NHL Rule Changes 14-15

[CarltonTheBear]

The NHL announced some minor changes to the rulebook for this season:

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=730165

Some of the big ones IMO:

Rule 1.8 ? Rink - Goalkeeper's Restricted Area

The trapezoid will be expanded by two feet from the goal post on both sides of the net.

Rule 24 ? Penalty Shot

The 'Spin-O-Rama' move, as described in Section 24.2 of the 2013-14 NHL Rule Book, will no longer be permitted either in Penalty Shot situations or in the Shootout.

Rule 57 ? Tripping

The rule relating to "Tripping" will be revised to specifically provide that a two minute minor penalty will be assessed when a defending player "dives" and trips an attacking player with his body/arm/shoulder, regardless of whether the defending player is able to make initial contact with the puck.

But, in situations where a penalty shot might otherwise be appropriate, if the defending player "dives" and touches the puck first (before the trip), no penalty shot will be awarded. (In such cases, the resulting penalty will be limited to a two-minute minor penalty for tripping.)

Rule 76 ? Face-offs

To curb delay tactics on face-offs after icing infractions, in situations where the defending team is guilty of a face-off violation, following an icing, the defending player who is initially lined up for the face-off will be given a warning, but will be required to remain in the circle to take the face-off. A second face-off violation by the defending team in such situation will result in a two minute minor bench penalty.

 

[Kin]

Well, I'm glad the League took the fans dissatisfaction with the shootout seriously and responded by...banning one of the more interesting moves in it.

I like the tripping changes though.

 

[bustaheims]

I thought this was pretty significant, too:

Rule 38 ? Video Goal Judge

Video review will be expanded in the following areas:

* Rule 38.4 (viii) has been modified to allow broader discretion to Hockey Operations to assist the referees in determining the legitimacy of all potential goals (e.g., to ensure they are "good hockey goals"). The revised Rule will allow Hockey Operations to correct a broader array of situations where video review clearly establishes that a "goal" or "no goal" call on the ice has been made in error. The new expanded rule will also allow Hockey Operations to provide guidance to referees on goal and potential goal plays where the referee has blown his whistle (or intended to blow his whistle) after having lost sight of the puck.

So, now, when the ref blew the whistle is somewhat open to review.

Also, some of the changes to where face-offs will take place could have a pretty significant impact. There's going to be a lot more offensive/defensive zone draws.

Oh, and changing ends in OT should result in less shootouts.

Outside of removing the spin-o-rama, I'd say these are mostly good changes - though, the supplemental discipline for diving isn't harsh enough for my liking.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

So shots by the offensive team that break the glass, goes over the glass off the net, goes over the glass off the dasher or glass, is tipped or deflected by attacking player out of play, or becomes stuck on the net will be an offensive zone faceoff, not outside the zone.

Mirtle mentioned this, but makes shot attempts even more important since it can lead to more offensive zone faceoffs now even with missed shots.

 

[bustaheims]

Real_ESPNLeBrun: of interest in the new NHL rules announced today, pertaining to diving fines for players/coaches, is that league will announce them...

Real_ESPNLeBrun: Diving fines will be announced once a week...

So, a little public shaming, then? Interesting.

 

[L K]

The thing about the diving fines is they actually have to use them to make it a deterrent.  We have been talking about fining and shaming players for years and nothing of substance has ever really been done to try and get it out of the game.  There is plenty of video out on youtube showing clips dives and very few of them have been associated with fines.  So it's nice that there is an escalating fine system now, but the NHL actually needs to employ it to make it matter.

I agree with Nik on the diving/tripping calls.  That always struck me as odd that you can just throw yourself into the legs of a player but "touch" the puck and it's a fair play.  As long as they don't overdo it when a player dives if a guy makes a clean diving poke check I think it's a decent rule.  You shouldn't be allowed to just bowl over a guy at the ankles to kill a scoring chance.

I guess the faceoff rule speeds up the game a little but it really depends on how the refs enforce it.  The centre is still going to take his sweet time getting into the faceoff circle...he'll get a warning and then reset and the ref will hesitate to drop the puck for another 15 seconds like they started doing on every faceoff last year.  I guess it saves the 5-10 seconds it took for the winger to skate over to the faceoff circle but I think a better approach would be to just have a set time for the drop of the puck off of icings.  Once the offensive player is at the faceoff circle give the defending centre 5 seconds to square and then drop the puck whether they are ready or not. 

The shot attempt one is another thing that could be ok, but I wonder how the play gets treated if an offensive player tips a clearing attempt out of play.  Does that still stay in the offensive zone even though it was shot by the defending team?

 

[Kin]

I don't know, maybe it's just me but I've never really been offended by diving the way other people seem to be. It just strikes me as a bit of gamesmenship and unlike the NBA, where I think their problem with flopping really began affecting games, I don't know that I see it as having a meaningful impact on play.

