact and it’s worthwhile even when it doesn’t catch all of them. Oftentimes a play is near being offside and the linesman permits it to go on with the understanding that assessment can and can return and rule off a purpose if one is scored. Nevertheless, a purpose is the one occasion that may reverse a missed offside name. In the meantime, there are occasions when the following possession ends in a draw within the offensive zone (icing, puck out of play, goalie freeze, and so on.). Even worse, a penalty might be referred to as after such an occasion as properly.
To repair this, an off ice official ought to watch each zone entry and decide if the play is offside. Whether it is, the play will proceed as regular, but when a stoppage happens on the identical possession, the faceoff is taken within the impartial zone as an alternative of the offensive zone. Penalties can be waved off and icings can be nullified permitting the workforce the proper to make a line change.
Goalies shouldn’t be allowed to punch individuals
I perceive the necessity to shield goalies and that’s all high-quality and properly, however the concept they had been above the regulation in terms of put up whistle scrums is ridiculous. Look, right here’s Igor Shesterkin throwing a haymaker at a man laying within the crease.
That’s actually all there may be to this one. Name penalties on goalies the identical manner we name them on everybody else.
The playoff draft
As an alternative of predetermining which groups play one another primarily based on seeding, allow them to select. Right here’s how it could work.
Earlier than every spherical of the playoffs, the workforce with the perfect common season report would have the primary choice of who they wish to play. They will choose any of the opposite 15 groups together with the 2nd general workforce if they want. Subsequent, if not chosen, the 2nd place workforce will get to choose. Then third, 4th, and all the best way down till all eight matchups are confirmed. That is performed dwell on a TV present that might undoubtedly draw higher scores than the video games themselves.
Think about the rivalries that might create!
Okay, now, your flip. What rule adjustments do you wish to see within the NHL?