It kind of seems to me that this is sort of a half-measure to cover up the League's larger issue of the games not being called very well.

 

[LittleHockeyFan]

I wish they woulda done away with the frickin' shootout altogether 

 

[Bullfrog]

I definitely like the changes to the tripping penalty and faceoff infractions.

 

[bustaheims]

I wish they woulda done away with the frickin' shootout altogether 

They're in too deep for that right now, but, if they keep making moves to minimize its impact, they might be able to get there.

 

[Peter D.]

So glad to see the spin-o-rama banished.  It made the shootout even more gimmicky than it already is.

 

[Damian]

Very glad to see the spinorama ditched!

 

[ZBBM]

So glad to see the spin-o-rama banished.  It made the shootout even more gimmicky than it already is.

Which is why they should keep it ... for the sake of honesty.  It's the usual gall of the NHL to pretend to be doing something about gimmicks while leaving the larger contextual gimmick in place.

 

[Bender]

I really didn't see anything wrong with the move.

 

[hockeyfan1]

I really didn't see anything wrong with the move.

Same here.  I think it added some 'character' to the create aspect of it.  It certainly wasn't a bore to watch.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I really didn't see anything wrong with the move.

I certainly don't see why it's seen as gimmicky. I don't think anybody was telling that to Denis Savard when he was doing them.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

I really didn't see anything wrong with the move.

I certainly don't see why it's seen as gimmicky. I don't think anybody was telling that to Denis Savard when he was doing them.

That's how I feel too. I get that goalies have difficulty with it though, as the player is taking a lot from their ability to save the puck by virtue of the player turning their back and blocking not only sight of the puck, but blocking the poke-check also. I can see where goalies would feel disadvantaged, but I also view it as the player being creative, isn't that what the game is about?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

That's how I feel too. I get that goalies have difficulty with it though, as the player is taking a lot from their ability to save the puck by virtue of the player turning their back and blocking not only sight of the puck, but blocking the poke-check also. I can see where goalies would feel disadvantaged, but I also view it as the player being creative, isn't that what the game is about?

I think it was just getting too hard to enforce the rules surrounding the move. There's too much of a grey area around how much movement the puck has to make and what is considered goalie interference.

 

[LuncheonMeat]

That's how I feel too. I get that goalies have difficulty with it though, as the player is taking a lot from their ability to save the puck by virtue of the player turning their back and blocking not only sight of the puck, but blocking the poke-check also. I can see where goalies would feel disadvantaged, but I also view it as the player being creative, isn't that what the game is about?

I think it was just getting too hard to enforce the rules surrounding the move. There's too much of a grey area around how much movement the puck has to make and what is considered goalie interference.

I say, if you're going to have the shootout let's make it a free-for-all.  Once the puck either touches the goalie (but doesn't enter the net), touches the goal (without entering), or crosses the end line, it's dead.  Otherwise, feel free to skate circles around the ice, spin around, stand on your head, whatever.  That levels the playing field and takes the excuses out of the thing.  Plus it would increase entertainment value.  Let Kane spin around all over the ice wearing his horse head.  Let's make this think fun.

 

[sneakyray]

The thing about the diving fines is they actually have to use them to make it a deterrent.  We have been talking about fining and shaming players for years and nothing of substance has ever really been done to try and get it out of the game.  There is plenty of video out on youtube showing clips dives and very few of them have been associated with fines.  So it's nice that there is an escalating fine system now, but the NHL actually needs to employ it to make it matter.

I agree with Nik on the diving/tripping calls.  That always struck me as odd that you can just throw yourself into the legs of a player but "touch" the puck and it's a fair play.  As long as they don't overdo it when a player dives if a guy makes a clean diving poke check I think it's a decent rule.  You shouldn't be allowed to just bowl over a guy at the ankles to kill a scoring chance.

I guess the faceoff rule speeds up the game a little but it really depends on how the refs enforce it.  The centre is still going to take his sweet time getting into the faceoff circle...he'll get a warning and then reset and the ref will hesitate to drop the puck for another 15 seconds like they started doing on every faceoff last year.  I guess it saves the 5-10 seconds it took for the winger to skate over to the faceoff circle but I think a better approach would be to just have a set time for the drop of the puck off of icings.  Once the offensive player is at the faceoff circle give the defending centre 5 seconds to square and then drop the puck whether they are ready or not. 

The shot attempt one is another thing that could be ok, but I wonder how the play gets treated if an offensive player tips a clearing attempt out of play.  Does that still stay in the offensive zone even though it was shot by the defending team?

I think the face off rule is for a player stepping in who has no intention of taking the faceoff (like a winger after an icing) but just cheats to get thrown out and buy the team an extra 5-10 seconds to catch their breath.  now the first player who steps in to take the faceoff can cheat once but if they cheat twice they get a penalty, no other player gets to take the faceoff in this situation. At least thats how I read it.